The African National Congress (ANC) will always be there to take the "youth by the ear" and discipline them when they are wrong, President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Tuesday.

The president was addressing a public meeting held in Lenasia, Johannesburg, as part of the ANC's 2009 election campaign.

"The youth must always bring a radical perspective and energy and oomph... but of course the role of the mother body [ANC] is to nurture, guide, train and develop this youth.

"When we have a youth that is energetic but erroneous... at the same time you cannot shirk your responsibility of correcting them and bringing them into line," the president said when asked a question about utterances made by ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, which constantly land him in hot water.

"The role of the ANC is to take the youth by the ear and turn them around... We must always bring Julius into line, all the time. Each time he says anything wrong we must pull him by the ear and bring him into line.

"The ANC never gives up on anyone," Motlanthe said.

Malema's latest faux-pas occurred when he criticised Education Minister Naledi Pandor, making derogatory comments about her accent.

He has since publicly apologised and Pandor has accepted his apology.

Malema also had to be reined in by the ruling party after he told ANC supporters outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court that the ANC would campaign in Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi's backyard.

Malema told reporters that the ANC would recruit Buthelezi's wife and children in its election campaign.

The ruling party had to then issue a statement expressing its dismay about Malema's comments, which resulted in mudslinging between the IFP and the ANC.