ANCYL blasted over attack on Madonsela

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has taken the party's youth wing to task over disparaging remarks it made about public protector Thuli Madonsela.

The ANC Youth League went on the offensive after the release of Madonsela's report last week‚ which found that President Jacob Zuma had violated paragraph 2 of the Executive Ethics Code by failing to protect the public purse.

This was after the cost of upgrading his Nkandla residence soared to R246-million after an initial estimate of R27-million.

The league called for Madonsela's resignation‚ saying she was "compromised to the bone". Yesterday morning‚ ANC national executive committee member and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula reiterated the ANC's support for Chapter Nine institutions such as the office of the public protector.

She described some remarks by the youth league as "sexist" as they criticised Madonsela's looks.

She was speaking at a breakfast briefing on the party's commitment to safety and security as outlined in its manifesto.

Ahead of the briefing‚ ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu "noted with regret" the comments made by the league and ANC-aligned student organisation the Congress of South African Students.

He distanced the party from the views of the youth league‚ reaffirming the ANC's support for the office of the public protector.

"We once again call on all South Africans to subject the public protector's report‚ not the public protector‚ to objective assessment and scrutiny in order to reach informed judgment‚" he said.

The ANC continues to conduct damage control after the release of the explosive report last week.

It has approached the Electoral Commission and is ready to approach the Electoral Court if need be over an SMS circulated widely by the DA.

The SMS allegedly urges South Africans to vote for the DA and accuses Zuma of "stealing" R246-million to build his Nkandla residence.

Mthembu said there was no finding that the president had stolen in Madonsela's report. – BDlive