ANCYL leader retracts call to take up arms for Zuma
ANC Youth League President Collen Maine has retracted his call for the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) military veterans to take up arms in defence of President Jacob Zuma.
Maine retracted the comments today, after the ANC condemned the remarks.
Maine made the call during a Hands-off-Zuma march in KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend.
"We are the Youth League of the ANC. When the ANC calls us to order, we engage them. After the engagement we agreed to retract the statement," he told Jacaranda FM News.
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He refused to be drawn on whether he thought his statements were problematic.
"It won't help if I say I felt there was something problematic with it or not. The fact of the matter is that the statement has now been retracted."
The ruling party has described the comments as unfortunate, irresponsible and reckless.
READ ALSO - ANCYL President's comments reckless: ANC
ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said: "President Zuma is a democratically-elected president. He enjoys overwhelming support from South Africans. He does not need a private army."