It's business as usual - ANCYL outside Luthuli House

5 September 2016

Cape Town - ANCYL president Collen Maine said it was business as usual at ANC's Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg, despite #OccupyLuthuliHouse protesters gathering nearby on Monday.

Speaking to reporters outside Luthuli House, Maine labelled the organisers of the protests  as "cowards".

"It's business as usual," Maine said.

"We were told that those cowards are no longer coming. We are not deterred by this act of counter-revolution.

"It's unfortunate that they are using our colours. Some of them are not members of the ANC, we know they include the opposition," he claimed.

Maine said the ANCYL and the MK Military Veterans Association members had come out in their numbers to protect the building, so that the party's leadership could proceed with "what we do on Mondays undisturbed."

The ANC hosts its top 6 meetings at Luthuli House on Mondays.

'Grandstanding'

Maine was also critical of the methods the protesters had employed, saying inviting the media was "grandstanding".

"As the ANC we are concerned. You don't raise your concerns by inviting the media. This is grandstanding and it's bringing unnecessary attention to Luthuli House.

"You can't march on the House and expect members of the ANC not to do anything about it.

"We cannot allow them to occupy Luthuli House... peacefully so," he added.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.