JOHANNESBURG - In a statement yesterday, the group calling itself the Defenders of the Revolution (DOR) said Zuma and Malema have introduced a culture of insulting sitting presidents.

“Now that they are enemies, it is once again convenient for them to have party members tearing one another to shreds, as long as it serves their insular personal desires,” read the statement.

The group, consisting mainly of concerned members of the ANC, Youth League and the Women’s League, said comrades across the political and academic spectrum are unanimous in the conviction  these two people are largely to blame for the state of disarray the party finds itself in on its centenary.

DOR plan to go around the country convincing branches to ensure that both Zuma and the former former ANC Youth League president are relegated to the back seats for ANC.

“DOR will go around the country lobbying for Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to replace Zuma at the Mangaung conference, provided Motlanthe pledges to keep Malema at bay for many years to come.

It does not take a rocket scientist to spot the difference between the ANC and ANCYL while led by intellectuals with doctorates and law degrees and the ANC and ANCYL in the hands of illiterates,” it said.

Yesterday, Mpho Dube, who identified himself as the spokesman  for the group, said the country cannot be held to ransom by two individuals. He claimed that DOR has the support of ANC national executive committee members.

ANC national spokesman Keith Khoza said: “ The leadership of the ANC is determined by the branches not groups. Branches will deliberate on the leadership ... when the nomination process starts in October.”

– ngwakom@citizen.co.za