Juju ally not on list for agency board

Independent Newspapers

Former African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

The parliamentary committee set up to vet candidates for appointment to the National Youth Development Agency board has made its recommendations to President Jacob Zuma – and former chairman Andile Lungisa is not on the list.

The seven candidates, who Zuma is likely to endorse as there are only seven seats on the board, are: Ayanda Bambiso, Zandile Majozi, Mothupi Modiba, Kenny Morolong, Maropene Ntuli, Yershen Pillay and Nyalleng Potloane.

Two candidates – Ezra Letsoalo and Mcebo Khumalo – were disqualified during security screening. NCOP member Collens Maine and National Assembly member Mmamoloko Kubayi, who co-chaired the ad hoc committee, invited the pair to account for the reasons for this. Letsoalo declined the invitation.

After consultation, it was decided that Khumalo would be interviewed by the committee. Commenting after his interview, he said he had been disqualified because he pulled a gun on his neighbour in a dispute in 2010. He was then a member of the youth agency’s board. Khumalo has been blind since 2004, two years after he acquired and licensed the gun.

Modiba and Bambiso are former SA Students Congress leaders.

Ntuli is an ANC Youth League national executive committee member. Pillay is a senior member of the Young Communist League and was deputy chairman of the previous board. He has been touted to succeed Lungisa as chairman.

Lungisa, perceived to be aligned with expelled ANCYL president Julius Malema, was shortlisted and interviewed, but not recommended to serve on the new board. Morolong is the ANC’s spokesman for North West, while Majozi is a member of the IFP Youth Brigade. Potloane is blind and a member of Disabled People SA.