'It's not desirable for youth to be led by old people' - KZN ANCYL leader on task team

Although not direct and later unavailable to give more succinct details, the secretary general of the youth league in KZN Thanduxolo Sabelo has expressed his opposition to the composition of the league’s task team.

The task team was announced on Tuesday by ANC secretary general Ace Magashule.

Among them are 15 members who are over the age of 35 including ministers Senzo Mchunu, Lindiwe Zulu, Nomvula Mokonyane and Dakota Legoete.

Immediately when it was announced, the list drew ridicule from members of the public and political commentators, saying the ANC has no faith in its own young people to steer the youth league to a conference. 

Weighing in on Wednesday via his Facebook account, Sabelo says he agrees with those sentiments.

“With all said and done I agree that it’s not desirable for the Youth to be led by old people. It works against the very same logic of a Youth Movement,” Sabelo wrote. 

As a result of that, most of those who commented agreed with until one Facebook user said he hoped he was not referring to the task team. Sabelo said he was and gave some few reasons. 

“Leadership in the ANC is elected or appointed says the constitution also the statement says the NTT will lead programs of the youth,” Sabelo responded. 

Sabelo is not new to airing political views that shows his disdain for old people in structures of the youth league. 

In April this year, while speaking at a rally at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Sabelo was quoted by Independent Media as saying the youth league needs to do away with an aging, stubborn, resistant to change and forgetful leadership in legislature and parliamentary benches.

Talking about the difficulties of dealing with an aging leadership, Sabelo said: "When the IFP ruled the province we had a campaign to remove them from power because they were aging and we replaced them with a younger ANC leadership, but they're also aging now." 

"When you get old somethings become a challenge and it's natural and it happens to everyone, they become resist(ant) to change, they become stubborn and they become forgetful and some of them even forget the resolutions we took last year. The youth league needs to change that," Sabelo said at that time.

Political Bureau