Africa-Press – South-Africa. The axing of Mpumalanga’s “ill-disciplined” provincial structure and the “kangaroo court” run by the Free State leadership plague the freshly-minted ANC Youth League (ANCYL) ahead of its 79th-anniversary bash on Sunday.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as the ANC’s second-in-charge, will give the keynote address during Sunday’s celebrations as the ANCYL – just more than two months after its July national elective conference, the first since its disbandment in 2013 – puts fires out in two provinces.
ANCYL secretary-general Mntuwoxolo Ngudle told News24 the league’s national executive committee (NEC) had disbanded its Mpumalanga structure on 13 August after it had “defied” instructions from its national office.
In July, City Press reported that ANCYL Mpumalanga deputy chairperson Lucky Zitha said the provincial leadership wanted to mobilise and fight for its chairperson, Thulasizwe Thomo, to be included in Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane’s Cabinet, and removing current Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe.
Zitha said: “We will, however, keep on fighting until a young person is appointed to Cabinet. If it means we have to mobilise for our voice to be heard, we will.”
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Moreover, the league’s Free State executive committee, in a letter seen by News24, suspended its provincial secretary Mayibuye Bangani after a slew of allegations – including “insulting members of the ANCYL PEC [provincial executive committee] on social media”, and “undermining the decisions of the PEC” – in a move Ngudle likened to “a kangaroo court”.
Mpumalanga leadership sacked
The obstinance regarding its provincial chairperson entering government had Mpumalanga’s ANCYL leadership at loggerheads with their national counterparts, who warned the local league not to disrupt the province.
“The provincial structure of Mpumalanga was defiant with all the instructions of the NEC,” Ngudle said.
He added:
Ngudle did not want to commit to disbanding the ANCYL’s Free State leadership for not “following organisational procedures” in trying to convict Bangani.
In a letter to Bangani, provincial disciplinary chairperson Emanuel Polokoane said the secretary had “sabotaged the activities of the ANCYL”, writing that the disciplinary hearing would sit on 26 September.
“Kindly note while awaiting the sitting of your hearing, you will be recused from your responsibilities as provincial secretary,” Polokoane wrote.
But Ngudle said Bangani remained in his post – and the provincial body was sternly warned on how to conduct its disciplinary processes, saying Bangani was suspended without being told how he had sabotaged and undermined the league.
“In order to discipline a person, there must be no kangaroo court. There must be a proper organisational process. You also have to respect the rights of the other person or the leader of the organisation.
“You don’t just run a process that is organisational and expect us to keep quiet,” Ngudle said.
Despite these issues, he said the league was not worried about it falling apart more than two months after its revitalisation.
Ngudle emphasised that the national leadership would crack the whip on what he called “ill-discipline”.
This was on the eve of the party’s birthday bash, which will, ironically, be hosted in Kameelrivier Stadium in Mpumalanga.
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