ANC YOUTH LEAGUE'S STATEMENT ON THE STAR NEWSPAPER APOLOGY TO ANC YOUTH LEAGUE PRESIDENT:
Today, the 31st of March 2011, The Star Newspaper published a front page apology to ANC Youth League President Julius Malema which reads as follows: "IT HAS come to our attention that our front page report on Tuesday, headlined "Malema blasts Zuma" was not accurate. In the report, we quoted ANC Youth League President as saying: "Since he got into power, comrade Zuma has been surrounded by bad advisers".
We have been able to verify that Malema, in his speech to the Mopani regional ANCYL conference last weekend, had not referred to President Jacob Zuma. The Star regrets the error and unreservedly apologises to Malema for whatever embarrassment it caused. Not disputed in the rest of the story are the statements attributed to Malema in which he criticised the government and ANC on their decisions on Libya and their support for UN resolution 1973 on a no-fly-zone over that country".
The ANC Youth League notes the apology from the Star, yet believes that there is a bigger agenda linked to story. This is evident on the manner in which The Star Newspaper reported the news on Tuesday. What The Star Newspaper does not say on the apology is that the ANC Youth League gave them unlimited access to an unedited video footage of ANC Youth League President's address to Mopani ANC Youth League Regional Congress.
The Star also does not acknowledge that the Journalist (Matome Sebelemetja) they claimed captured the story did not see the story they published, nor confirmed the quotes they say he captured from ANC Youth League President's address before they went ahead and published the story on their now lousy Newspaper.
The fact that in spreading these lies, The Star Newspaper also agitated for disciplinary action against ANC Youth League President and linked their story to the incoming 24th National Congress of the ANC Youth League reveals that there is an agenda driven against the incumbent leadership of the ANC Youth League. Some leaders elsewhere were already celebrating that finally they will purge ANC Youth League President from the organisation if the distortions of The Star Newspaper were true, meaning that these distortions were deliberately made to achieve certain evil missions.
The ANC Youth League will continue with its own independent investigations to find out who exactly created the words they claim ANC Youth League President mentioned in the ANC Youth League regional congress in Mopani, because the story sent by Matome Sebelemetja, who was the only Journalist in the Congress, did not contain those quotes.
On Wednesday the 30th of March 2011, the Daily Sun Newspaper, which has never been a reputable Newspaper, wrote a front page story which sought to re-confirm that ANC Youth League President said what was initially claimed by The Star Newspaper. In their report, Daily Sun claimed that they had once again re-confirmed with Matome Sebelemetja (Journalist) that indeed President Julius Malema said what was alleged he said.
This is despite the fact that the Daily Sun never spoke to the Matome Sebelemetja, nor confirmed their allegations through any original video footage. Despite these realities, Daily Sun's Wednesday report said in bold letters that "MATOME SELEMETJA SAYS HE'S GOT NOTES OF MALEMA'S CRITICISM OF THE PRESIDENT AND HIS GOVERNMENT!". They then go ahead and repeat the lies, despite the fact that no one in Daily Sun spoke to Matome Sebelemetja.
The ANC Youth League has instructed Daily Sun, to like The Star Newspaper, make a front page retraction and unreserved apology to ANC Youth League President for spreading lies. Typically, the Daily Sun has not done so, despite the fact that the ANC Youth League allowed one of Daily Sun's Journalists to view the full unedited video recording of the address by ANC Youth League President to the regional congress and an open letter from Matome Sebelemetja distancing himself from those allegations.
Once again, the ANC Youth League demands a front page retraction and unreserved apology from the Daily Sun for spreading lies, or we will take the necessary legal action, not through the Ombudsman, but through formal judicial processes, because the Press Ombudsman is useless.
All these reports confirm our long standing view that South African print media is neither respectable, nor professional. They rely on hearsay and rumours to insert their words in the mouths of leaders and report stories that suit their narrow, evil agendas.
This time they have been exposed and further investigations will be done to find out who exactly created these quotes and blamed them on the Journalist who has written an open letter distancing himself from these allegations. We are aware that they have now fired the Journalist for telling the truth and refusing to own up to their creations and imaginations.
The ANC Youth League will never be discouraged or demoralised from raising principled issues that relate to issues of peace, solidarity and social justice. At all times, the ANC Youth League will emphasise the anti-imperialist character of the ANC and question all decisions and actions that seek to reinforce the imperialist agenda, because the recent past National General Council of the ANC, re-affirmed the ANC as the strategic centre of power, the leader of the Alliance, a disciplined force of the left, and a mass movement with an internationalist and an anti-imperialist outlook..
Statement issued by Floyd Shivambu, ANC Youth League Spokesperson, March 31 2011
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