Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma on Saturday congratulated delegates to the ANC Youth League’s elective conference, for “turning the corner’ and urged them to defend the ruling party against “counter-revolutionaries” on all fronts.
“Every revolution produces counter-revolutionaries… who will tell them if you don’t do it? Are you afraid of them? Do not be afraid of them… whether in social media, Parliament, although you’re not in Parliament but here… you can wait for them when they come out of Parliament,” Zuma told delegates at the conference currently underway in Johannesburg.
Zuma referred to the league’s chaotic Mangaung conference in 2008 - where former ANCYL leader Julius Malema was elected president - and the 2014 conference in Soweto which was changed to a consultative conference to concentrate on policy and rebuild the league rather than electing leaders.
“Mangaung… that is where things went wrong. You concentrated on your preferred candidates, and as a result, the conclusion of the conference was not a good one. Since that time was the ANCYL alright?” he asked the delegates, who responded “no!”
“Even at the next conference, it was tense. Delegates’ cellphones were taken away and some [were] locked into their hotel rooms as if they were prisoners… you have been subjected to a transitional team since then,” he said.
The newly constituted league leadership had an important task ahead.
“You just reached a turning point as the ANCYL… be modern and [do] not practice rude politics. Be scientific in your approach; you will reach your destination.”
He believed there would be no factionalism as the league moved forward.
“Do not engage yourselves in tendencies such as gate-keeping, buying of membership, intimidation, careerism, crass materialism, and use of money to buy votes. Do not do that… deal with counter-revolutionaries and give them the names they deserve.”
Turning to newly elected ANCYL president Collen Maine, Zuma said the league should not act autonomously.
“President and secretary, do not try to emphasise autonomy, no more please… do not do that.”
The new leadership was elected unopposed on Friday night.
ANCYL Mpumalanga chairman Desmond Moela was elected deputy president and Njabulo Nzuza, the secretary in the Musa Dladla region in KwaZulu-Natal, was elected secretary general.
Limpopo’s deputy chairwoman Thandi Moraka was elected Nzuza’s deputy and Reggie Nkabinde from Gauteng’s West Rand took the position of treasurer.
The so-called “premiers’ league”, comprising of ANC leaders such as North West premier Supra Mahumapelo, Free State’s Ace Magashule, and Mpumalanga’s David Mabuza, had reportedly advanced Maine as candidate for the league presidency.
The now defunct ANCYL national task team (NTT) has since denied reports that leaders were imposed on the conference.
The league’s previous leadership, led by Malema, was dissolved in 2013. Malema, who formed his own political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, was expelled from the ANCYL in 2012 for bringing the party into disrepute.
The NTT was appointed by the ANC to rebuild the fractured youth organisation’s structures. Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa was the co-ordinator of the NTT, while Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula was the convenor.
The conference ends on Sunday.
African News Agency