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The DA condemns the disturbing comments made by ANC Youth League (ANCYL) President, Collen Maine, in the strongest terms possible. In doing so the DA will accordingly refer this matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for its consideration for remarks that we contend rise to the level of inciting violence. Additionally, the DA will be considering laying criminal charges against Maine if he is found to have broken the law by making such egregious remarks.

Mr Maine, in his reckless statements, threatened civil war against those who undermine ANC leadership, particularly President Zuma in the build-up to the State Of the Nation Address (SONA) this week.

Specifically, Mr Maine said that “The ANC Youth League will attend the SONA to defend the nation. We are ready for them. There will be blood.”  The thousands of youth present were urged to take action and to “defend the nation” during the upcoming SONA. The Minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko, was even requested not to have security as the youth members would take over this role.

This supposed rally is nothing more than a smokescreen engineered to hoodwink South Africans into believing the ANC has coherent plans to address free and quality education for the poor, the state of the economy, youth unemployment and local government elections.

The ANC’s top brass in Gwede Mantashe (ANC Secretary-General) must come out strongly and publicly and condemn such speech if the ANC is at all committed to an inclusive and non-violent South Africa.

Failure to do so will demonstrate that the ANC and it’s youth constituent has lost touch with both reality and the people of South Africa. Assuming that defending President Zuma is equal to defending the nation is preposterous and reinforces the President’s remarks that the ANC comes first and the country comes second. That the ANCYL is prepared to shed blood in this regard typifies an ANC in sharp decline and desperate to hold onto power amid its deterioration ahead of the Local Government Elections.

Human Rights are the cornerstone of our national democratic and constitutional order. As such we will not allow for Collen Maine and the ANC to erode those human rights and incite violence for their own narrow political ends. We will impress upon Adv Lawrence Mushwana at the SAHRC to accede to our request by making an example of Mr Maine and demonstrating that this sort of conduct will not be tolerated in a democratic South Africa.

Issued by DA