The fires of dissent catching at the coats of the ANC Youth League’s new leadership have been quelled after a series of peace-making provincial meetings.
At least five provinces had signalled their intent to challenge the election of youth league president Julius Malema but unity appears to have won the day.
Although some in provinces such as the Western Cape still felt hard done by the previous conference results, most of them had been convinced by their leaders that contesting Malema at the continuation of the conference, which started on Friday in Johannesburg, would be fruitless and create chaos.
Malema was elected at Mangaung after a tightly contested leadership race that reflected the party’s national conference at Polokwane in December. Malema narrowly defeated Saki Mofokeng, a businessman.
Almost immediately after the results of the election were announced, some delegates complained to the ANC national executive committee (NEC) that the election was marred by irregularities and should be declared invalid.
The NEC ruled that the election had no irregularities, and the new leadership under Malema was endorsed by the league’s mother body. The complainants, however, said they had not mandated the ANC to rule on the issue but only to investigate and let the youth league at its conference decide what should be done.
At the start of the new conference this week, delegates told the Mail & Guardian that in order to avoid further conflict and chaos, they would accept Malema’s leadership. Some delegates, however, still want the issue to be raised, but the support of two-thirds of delegates will be needed for a rerun of elections.
A suggestion from the Western Cape will be to choose the additional members based on an amalgamation of the lists of the two camps.
Several NEC members, including ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe; his deputy, Thandi Modise; ANC MP Nyami Booi; Gauteng education minister Angie Motshekga; and parliamentary chief whip Nathi Mthetwa, attended the first day of the conference to keep an eye on proceedings.