Durban - Disgruntled KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress Youth League members travelled to Pretoria on Thursday, ahead of the planned march at the party’s national executive council (NEC) meeting, calling for the disbandment of the youth league. The NEC meeting begins on Friday in Irene.
The members said the march on Friday, which will be attended by all provinces, is aimed at rallying support for their call to have the youth league disbanded.
March organiser Ntuthuko Makhombothi from ward 64 in the eThekwini region said a memorandum will not be handed over to the NEC. “We are marching to receive a response from them, as we are told the NEC will be deliberating on the matter.”
Makhombothi says part of the demands is for the NEC to fit the youth league's bills. The league was declared bankrupt by the Johannesburg High Court in July 2018.
The league has postponed its national conference several times as a result of its financial woes.
“We are calling for the ANC to ensure a national task team is established, so we can go to national elections as the youth league. This task team must ensure that the youth league takes the youth of this country forward,” said Makhombothi.
Political analyst, Dr Somadoda Fikeni, said the plight of the league had resulted in the ANC losing tertiary institutions to the EFF.
The disgruntled youth league members are demanding that the ANC intervene and disband what they believe are illegitimate national, provincial and regional executive structures.
Makhombothi said that out of the 11 regions in KZN, only two (eThekwini region and General Mphananza Region) are "legitimate". He explained that 18 months term is constitutionally mandated for the region, while a two year term and a three year term for provincial and national, respectively.
The march is expected to be peaceful, outside the NEC meeting venue in Irene.