The Young Communist League of SA (YCLSA) has warned the ANC against what it viewed as possible manipulation of processes ahead of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) national elective conference in May.
The YCL also complained that the youth bodies within the alliance were being used to defend factions instead of advancing issues of young people.
It's national secretary Tinyiko Ntini said the organisation would reject attempts to hijack the PYA components for self-advancement.
“We vow to confront and expose those who have taken advantage of the weaknesses and challenges facing the PYA components and converted them to conveyor belts for their selfish narrow interests," he said.
Ntini slammed the ANC national executive committee’s (NEC) decision to side-line young people and instead appoint its own members to form the ANC National Youth Task Team (ANC NYTT) which was appointed to run the affairs of the ANCYL when its national structure was disbanded last year.
“If they allowed the youth to determine its own leadership without the elders or senior leadership within the movement wanting to direct the outcomes of this youth formation, we would probably get a better youth voice that society really needs,” he said.
YCL national chairperson Mabuse Mpe said it was difficult for the YCL leadership to relate and have a working relationship with the ANCYL as part of the Progressive Youth Alliance.
“Imagine you are speaking to an old person of the ANC NEC. The ANCYL needs young people who must go must go to the ground and who have energy, not some conflicted old people. The ANC must listen to us as a PYA component. We are not saying who must be appointed there,” he said.