http://blog.ecr.co.za/newswatch/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/zille_filesapplication2_sap.jpgThe ANC has distanced itself from what it called the ANC Youth League?s ?deeply embarrassing? attack on Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille, but failed to deter the league from reiterating its views. ?The African National Congress distances itself from comments by an ANC Youth League spokesperson on Tuesday about DA leader Helen Zille and her provincial cabinet,? secretary general Gwede Mantashe said in a statement. He said the ruling party strongly objected to Zille?s criticism of President Jacob Zuma?s sexual conduct that Tuesday triggered a war of words, but could not tolerate the ANCYL?s outburst. Zille was quoted in The Sowetan as saying: ?Zuma is a self-confessed womaniser with deeply sexist views, who put all his wives at risk by having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman.? She made the remark in response to criticism from Zuma?s new minister of women, youth, children and people with disabilities, Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, on the all-male make-up of her provincial executive. The youth league hit back: ?Zille has seless people, majority of whom are her boyfriends and concubines so that she can continue to sleep around with them (sic), yet she claims to have the moral authority to question our President.? Said Mantashe: ?Zille?s statements earlier in the week about President Jacob quite correctly, were roundly condemned. ?She justly deserves criticism for the unrepresentative composition of her cabinet. ?But this does not justify the comments by the ANC Youth League. These comments are deeply embarrassing to the ANC, and reflect a marked departure from the ANC?s approach to political engagement.? The youth league issued a statement shortly afterwards in which it complained about the way in which Die Burger newspaper handled the story and indicated it stood by its views on Zille. League spokesman Floyd Shivambu said the organisation believed ?Helen is a racist girl who does not respect women, African people, cultures and traditions. ?We further believe that her behaviour and sentiments are symptomatic of someone who was dropped on her head when she was a child,? he said. Shivambu was furious with Die Burger for publishing the full youth league tirade against Zille on its front page, with his name and mobile phone number at the bottom. He said he had been inundated with phone calls from angry DA supporters and threatened to report the newspaper to the Press Ombudsman. ?Die Burger published the media contact number of the ANCYL spokesperson without the approval of the ANCYL, thus exposing the spokesperson to personal and racist attacks and threats from readers of Die Burger,? Shivambu said in a statement. ?The attacks came from Die Burger readers who declared their undying support to the Democratic Alliance and Helen Zille. These remarks from mainly DA supporters indeed validate our earlier view that the DA is supported by racist people who miss apartheid oppression. ?The ANCYL will be writing to the Press Ombudsman to officially lodge a complaint about the manner in which Die Burger handled the press statement.?
