The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) faces yet another crisis after five of its provincial structures rejected Luthuli House’s endorsement of its controversially elected top five officials.
The ANC’s national working committee endorsed the newly elected officials, led by Julius Malema, after the league’s congress ended inconclusively in Bloemfontein in April.
The league asked for the ANC’s intervention after seven provinces disputed Malema’s election as the new president on the basis that his election, and those of four other officials, were not free and fair as a number of delegates were prevented from voting.
Another complaint raised by some delegates centred on the involvement of former ANCYL national executive committee member Saki Mofokeng and Vuyiswa Tulelo in the credentials process.
Mofokeng and Tulelo were candidates for the positions of president and secretary general, respectively.
Central to the new dispute is the fact that the ANC did not follow the conference recommendation that the allegations of improper procedure made by some delegates should be investigated.
The league’s KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, North West, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape structures now complain that the ANC has overstepped its mandate by rushing to affirm the new leaders, instead of focusing on the complaints raised by delegates.
While some of the provincial structures have demanded that the election process for the top five officials be started afresh, others have suggested the reconfiguration of the top five.
Some league members in KwaZulu-Natal have suggested that Malema should remain as the league’s president while Mofokeng, who lost the presidential contest to Malema, is made secretary general.
The Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Free State and Northern Cape want the election process to start afresh.
The ANCYL’s Free State secretary, Doreen Nahomotse, told the Mail & Guardian this week that the youth league’s provincial executive committee had rejected the ANC’s decision because it failed to follow the terms of reference given by the national congress.
”All we wanted was for the ANC to investigate allegations raised by some delegates, not to affirm the top five. We never said the ANC should decide on the issue of the leadership.
”It is not up to them to decide. The autonomy of the youth league lies with its members,” said Nahomotse. She said her province had demanded a fresh election process.
Said ANCYL spokesperson in the Northern Cape, Lesego Letebele: ”Our view is that there was no consultation [by the ANC] when the decision to endorse the top five officials was made. The youth league has the capacity to deal with its challenges. We must be given space to make our own decisions,” said Letebele.
An ANCYL provincial executive committee member in the Eastern Cape who asked to remain anonymous, told the M&G that delegates at the league’s recent provincial general council had rejected Sports and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile’s attempts to convince members to accept the ANC’s decision.
”We made it clear to him that we want the process to start afresh. If the ANC continues to force people to accept its decision, the situation will be worse than Mangaung when conference reconvenes,” said the executive committee member.
Malema said those objecting to the ANC’s decision were suffering from a political hangover.
”We can’t be entertaining those issues. Let them say what they want to say. We are focusing on the work of the organisation. The ANC has other challenges,” he said.
He said the ANC had looked at all issues raised by delegates and concluded that the top five officials were elected legitimately.
”The issue for us now is to look at how best we can perfect the second leg of the conference,” said Malema. He said the conference date has been moved from June 13 to June 26.