ANC Youth League president Julius Malema on Tuesday attacked ANC leaders who denied that nationalisation was party policy, saying they were "denouncing" the Freedom Charter.
"We have been listening to leaders of the ANC who understand the ANC better than all of us who have been saying nationalisation is not the policy of the ANC," Malema told the Mining for Change Summit in Sandton.
"They are correct when they say its not the policy of government, yes, we agree but it is the policy of the ANC and we want to reactivate it so it becomes policy of the government.
" ... If you say it is not the policy of the ANC ... you are simply denouncing the Freedom Charter ... and you can't be a disciplined member of the ANC who speaks against policy ... discipline means you must respect the policies of the ANC including the decisions of the ANC," he said.
"Everyone else junior and senior must respect the policies of the ANC. We want to nationalise because we want to make profit ... to increase the budget of the state for social development purposes."
Malema said the party adopted the Freedom Charter and nationalisation was part of the declaration, therefore, it formed part of ANC policy.
"This is what our leaders have fought for," Malema said.
Senior ANC leaders -- including treasurer general Mathews Phosa, secretary general Gwede Mantashe and president Jacob Zuma -- have all said that nationalisation of the mines was not ANC policy.
Last year Phosa told investors in London that nationalising the mines was not ANC policy, nor was it government policy.
"We have been listening to leaders of the ANC who understand the ANC better than all of us who have been saying nationalisation is not the policy of the ANC," Malema told the Mining for Change Summit in Sandton.
"They are correct when they say its not the policy of government, yes, we agree but it is the policy of the ANC and we want to reactivate it so it becomes policy of the government.
" ... If you say it is not the policy of the ANC ... you are simply denouncing the Freedom Charter ... and you can't be a disciplined member of the ANC who speaks against policy ... discipline means you must respect the policies of the ANC including the decisions of the ANC," he said.
"Everyone else junior and senior must respect the policies of the ANC. We want to nationalise because we want to make profit ... to increase the budget of the state for social development purposes."
Malema said the party adopted the Freedom Charter and nationalisation was part of the declaration, therefore, it formed part of ANC policy.
"This is what our leaders have fought for," Malema said.
Senior ANC leaders -- including treasurer general Mathews Phosa, secretary general Gwede Mantashe and president Jacob Zuma -- have all said that nationalisation of the mines was not ANC policy.
Last year Phosa told investors in London that nationalising the mines was not ANC policy, nor was it government policy.