The ANC Youth League (Ancyl) has denied a Sunday newspaper report that the organisation was facing a ”cash crisis” after the African National Congress withdrew its R500 000 monthly grant.
Ancyl spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the report in the Sunday Times was ”nothing more than a sensationalist attempt” to drive a wedge between the Ancyl and its mother body.
The article said the youth league has in recent months been unable to run some of its key programmes. The paper said the organisation has also had to cancel two national working committee meetings.
”In addition, the league believes its fundraising efforts are being snubbed by top ANC-aligned businessmen because of its stance on the presidential succession debate,” the paper stated.
It quoted Kodwa saying that funding from the ANC ”has not been regular” but that the youth league had ”not closed shop”.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ancyl denied making the statements.
”We wish to place on record that there has not been any deviation from the normal funding arrangements of our activities by the ANC over the years,” Kodwa said.
”Anything to the contrary is nothing more than beerhall hearsay and malicious gossip born out of desperation to paint the relationship between Ancyl and its mother body as unsavoury”.
ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama also denied the report, saying ”there’s nothing like that”.
”Yes, we have had our disagreements with the youth league on a number of issues just like we have with our alliance partners, but we do continue to give assistance where we can,” Ngonyama said.
The youth league said it rejected the article ”with the contempt it deserves”. – Sapa