By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula has dismissed claims that suggest the he was interfering in the youth league business.
This was followed by much criticism from some members, who expressed that the youth league was being stripped of its autonomy.
But Mbalula dismissed the claims of him meddling in the business of the youth league, saying the structure had its full autonomy.
“The youth must decide their own leadership in their own conferences,” he said. “The last time I got involved about who must lead the youth league was Julius Malema.”
The 26th elective conference of the ANC’s Youth League (ANCYL) finally got underway on Saturday following delays of bogus delegates and audit report disputes, while as some disgruntled ANCYL members have accused the ruling party’s leaders of interference.
This comes after Mbalula axed National Youth Task Team (NYTT) convenor Xola Nqola on the eve of the youth league’s congress.
Nqola, who serves as a Member of Parliament, was said to have convened and presided over the Eastern Cape conference that saw the election of ANCYL members.
Taking to the podium to open the conference on Saturday, Mbalula addressed the lack of discipline in the youth league.
“There those who are in the terrain of being loose and ill-disciplined. Continue with your ill-discipline but your time will arrive. We will ensure we take decisive measures against you.
“We will not hesitate to deal with ill-discipline in the organisation. If you have to hate us for then that must be the case. We will never tolerate anarchy,” he said.
Regarding Nqola, Mbalula said he was withdrawn and that decision was taken by the ANC.
“That decision will not be changed,” He said.
Mbalula emphasised that Nqola was appointed as NYTT convenor rather than being elected by ANCYL members.
“I wrote Xola a letter and told him to step down and he now goes around saying he is suspended. I told him this [matter] cannot delay the conference [because] you are not elected. We can withdraw you anytime. Comrades you can differ, but I am telling you the truth. This is not a Mbalula conference. We are surrendering to you.”
Delivering the political overview, the league’s national youth task team deputy convenor, Fasiha Hassan, said young people must future-proof the industries and economies that they were likely to inherit, by agitating for a more significant role in the Brics bloc.
“This ANCYL must be vocal about the establishment of a Brics youth secretariat that will have more sway in conversations around the substantive issues affecting our trading bloc. Issues such as technology, energy, education, conflict and healthcare must be dealt with by young people, and our ideas and proposals must be formalised in the Brics bloc,” she said.
Hassan said that the youth league needs to play a leading role in uniting progressive youth formations across the African continent.
She said that the state of disorganisation among young people in Africa has reached crisis levels.
NYTT deputy convenor Collen Malatji is expected to run unopposed for the position of ANCYL president.
Malatji was announced as the only candidate to have received enough nominations to make it to the ballot.
He received at least 1 900 nominations for him to lead the youth league.
Phumzile Mgcina was nominated for to serve as Malatji’s deputy, while Mntuwoxolo Ngudle and Tsakani Shiviti have been touted for the secretary-general and deputy secretary-general positions respectively.
Zwelo Masilela also met the required 20% threshold to be on the ballot paper for treasurer-general.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will give the closing remarks on Sunday.
Mbalula said on Saturday that the ANC welcomed the the Phala Phala report outcome because it helped lower a political burden on the party.
“There are people sitting here hoping the president will not finish his term. Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka has shown them fireworks and released that report. As the ANC, we are very happy that the Public Protector has exonerated our president,” Mbalula said.
Ramaphosa came very close to resigning from his position as the president of the country last year as the controversy around Phala Phala picked up steam ahead of the ANC national congress in December.
The allegations about his culpability in the burglary at his Limpopo farm in February 2020 were used against him in December.
On Friday, Gcaleka found that the complaints that Ramaphosa violated the ethics code regarding the Phala Phala matter were unsubstantiated.
He was not guilty of violating the executive ethics code, she concluded. Mbalula said the ANC welcomed this report despite opposition political parties remaining unhappy about the outcome.