Oudtshoorn - Six years in the making, the Western Cape ANC Youth League elected a new leadership on Sunday, with Muhammad Khalid Sayed at the helm.
In time, it said, to help its mother body’s campaign to unseat the DA in next year’s local government elections.
The absence of the youth league for six years had created a political vacuum within the ANC, meaning young people could not identify with a political party that would take up their interests with the government, said Sayed.
Minutes after the results were announced on Sunday, Sayed told delegates the newly elected leadership would strengthen the youth in different communities across the Western Cape, to effectively campaign for the ruling party and strengthen regions that had not had leadership.
The new leadership’s role was to tackle issues affecting young people – from unemployment, drugs, gangsterism, education, poverty to inequalities.
The elections were held on Saturday evening into early Sunday morning at a conference at the Oudtshoorn Town Hall.
Six years ago the national leadership of the ANC disbanded the provincial ANCYL because of factionalism, anarchy and ill-discipline.
About 400 delegates attended the highly contested conference, with two factions supporting rival candidates.
The chairperson and secretary positions were contested, with
Sayed victorious as chairperson and Andile Mbali as secretary.
Thuso Mpulanyane was elected deputy chairperson unopposed.
Andile Mbali pipped Unathi Mabengwana in a tight contest for the secretary’s position.
Although the league’s constitution allows Mabengwana and Mtsweni to be automatically nominated for 20 additional member posts, both declined.
Sayed told delegates: “It is only through branches that we will be able to revive the ANC, because at branch level you are able to interact with the daily needs of the people.
“It is going to be important that we don’t forget the branches.
“The success of the conference proves there is stability and unity in organisation.”
He said since the disbandment of the provincial executive in 2009, a task team he convened had been hard at work rebuilding and repositioning the ANCYL in branches and regions.
The newly elected leadership would work to build an effective and strong relationship with its mother body at regional as well as branch level.
ANC national executive committee members Mcebisi Skwatsha, Fikile Mbalula, Nathi Mthethwa and Songezo Mjongile, who is also the provincial ANC secretary, attended the conference, urging delegates to unite and stop factionalism.
Mbalula, a former ANCYL president, said: “The ANC Youth League must exist and be found everywhere. Go to political classes to enhance your political knowledge.
“We will not allow anarchy, ill-discipline and dissent in terms of political views.”
To loud cheers, he advised the new executive to “differentiate between being militant and angry”.
“Being angry and uncontrollable is not militancy but anarchy. We must not just enjoy coming here (to the conference) to elect, but we need to continue to mobilise civil society,” said Mbalula.
Cape Times