ANC seeks ‘ inclusive ’ youth leaders

CVS invited for league ’ s interim structure

HE ANC is looking for a new kind of youth leader, but Julius Malema types need not apply.

This week the ruling party asked potential youth leaders to forward their CVs if they wanted to be considered for the national task team to replace the disbanded ANC Youth League national executive committee.

The ANC has made it clear that it is looking for racially inclusive youth leaders who will appeal to a broad spectrum as it prepares for next year’s general elections. The Sunday Times has learnt that several youth leaders have been approached by Luthuli House and asked to forward their CVs.

But the move has angered some members of the league ’ s disbanded executive committee, as well as others who argue that this approach will alienate traditional youth league constituencies.

“I don’t understand this thing about CVs. How will these people lead the provinces if they get to leadership positions through CVs? What will they say to the branches?” asked a former youth league leader.

It is understood that among those being considered for the task team are leaders of the South African Youth Council, an umbrella body of civil society organisations in the Western Cape. Others include former youth league leaders.

The request for applica-

Ttions is a significant shift from the ANC’s tradition of choosing youth leaders through a popularity contest without regard for skills or leadership expertise.

It is in line with the ANC’s decision to move away from populist Malema-style politics and attract young people who were repelled by Malema’s brash attitude. Although Malema has now been expelled from the ANC, the ruling party believed that the remaining youth leaders were also guilty of “ill discipline” and had to go.

The ANC recorded significant losses among

How will these people lead the provinces? What will they say to the branches?’

minority groups in the 2011 local government elections and some blamed Malema’s divisive influence.

With the 2014 elections approaching, political parties are wooing the youth vote, especially because many so-called born frees will be voting for the first time.

The issue of attracting young people of all races has been a concern for the ANC and was raised at a meeting last month between the party’s top six officials — including President Jacob Zuma — and the now disbanded youth league national executive committee.

A former youth league leader who was at the meeting said he and his colleagues were asked whether they thought they were “the youth that can lead and appeal to the young people in society”.

The composition of the new national task team came up at a meeting on Wednesday between ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and the league’s disbanded executive committee. It was held to officially inform the former youth leaders about the decision to remove them from office.

Unhappy youth leaders pointed out to Mantashe that the ANC would be undermining provincial youth structures if it appointed a national task team without consulting them.

“Gwede was told that the ANC should have disbanded the entire youth league, including the provinces, because the new task team . . . won’t be accepted by the structures, ” a member of the disbanded executive committee said.

Mantashe refused to comment on the invitation to submit CVs or say who had been approached.

“I don’t know who’s been approached . . . I’m not going to get into that.”

But he said the task team would be finalised this week and be made up of “young people [who] know the youth league”.

The task team will remain in place until the youth league holds a national congress next year.