Ernst Roets says Youth League descecrated list of 1,600 victims of farm murders

ANC Youth League tramples names of farm murder victims

The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) today scattered a list of the names of the more than 1600 victims of farm murders (handed to them by AfriForum Youth) in the street in front of their office, trampled on it and tore it up. Julius Malema also threatened AfriForum Youth with death yesterday by saying it would be the next "Shell House Massacre"[1] if AfriForum Youth were to protest in front of his office (Luthuli House).

This follows after Malema sang the song Dubula i'bhulu ("Shoot the Boers / farmers") at several public occasions and AfriForum Youth took action against Malema by submitting a complaint of hate speech against him to the Equality Court and organising a protest march to the ANCYL's office. A week ago the ANCYL challenged AfriForum Youth and encouraged them to protest in front of their office, after which AfriForum Youth went ahead organising the protest.

The National Chairman of AfriForum Youth, Ernst Roets, yesterday afternoon met with the President of the ANCYL, Julius Malema, to finalise the logistic details of the protest action. During the discussion, Malema said that he would shoot at AfriForum Youth if the march went ahead. In this light, today's protest action at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg continued, but AfriForum Youth decided that the group should not march to the ANCYL's office. A small group of representatives, comprising Ernst Roets, Kallie Kriel, Steve Hofmeyr, Gerrie Pretorius and Sean Else, departed from there to Luthuli House to submit the memorandum.

At Luthuli House, the ANCYL and police were waiting for AfriForum Youth's delegation. Initially the ANCYL refused to accept the protest letter and when the document was eventually handed to them, they scattered the list of victims on the sidewalk and in the street. Members of the ANCYL deliberately trampled on the names and tore it to pieces. A member of the ANCYL also shoved Roets into the street.

Roets said that AfriForum Youth did not expect either civilised or democratic conduct, as they knew they had to do with the ANCYL.

"It is extremely perturbing that they actually trod on the names of the murder victims. It might just as well have been Robert Mugabe meeting us today. The Youth League is not above the law and we will make sure that they learn this the hard way. The Youth League's actions only motivate us even more strongly to go ahead with our campaign and to take further steps against Malema and his followers."

Roets also indicated that the ANCYL's actions will be used against them in the court case.

Statement issued by Ernst Roets, National Chairman: AfriForum Youth, March 19 2010

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