ANCYL regional spokesperson, Thulisa Ndlela, said Govender’s controversial Facebook comment constituted a hateful personal attack that could incite conflict.
“He’s not arrested? He belongs in jail,” Ndlela told the Sunday Tribune.
Govender was axed from the SABC after posting the comment on his personal Facebook account last weekend.
“Just heard Zombie Zuma giving a speech on the news. Massacring the beautiful English language. Uneducated creature,” he wrote.
Ndlela said Govender was out of line.
“Everyone has a right to fair comment and to criticise the president’s speech, but don’t engage on the delivery because that is characterisation.
“It’s a known fact that the president does not have a formal education, but there is no need to raise it constantly. What are you saying about those of us who are led by him and voted for him?” he asked.
Govender has apologised for the comment, saying: “I didn’t criticise the man, I criticised his delivery of the speech.”
He has also received threats, which he has been dealing with personally.
“I lost my job. I’m paying for what I did,” he said.
On Wednesday, the DA suggested political interference in the matter.
The DA’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, Haniff Hoosen, said the DA had information that the instruction to fire Govender came from a politically-influenced higher authority.