Durban - The firebrand secretary of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in KZN Thanduxolo Sabelo has been appointed to the all powerful 11-member executive committee (exco), the de-facto cabinet of the eThekwini municipality, taking his first government job.
The ANC occupies eight of the seats and the rest are shared by the DA and the Inkatha Freedom Party.
The move is seen in some quarters of the party as trying to build Sabelo's political profile as he is said to be eyeing a senior political position in the eThekwini region after it became clear that his one time ambition of succeeding former ANC youth league president Collen Maine fell flat due to his age.
Following a meeting of the ANC KZN's deployment committee held until late on Wednesday, the committee brought back Sipho Kaunda, a former exco member who vacated his seat when the party forced former mayor Zandile Gumede and her entire exco team to vacate their seats.
Independent Media understands that two more councillors were appointed to the exco but was unable to verify that information with the party.
However, the party's provincial secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli, confirmed the appointment of Sabelo and Kaunda.
Ntuli said: "Yes the two comrades are deployed by the African National Congress".
Again, the ascension of Sabelo, a former ally of Gumede, to the committee is seen as gradual take over of the youth league and former youth league leaders of critical positions in the province.
Just after the May general elections, the province's premier, Sihle Zikalala, appointed the league provincial chairman, Kwazi Mshengu, as education MEC.
In the cabinet Mshengu joined former youth league leaders like Nomagugu Simelane Zulu (Health) and Mxolisi Kaunda, the former transport MEC who has since been moved to take the mayoral position in eThekwini.
In the benches of the provincial legislature, the league has Zinhle Cele and Amanda Bani, among others. In the eThekwini council, the eThekwini regional youth league has Tembo Ntuli, Siya Thango, Thinta Cibane and Thembelihle Makhanya, among others.