JOHANNESBURG, April 9 (ANA) – The African National Congress leadership needs to dismantle factions which are tearing apart the organisation and build unity, ANC treasurer general Zweli Mkhize said on Sunday.
Earlier on Sunday, a memorial service for ANC stalwart the late Ahmed Kathrada in Durban was severely disrupted when Mkhize and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan were heckled and shouted down during their speeches by KwaZulu-Natal ANC Youth League members – some visibly drunk. The youth league members defied a Durban High Court order on Saturday interdicting them from assaulting, intimidating, or harassing anyone at the event.
In a statement afterwards, Mkhize said the memorial service was marred by the “heckling incident against me”.
“At a personal level such heckling does not affect me. I have been through worse situations and understand this in politics. For some people it’s their way to express themselves. It is clear that the ANC leadership has a huge task to embark on political education to teach our youth tolerance of different views and respect for the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom,” he said.
“The memorial service was a beautiful representation of the non-racial and non-sexist credentials of the ANC, from the youth to senior citizens, many of whom have known struggle credentials. On behalf of the ANC we wish to apologise to those who were invited for the embarrassment and inconvenience caused.
“The behaviour remains unacceptable now as it has always been when it happened to other leaders in the organisation, as it erodes on the respect for the ANC. It is a challenge [the] leadership has to address.
“There is need need for [the ANC] leadership to dismantle factions which are tearing apart the organisation and urgently work to rebuild unity and deal with differences which play out in the open. We call on all comrades to avoid using such solemn occasions to exacerbate tensions and embarrass the ANC,” Mkhize said.
– African News Agency (ANA)
