A last-minute court order barring members of the ANC Youth League from assaulting, intimidating or harassing anyone attending yesterday’s memorial service for struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada failed to stop the league from disrupting the Durban event, notes Legalbrief.

KZN High Court (Durban) judge Rashid Vahed also ordered that the league communicate to its members – via media and social media – the undertaking its KZN leadership gave not to disrupt the event in any way.

Vahed recorded that representatives of the league were present in court when the order was made. According to a News24 report, the organisers of the event, The Active Citizens Group, brought the urgent application, seeking an interdict to bar the ANCYL from the event, saying they fear for the safety of keynote speaker axed Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. However, the judge, did not bar the Youth League members from the event.

Full News24 report

However, the event was disrupted by singing, heckling Youth League members carrying anti-Gordhan posters. A report in The Mercury says the event deteriorated into chaos as Gordhan, ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize and other speakers were heckled by Youth League members, who had come to show support for embattled President Jacob Zuma. After the event Gordhan refused to say much on the developments. ‘You saw it was not only me who was disrupted; even the treasurer-general was disrupted,’ he is quoted as saying.

The league has accused Gordhan of using the Kathrada memorial service to attack Zuma. Before the event it mobilised its members to attend and show their support for Zuma. While the league had said its members were not going to disrupt the event, it became clear as the programme started that the knives were out for the former Finance Minister, says The Mercury report.

The league members, who were clearly in the majority at the hall, started howling and singing as soon as Gordhan took to the podium. Sihle Zikalala, the provincial chair of the ANC, had to take the podium half way through Gordhan’s speech to try to calm down the members. However, they continued with their disruption and waved anti-Gordhan placards.

Full report in The Mercury (subscription needed)