/ 7 September 2015

New ANCYL president ready to take a salary cut

New ANCYL president Collen Maine.
New ANCYL president Collen Maine.

ANCYL president Collen Maine will on Monday discuss with the ANC leadership when he is set to step down as MEC for local government in the North West. He was elected unopposed as the league’s president over the weekend. 

Shortly after the close of the conference on Sunday, Maine said he was not concerned over salary cuts if it meant serving his organisation. 

“Whether there is a salary cut or not we have a responsibility given by Congress,” he said. Maine said he did not know what package would be offered to him by the ANC headquarters.

“As it relates to packages when we get elected, the oath you take as members of the youth league is that you don’t expect any material benefit,” he said. 

According to the 2014 figures, he earned approximately R1.6-million per annum – a far cry from what Luthuli House could afford. 

At the same time, he enjoyed the luxury of a plush German sedan and a state house, among other benefits. According to the congress resolution, the top five leaders of the league would work full time at ANC headquarters. 

“I understand that the president of the youth league is a full-time position so the youth league and the ANC will engage on that particular matter,” Maine said. 

He said he was ready to go to the league’s offices on the seventh floor of Luthuli House. Maine told the conference he will lead the youth in defending President Jacob Zuma. “We must be resolute in our defence of the ANC and its leadership, in particular, President Jacob Zuma,” he said. 

Maine and the newly elected leadership face their first challenge of uniting the organisation. 

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“At the centre of our mandate will be the drive to consolidating internal unity, build cohesion and subject ourselves to the strategic leadership of the ANC,” said secretary general Njabulo Nzuza said. Aside from internal unity, the league has decided to focus its energy on campaigning for the local government elections.

“One of our immediate tasks is to inject new energy in the ANC’s local government elections campaign to ensure that we reclaim lost ground to formations that will not take the country forward,” Nzuza said.