Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) task team’s national working committee (NWTT) has warned against what it calls “favouritism” and “interference” by its mother body as it heads to its national congress next weekend.
The committee held a meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress made for its 26th national congress, which will run from 30 June until 4 July at Nasrec, Johannesburg.
In a statement, the NWTT said it valued the ANC’s commitment to assisting the ANCYL to convene its congress, but it was not pleased by what it called a “heavy-handed approach taken by some ANC leaders” in its affairs.
The statement reads:
The committee added: “The NWTT will engage with ANC officials to address these issues and find ways to ensure that the credibility of the congress is maintained. It is essential that the ANCYL’s congress reflects the democratic values and principles upon which the organisation was founded.”
Recently, there had been reports that certain leaders in the ANC had sidelined the task team convener, Xola Nqola, in carrying out his functions. TimesLive reported last month that the ANC’s head of organising, Mdu Manana, had allegedly taken over the task team, sidelining Nqola.
According to TimesLive, this led to the chairperson of the Eastern Cape ANC, Oscar Mabuyane, and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni laying a complaint with the party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula.
The Sunday World reported that there seemed to be divisions in the ANC in the Eastern Cape about who should emerge in the leadership race of the ANCYL because Mabuyane and provincial secretary, Lulama Ngcukayitobi, allegedly submitted different lists to Luthuli House on who should contest.
Meanwhile, the frontrunners for the position of ANCYL president are Collen Malatji, who claimed in an interview with News24 this week that he was leading the pack; another candidate is Aphiwe Mkhangelwa. Another person said to be in the running is ANC NEC member Zuko Godlimpi. However, Godlimpi is yet to publicly confirm that he is in the race.
The NWTT said members of the ANCYL were ready for the national congress, which it said was a “crucial moment”.
“The young lions are resolute in our determination to ensure the successful convening of this historic congress. This congress represents a crucial moment for young people. Let us unite, drawing strength from our shared purpose, as we work towards reviving and building the ANCYL,” reads the statement.
The ANCYL last held a national congress in 2015, at which Collen Maine was elected president.
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