Johannesburg - Nationalisation of the mines cannot be used
as a tool for punting leaders ahead of the next year's elective conference, ANC
secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday.
"We must sustain nationalisation as a policy debate.
You can't use a policy debate as a lobbying tool," he said.
Mantashe was speaking after a meeting of the ANC's national
executive committee (NEC), which focused largely on discipline.
The NEC met as the party's national officials - the top six
leaders - brought disciplinary charges against ANC Youth League president
Julius Malema and league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu.
The charges related to comments over criticism of the
Botswana government and helping to strengthen opposition in that country.
Malema had in the past said the league would support
leaders who backed
the league's economic programme - including nationalisation of the mines and land
reform without compensation - when the ANC goes to its elective conference next year.
Mantashe said the issues raised in the debate around
nationalisation were pertinent; it was a "correct debate".
"You can't use it as some mischievous tool of lobbying," he said.
The debate had to be "anchored" in the content.
The NEC "decried" the erosion of discipline in the ANC and directed party structures to "act decisively" against ill-discipline.