Sibusiso Ngalwa
THE Hawks are investigating a case of inciting violence against expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema as pressure mounts on law enforcement agencies to act against him.
The Hawks will approach media houses to request footage of Malema's gatherings and have allocated the case to an internal unit which investigates "crimes against the state".
The case stems from a complaint laid by Solidarity against Malema for comments made during his visits to various mining communities, including striking Lonmin workers in Marikana, North West.
Although the union – the ANC's ideological opponent – laid the complaint, it is the ANC's leadership who want Malema charged for whipping up emotions among mining communities.
The ANC has called on law enforcement agencies to investigate Malema's statements, which they view as an attempt to start a rebellion against the state and delegitimise President Jacob Zuma's government.
But law experts are sceptical that the charge will stick, while Malema has denied incitement.
Malema featured prominently during the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) meeting over the weekend. During a debate on Marikana, some members called for the youth league to distance itself from Malema and the activities of the Friends of the Youth League (FYL) grouping.
But the league's deputy secretary-general, Kenetswe Mosenogi, told the closed meeting that the league's programme was to ensure "economic freedom in our lifetime" and not to issue statements. She also added that the league had earlier distanced itself from the FYL.
At the NEC meeting, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe is said to have called for the expulsion of suspended youth league members Floyd Shivambu and secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa for their association with the FYL.
"[Deputy ANC president] Kgalema [Motlanthe] said it would be wrong to just expel Floyd and Magaqa without following due processes," an NEC member said.
In a report by the ANC's national working committee (NWC), tabled at the NEC meeting, Malema was accused of undermining a democratically elected government.
"The Marikana tragedy has been exploited by many forces, among them Malema and the Friends of the Youth League, the opposition parties, a section of the clergy and some within the structures of the ANC," Mantashe said in the report.
The developments come as the police and the army descended on Marikana on Saturday in a bid to crack down on the six-week-old strike and disarm the miners.
Hundreds of traditional weapons were confiscated and more than 10 miners arrested. The government has adopted a tough stance against the miners who have refused to return to work until their employees agree to their demand of a salary of R12500.
Mantashe yesterday criticised the companies in the platinum sector, saying it was their lack of a centralised bargaining council that had led to the tension between unions.
He hinted that government would intervene to enforce centralised bargaining.
– Additional reporting by TJ Strydom
