Young Communist League take on the mother body
THE Young Communist League (YCL) will be at loggerheads with its mother body when it sits for its provincial elective conference.
The SACP is set to hold its conference at the East London City Hall from tomorrow until Sunday. YCL provincial secretary Andile Mosha confirmed they wanted to see a change in the SACP provincial secretary but said they would not discuss their leadership preferences in public.
The meeting will test the control of current secretary Xolile Nqatha, who has held the position for six years.
Nqatha made enemies when he associated himself with a leadership lineup led by disputed provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane against SACP central executive committee member Phumulo Masualle.
Masualle has appealed the outcomes of the October ANC provincial conference, which turned chaotic when chairs were flung, injuring people.
Nqatha forms part of the same executive committee.
Simphiwe Thobela confirmed he had been informally approached to stand for the secretary post.
“There are people who are talking about it and as a member of the party I don’t see a problem with accepting the nomination,” Thobela said.
Nqatha, however, declined to comment on whether he would stand, saying only: “I will discuss it with the delegates at the conference.”
Mosha said the youth structure wanted to see a change in the position of provincial secretary, but they did not want to discuss their preferred candidate.
He denied they wanted Nqatha out because of his support for Mabuyane.
“When we look at things, we look at them according to the SACP’s resolutions, not the ANC,” he said.
“The ANC is a party we have given up on, hence our strong view that the SCAP must contest elections.”
Party provincial spokesman Siyabonga Mdodi said general secretary Blade Nzimande is expected to give the keynote address on Saturday.
He said National Heritage Council chief executive Sonwabile Mancotywa will hand over an Ubuntu award to struggle stalwart Mfengu “Ndlovu” Makhalima. —