ANCYL convener quits over political issues
EASTERN Cape ANC Youth League (ANCYL) provincial task team convener Mziwonke Ndabeni has resigned from his position citing political contradictions.
ANCYL national spokesman and NEC member Mlondi Mkhize and Ndabeni confirmed this yesterday.
Mkhize was subsequently appointed the new convener by league president Collen Maine.
In his resignation letter, dated November 6, ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) member Ndabeni said remaining as the league’s convener would result in a conflict of interest going to the elective conference next month as the ANCYL wanted Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to succeed President Jacob Zuma, while the ANC was backing Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“These political contradictions have the potential to create tension which may [compromise] my standing as an ANC leader, because both structures will rightfully expect my full participation in the execution of their decisions.
He said yesterday: “I resigned on that basis, because I do not want to compromise any of the two structures as they articulate their positions.
Ndabeni was appointed ANCYL political task team convener last year after the Maine-led NEC disbanded the provincial structure.
Ndabeni – who often clashed with league coordinator Ntombikayise Mnyengeza over their preferred candidates for the ANC provincial chairmanship between Oscar Mabuyane and Phumulo Masualle – insisted yesterday he was not dumping the ANCYL because of the “kick-the-ladder” syndrome as he was a member of the PEC – the mother body of the party. “But I believe that the decision will be in the best interest of the ANCYL to further consolidate its positions,” Ndabeni said.
The cold war between Ndabeni and Mnyengeza also played out this week, following criticism by Ndabeni on Sunday of the two centres of power in the Eastern Cape after he called for Masualle to be removed as the province’s premier.
Mnyengeza lambasted Ndabeni, saying “this whole push for change in the province is part of a broader selfserving agenda with the intention to loot dry the coffers of the state”.
Ndabeni has since hit back, saying history was on his side – because Masualle was also deployed in government as finance and economic development MEC, when he was first elected ANC chair in 2009, before he became Eastern Cape premier after winning a second term in 2013.
“That is the point I was making, to avoid a gap opening between the party and those it has deployed in government in the province,” he said.