The African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday welcomed a statement issued by the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) distancing itself from controversial comments made by ANCYL’s Floyd Shivambu about Cyril Ramaphosa. 

Ramaphosa is the chairman of the ANC’s National Disciplinary Committee of Appeals.

Deep divisions appear to have emerged in the youth league overnight. 

Shivambu was first backed by the youth league’s Magdalene Moonsamy over his attack on Ramaphosa which was then denounced by the league’s Deputy President Ronald Lamola. 

“We have seen the statement of the ANC Youth League and indeed we welcome it,” the ANC’s Jackson Mthembu told Eyewitness News.

The ANC said on Monday Shivambu brought shame and disgrace to the movement with his comments in a newspaper article over the weekend.

Shivambu criticised Ramaphosa’s decision to uphold his and Julius Malema’s convictions for sowing division within the ANC.

He said it showed Ramaphosa had sold out the revolution.

On Monday night Moonsamy put out a statement saying the youth league was worried about what it called “the ANC’s insulting of Floyd Shivambu”.

“Issues that have been raised by comrade Shivambu should be met with engagement,” she said. 

An hour and a half later, Lamola said the league denounced and disowned that statement.

He also said Shivambu wrote the article about Ramaphosa in his personal capacity and it had nothing to do with the league.