Mabe loses ground in league race

THE battle for the ANC Youth League ’ s top position is heating up as some structures are abandoning presidential hopeful Pule Mabe, pictured, who is also an ANC national executive committee member.

There is now a strong lobbying for ANC Tshwane regional chairman Lesego Makhubela, who is described as “young and intellectually sober ”.

In Gauteng, Ekurhuleni became the first region to nominate 28-yearold Makhubela for the influential position after deciding against Pule.

Leading to the aborted ANCYL elective conference in December, which the mother body changed into a consultative forum, Ekurhuleni was fully behind Mabe.

The league ’ s regional chairman Lesiba Mpya said yesterday: “We supported Pule, but obviously we are politicians. We assessed the space and time and we felt Pule is no longer relevant to struggle moving forward.”

Mpya said age was not in Mabe ’ s favour as he would be forced to vacate the position when he turns 36 next year, leading to yet another process of finding a new leader

Makhubela is also said to have pockets of support on the West Rand, and marathon meetings have been held with various provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal which recently elected its leaders, to try and win them over.

Limpopo is also set to nominate Makhubela. “We are not backing Pule anymore, but the PEC will pronounce on a new candidate soon. But I have no problem supporting Lesego as president,’ said Limpopo ANCYL deputy secretary Jimmy Machaka.

Makhubela is set to face off with Mabe, former ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola and former ANCYL national task team coordinator Magasela Mzobe if they get nominated at the upcoming conference from June 24 to 28.

The league has been in disarray since the mother body disbanded it in 2012. It was then left in the hands of a task team, which was disbanded last year – and ANCYL affairs were then controlled from Luthuli House.