Stop attacking Madonsela: ANCYL
"When comrades want to say something about Ms Thuli Madonsela, they should do so without dragging the name of our glorious movement through the mud," chairman Matome Chiloane told reporters in Johannesburg.
"The organisation has had enough of this unnecessary drama. If comrades are not happy with the work of the public protector they must critique her findings, and leave the shape of her nose or suspicions of her being a spy out of their dissatisfaction with her work."
He said the ANCYL called on the African National Congress to act against people who "speak out of tune" on Madonsela or anyone.
He said Luthuli House, the ANC's headquarters, must centralise communication so that this was better managed.
Provincial secretary Bones Modise said Madonsela should be clear on her findings, especially those related to the R246 million security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma's private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.
Madonsela found he had violated the Executive Ethics Code by failing to protect state resources, which was inconsistent with his position.
In her report released in March entitled "Secure in Comfort", Madonsela held Zuma had unduly benefited from the upgrades.
She ordered that he repay the state for the work that did not relate to security. She gave him two weeks to respond.
Modise said Madonsela should be clear what exactly Zuma should repay.
"What is a portion and how did you come to the amount?" he asked.
Over the weekend, Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans chairman Kebby Maphatsoe insinuated Public Protector Thuli Madonsela worked for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The Star reported on Monday that Maphatsoe, who is also deputy defence and military veterans minister, made the statements while speaking at a tombstone unveiling of an Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association combatant in Soweto on Saturday.
"We can't allow people to hijack the ANC. We'll fight and defend the African National Congress.
"uThuli kumele asitshele ukuthi ubani ihandler yakhe [Thuli must tell us who her handler is]," Maphatsoe reportedly said.
"They are even using our institutions now... These Chapter Nine institutions were created by the ANC but are now being used against us, and if you ask why, it is the Central Intelligence Agency. Ama [the] Americans want their own CEO in South Africa and we must not allow that," Maphatsoe was quoted as saying.
Madonsela's office on Monday said Maphatsoe was given three days to back up his allegations or issue an apology and retract his comments.
If Maphatsoe failed to apologise, Madonsela intended invoking sections nine and 11 of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994, which states it is a crime to insult the public protector.
He apologised on Tuesday and said his comments were misunderstood and misinterpreted.
(File photo: Gallo images)