ANCYL faction squabble over presidential preference

ALMOST a month after the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in the eThekwini region was divided by its preferences for mother body regional leadership, the league is now facing new divisions.

The new divisions in the ANCYL are over who should be its next president when it holds its conference later this year.

Last month, the league in the region was forced to split the number of voting delegates to the elective conference of the mother body along factional lines.

That came to head when it was alleged that the Zandile Gumede faction of the league, which was led by Thulisa Ndlela, had picked delegates it believed would vote for Gumede’s slate. The Thabani Nyawose faction led by Sbusiso Khumalo complained and stalled the conference for hours.

To broker a deal, the regional task team gave them time to meet and resolve the matter.

In the end, they agreed to split the voting delegates on an equal basis.

Then the Zandile Gumede faction won the conference.

The league is facing another hobbling fight which has been sparked by its competing preferences over presidential candidates.

A few days ago, the fight came into the open when two competing meetings were held in Durban.

One was held at the Coastlands Hotel and led by Khumalo. The other one was held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium and it was led by Ndlela.

The Star’s sister paper, the Daily News, spoke to several members of the league and it was said that the latest conflict was about preferences on its next president.

Khumalo is said to be leading a faction that preferred Nonceba Mhlauli, the current convener of the task team, to be the next president.

Ndlela is believed to be leading a slate that wants Joey Maimela, the current co-ordinator, as its secretary-general, and Sizophila Mkhize, the current spokesperson of the task team, as the next president.

“Basically there are two factions in the region. One is led by Thulisa Ndlela who is pro-Zandile Gumede, and Sbusisio Khumalo who is RRU (Thabani Nyawose). They are purging each other because they don’t agree on who should be the next president. So it's a battle for the soul of the ANCYL between ANC factions,” said a member of the league in the region.

Another member confirmed the fight was about different views on who should lead the league in the coming years.

“It (the factional fight) comes from having different presidential candidate perspectives on the issue of the youth league,” said another source.

Khumalo confirmed that their differences were over presidential candidates of the league but Ndlela downplayed the divisions.

“We are not fighting over anything. It is just that we have different preferences. I prefer Nonceba Mhlauli and I understand that they want Joey as the secretary-general. Thulisa Ndlela is suspended, so he can’t call meetings,” Khumalo said.

Ndlela said he knew about one legal meeting of the league in the recent past, not about two. He said the issue of the president was far-fetched as other regions would get to decide.

“There are divisions, yes. That is because we are preparing for a conference. Whatever leadership preferences are there, we will allow branches to decide,” Ndlela said.