Business Day
*Provincial league turns against Malema**Sibongakonke Shoba and Edward West, Business Day, Johannesburg, 4 October 2011*
JULIUS Malema suffered a major blow yesterday when his decision to disband the pro-Jacob Zuma KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress Youth League executive committee was rejected by a number of regions including eThekwini (Durban), the league's biggest region by numbers.
Such opposition to Mr Malema's national executive committee (NEC) could lead to a rebellion against his leadership in the province, which has the biggest number of ANC members. The league's NEC needs approval from provinces for its decision to be accepted.
Mr Malema is linked to a group pushing for Mr Zuma's removal from the ANC presidency next year. The youth league president even pulled out of a scheduled radio interview with Ukhozi FM last night as it appeared that the balance of forces were tilting against him.
Although a planned meeting to brief the eThekwini region of the disbandment did not take place yesterday, it was clear that the crowd that gathered at the ANC regional offices was opposed to Mr Malema's decision because it sang pro-Zuma songs. Security guards were called in and used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Provincial chairman Jomo Sibiya confirmed the incident. "The meeting did not sit. There was commotion when security guards used pepper spray. We told our members to disperse." League spokesman Floyd Shivambu said last night he had not received a report on the meeting.
Sandile Gabela, secretary of the Moses Mabhida region, yesterday told SABC radio news that his region was also opposed to the decision.
A defiant chairman of the disbanded executive, Mthandeni Dlungwane, yesterday claimed to have the support of the majority of regions in the province.
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