Young lions ‘will not be puppets’
Mhlauli says the mother body stifled the ANCYL
A new crop of leaders who will be elected at the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) congress scheduled for March 25-28 will not succumb to the dictates of the mother body nor enter its leadership squabbles, according to the national youth task team (NYTT), a structure assembled to deliver the elective conference.
In an interview with Sunday World, NYTT convener and coordinator Nonceba Mhlauli blamed senior party leaders for the demise of the once robust and radical youth structure. Mhlauli didn’t mince her words, saying the autonomy of the ANCYL was stifled by top leadership of the mother body who wanted to advance their own political careers.
“The ANCYL became a pocket knife for factional battles of the ANC. Whenever the leadership of the ANC would not like the existing leadership, it would be removed and changed with golden girls and boys who would carry out the instructions of the bishops and handlers,” said Mhlauli.
She said the shenanigans that played out reduced the youth formation to a shadow of its former self, only existing for elective conferences.
“Problems of membership manipulation, gatekeeping and buying of branches also contributed to its demise. Any organisation that does not remain true to its aims and objectives as prescribed in the constitution is destined for demise.”
The league was dealt a heavy blow when the ANC national executive committee (NEC) in 2011 took a resolution to suspend its key leaders.
Among them was its former president Julius Malema, who was charged with bringing the governing party into disrepute.
The highest decision-making body of the ANC between conferences blamed Malema for sowing divisions, effectively suspending him for five years.
Following a lengthy appeal process, the governing party’s national disciplinary committee decided to expel him from the organisation.
The late Sindiso Magaqa, the league’s secretary at the time, was also suspended for a year together with Floyd Shivambu, who was given a three-year suspension.
Under Malema, the ANCYL adopted radical economic transformation as its policy position. It is widely believed that the departure of Malema and his cohorts was the beginning of the end for the young lions.
Although the ANC’S youth wing was able to convene for an elective conference in 2015, the leadership under the presidency of Collen Maine and secretary Njabulo Nzuza could not live up to expectations.
They were also accused of being entangled into the mother body skirmishes and neglecting pressing youth issues. The league under their collective also failed to deliver a conference.
But Mhlauli said they have learnt from past mistakes.
“Reclaiming the political and organisational autonomy of the ANCYL is a foundational principle upon which we must effectively renew and radicalise the ANC as our strategic programme,” she said.
On the generational mix debate, she said the hour of the young blood has arrived, saying they will push for young leaders to occupy the ANC’S top six.
“It can no longer be acceptable for a country which is majority youth in population, but does not have youth occupying strategic positions in society. As young people, we have demonstrated that we have the energy, capacity, innovation, and the relevant expertise to hold any position including that of president of the republic.”
She also delved into the ANC’S upcoming policy conference, saying there must be a discussion around a youth policy that would include enforcing a retirement age for some positions.
“The size of the ANC NEC is also something we think needs to be reviewed, among other things. Our preliminary conjecture is that the current NEC is too big and must be reduced. The unnecessary big NEC creates possibilities for the ANC to elect below-par leaders.”
The unnecessary big NEC creates the election of below-par leaders