ANCYL congress set to start after 9 pm after long registration delays and attempts by drunk delegates to disrupt

ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Mzwandile Masina. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Mzwandile Masina. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jun 30, 2023

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The ANC Youth League’s 26th conference, which has been delayed by about 12 hours due to a number of reasons including long registrations of delegates, is now scheduled to officially start at 9 pm.

ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Mzwandile Masina, who is part of members deployed to assist the Youth League, said that registration delays have now been sorted.

Currently, delegates from KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape are finalising the collections of their accreditations.

National Youth Task Team (NYTT) deputy convenor Collen Malatji said there were a few individuals from the Chris Hani region who tried to disrupt registrations while allegedly drunk.

“We will follow up on where they even get the resources to do these things, book in hotels, drink and disrupt,” Maine warned.

Masina added that for the first time in a long time, all nine provinces of the ANC now had structures which were important ahead of next year’s general elections.

“We would like the Youth League, the Women’s League and the Veteran’s League to be fully functional throughout because the 2024 general elections are going to be very difficult. We need all organs of the ANC alive,” he said.

Questioned on whether the ANCYL congress could face litigation of any of the issues and qualms raised by branches, Masina said that he could not say that there were no gaps for litigation that would render this conference null and void.

“We know that we have done everything possible internally to ensure that the congress outcome is kept. If we leave here saying that no one can take us to court, we will be lying to you because anyone can go to court.

“What we know is that if anyone takes us to court to challenge us, that because of the internal systems that we have implemented, the congress will be able to stand,” Masina said.

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