Johannesburg - The newly elected president of the ANC Youth League has fired a salvo at Julius Malema, saying he is not afraid of him and the EFF.
In an exclusive interview, Collen Maine vowed that scores of ANC members who defected to Malema’s EFF would come back to the party.
He didn’t regard Malema as his predecessor. “My predecessors are Fikile Mbalula and Malusi Gigaba.”
Maine said people chose the EFF over ANC simply because there was no leadership in the youth structure.
“We are not scared of the EFF. They don’t pose any threat to us. We are reclaiming our glory.
“We want to demonstrate to young people that the ANCYL is active and has programmes that will advance their aspirations.”
On Thursday, Maine visited the grave of Anton Lembede, founding president of the league, in Umbumbulu, south of Durban, to draw strength for his task. Asked whether he had been a Congress of the People (Cope) member, as some people alleged, Maine seemed to be on the verge of tears as he replied: “The pain of being accused of being a Cope member is unbearable. I have never been a Cope member.”
Maine said he had once worked in the office of an MEC who was a Cope member. “My lawyers are dealing with this matter. I want to get to the bottom of this. I want to clear the air.”
Top of the to-do list for the youth league’s leadership is pushing for free education for the youth. “We will (tell) the ANC national general council that now is the time for free education for young people at all levels.”
Education was a major pillar of economic freedom. “The situation at University of KwaZulu-Natal could have been avoided if education in our country was free,” Maine said, referring to the week-long violent strike that led to four campuses suspending classes.
“We will also push for the scrapping of e-tolls in Gauteng because our people are struggling.”
The league would challenge the ANC on many issues, including its failure to implement policies.
“We have good policies and it’s time to implement them.
“The private sector must also open space for young people.”
The Sunday Independent