African National Congress delegates in Mpumalanga on Thursday called for the disbandment of the ANC Youth League's national leadership.
“The current leadership of the ANCYL has undermined the ANC and continues to hold parallel programs that are anti-ANC,” a delegate said to loud cheers from the packed hall.
A total of 469 delegates from across the province, a stronghold of President Jacob Zuma, are expected to nominate their preferred leaders for the ANC's elective conference in Mangaung next month.
Delegates requested that the proposal to disband the ANCYL be put on the agenda and be debated.
“We mandate the ANC to disband the youth league before it is too late,” the delegate said.
Acting ANCYL president Ronald Lamola arrived at the conference just as delegates broke for lunch.
He laughed and shook hands with party provincial chairman David Mabuza and the rest of the leadership.
Lamola is reported to have fallen out with expelled leader Julius Malema over who should be nominated deputy to Kgalema Motlanthe at Mangaung.
Also present at the conference were members of the party's national executive committee, Deputy Minister of Defence Thabang Makwetla, Communications Minister Dina Pule, and Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini. - Sapa