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ANC Youth League members in Tshwane disrupted a press briefing arranged by organisers of #OccupyLuthuliHouse and have vowed to stop the planned occupation of the ANC headquarters.
Tshwane youth league chairperson Lesego Makhubela, his deputy Ezra Letsoalo and secretary Ratshi Mashamba stopped the briefing shortly after it started at the Court Classique Hotel in Pretoria.
The youth league members told the media that the presser would not go ahead and that the organisers of the planned protest were not following proper ANC procedure.
The youth league shouted repeatedly that the venue of the presser was “counter revolutionary,” as it was the same venue where people who were unhappy with Thoko Didiza being nominated as mayor allegedly planned the Tshwane mayhem.
They were referring to the week-long unrest in Tshwane following the announcement by the ANC that National Executive Council member Didiza would be its mayoral candidate.
The Occupy Luthuli House Campaign is seeking the immediate resignation of President Jacob Zuma and the whole ANC NEC, saying they have failed in running the organisation, resulting in the loss of metropolitan municipalities to the Democratic Alliance.
Lestoalo moved tables and snatched media microphones from where they had been set up, telling the media to peacefully stop working and leave.
“These people should not host this press briefing using the ANC brand. They are not leading the structure. If they want the president to resign they should follow relevant structures to do so,” said Letsoalo.
“Even their membership is in question. When they go to Luthuli House they will find us there. We will be waiting for them,” he added.
Police were called in to solve the dispute as ANCYL leaders were joined by some of their members and supporters, who tried to storm the press conference venue.
The supporters started singing “asinavalo” outside, in support of the youth league decision to stop the briefing.
The Occupy Luthuli House organisers said they “felt pity for them [ANCYL” because they were sent by looters.
“They have been sent here to disrupt the process.
Unfortunately the looters in the ANC have access to resource, people and they have money,” said one of the organisers, Bonolo Ramokhele.
The occupation of Luthuli House was planned to begin on Monday but the youth league say that they will confront them again if need be.
Earlier today the youth league issued a statement saying that no protest action at Luthuli House would be tolerated.
“We alert all those that will attempt to occupy Luthuli House that this will not happen. People can demonstrate but occupying Luthuli House will never happen. Don’t try this at Luthuli House,” it read.
