African National Congress Youth League members believe an attack on their president, Fikile Mbalula, by his deputy, Reuben Mohlaloga, is part of a larger strategy to discredit the league because it does not back Thabo Mbeki for another term as ANC leader.
Mohlaloga this week apologised to the league’s extended national working committee for writing an article in City Press newspaper attacking Mbalula’s call for the next South African president to double as party leader.
But the matter is unlikely to end there. Some in the national executive are hoping that a league national executive committee meeting in two weeks’ time will decide to discipline and eventually expel Mohlaloga.
On the league’s website two weeks ago, Mbalula criticised the notion of the two centres of power which would result if Mbeki chose to stand for another term as ANC president.
Mbeki indicated in a television interview that he was prepared to serve another term as ANC president in 2007 if branches want him to.
By challenging Mbeki’s planned bid for the party leadership, the league has placed itself in opposition to a powerful lobby within the ANC which does not believe ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma is capable of replacing Mbeki. This grouping wants Mbeki to run for another term as ANC president, as the party’s constitution does not limit terms in office.
Now the league suspects a hidden agenda in Mohlaloga’s City Press broadside against Mbalula, saying some people in the ANC wanted to project the league as divided.
The league’s leaders have been solidly behind Jacob Zuma as South Africa’s next president and ANC leader. They have set themselves against Mbeki by arguing that no ANC leader is indispensable.
The league just fell short of accusing Mohlaloga of allowing himself to be used by Mbeki’s supporters. However, many of the league’s provincial leaders are said to be pushing for his expulsion.
Gauteng secretary Lebogang Maile said it was surprising that Mohlaloga, who had presided over many executive committee meetings, pretended he did not have a voice within the league by sounding off in the media.
On Eastern Cape leaders who had also accused Mbalula of not having a mandate to speak about the two centres of power issue, league secretary Sihle Zikalala said they had produced evidence that the league had discussed the issue.