fla
ANCYL-3RD-LD-CONFERENCE by Genevieve Quintal
JOHANNESBURG Nov 26 Sapa
CHEERS FOR FORMER ANCYL GENERAL SECRETARY
ANC Youth League delegates from KwaZulu-Natal cheered as former league secretary Sindiso Magaqa arrived at the consultative conference in Soweto, Johannesburg.
Magaqa strolled into the plenary hall dressed in an off-white button up shirt and black ANCYL beret with former National Youth Development Agency boss Andile Lungisa.
KwaZulu-Natal delegates danced around Magaqa, who hails from the province.
Magaqa was part of the ANCYL leadership once led by Julius Malema.
African National Congress big wigs were attending the conference, which was starting more than six hours late.
Former league leaders -- Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula -- sat on the stage with current ANCYL convenor Mwandile Masina and co-ordinator Magasela Mzobe.
ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte joined them.
Former ANCYL treasurer Pule Mabe was also in attendance.
The conference was supposed to elect leaders. However the national task team put in place last year when ANCYL was disbanded, announced on Tuesday that delegates would no longer elect new leaders.
Mabe, Mzobe and former deputy president Ronald Lamola were the front runners to lead the league before the conference was converted to a consultative conference.
Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane opened the conference.
Not all delegates were present when proceedings started late on Wednesday. Some were still going through security checks.
The area around the security scanners was littered with plastic juice and water bottles. Delegates were told to leave the bottles behind before entering.
On Tuesday, Mzobe said the elective phase was planned for 2015.
It is the second postponement of the election of new leadership after the elective congress was originally scheduled for September 24 to 28.
Mzobe said this week's consultative forum would deal only with political, organisational, and functional reports, and would have commissions dealing with policy documents.
Earlier on Wednesday, some delegates were adamant that elections should take place. Some sang about coming to conference to vote not to discuss policy.
It was not clear if delegates would call for elections during the conference's plenary session.
President Jacob Zuma is expected to address the conference on Wednesday.
Sapa
/gq/ks/fg 11/26/14 16-07