ANCYL executive axed

File photo: Ronald Lamola and Julius Malema. The axing of the ANCYL executive is because the party's leadership was still afraid of the influence Malema has, according to insiders.

File photo: Ronald Lamola and Julius Malema. The axing of the ANCYL executive is because the party's leadership was still afraid of the influence Malema has, according to insiders.

Published Mar 18, 2013

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Cape Town - It was an eventful weekend for the ANC as the party’s leadership dissolved the executive committees of its youth league and of its Limpopo province, a move seen as a major blow to those who campaigned against President Jacob Zuma.

Some insiders feel the move to disband the league was because the ANC leadership was still afraid of the influence expelled leader Julius Malema has on some members.

Malema’s adversary, ANC NEC member and the league’s former treasurer Pule Mabe is understood to have been in support of its disbandment.

At least two ANC insiders confirmed that the leadership disbandment would be going ahead.

Although there was no official statement from the ANC on Sunday night, a youth league NEC member confirmed its disbandment saying they were all caught off guard.

“It’s official. But it’s been doing the rounds for a while now.

“I heard it during the course of the weekend and just dismissed it. They’re seemingly very satisfied with what transpired with people saying if the leadership remains and Sindiso Magaqa comes back Julius Malema would be ruling from his grave. How much more can you take from that man (Malema)?” she asked, referring to Malema’s legal and financial woes following his expulsion.

She said some NEC members fought for the league not to be disbanded, while other NEC members like Mabe and Zizi Kodwa called for its disbandment.

ANC Youth League spokesman and NEC member Thabo Kupa would not be drawn into the matter.

“We have no statement. Speak to the ANC,” said Kupa.

The party’s NEC elected at the ANC’s Mangaung conference in December, was given a mandate to look into the youth league’s leadership relating to matters of ill-discipline and decide on a way forward.

At Mangaung the ANC in Mpumalanga called on the ruling party to disband the league’s national executive, which sparked a robust debate in one of the closed plenary sessions at the conference.

While the call was not endorsed by delegates – the future of the current leadership of the league has been hanging in the balance until this weekend.

The league’s leadership said just last month that it has more pressing priorities like rebuilding and “strengthening” the youth structure, which has been without an elected president and leadership since Julius Malema’s expulsion and the suspension of its secretary-general, Sindiso Magaqa, and spokesman Floyd Shivambu.

Delivering the party’s January 8 statement in Durban Zuma said the league remains an “important and critical structure of the ANC” and should be “empowered”.

The same applied to the Limpopo ANC, which was at the forefront of the anti-Zuma faction prior to the conference. Its chairman and Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale has had his days numbered.

Ahead of the meeting Mathale and the entire Limpopo ANC leadership were expected to be removed with an interim leadership taking over control until a new leadership is elected at a conference.

Loyiso Nkohla, a member the league’s Dullah Omar (Cape Town metro) region said: “Yes. I’ve heard about it (ANCYL NEC disbanded).

“We’ll wait for formal communication from the ANC national executive.”

Political Bureau

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