MBOMBELA – The ANC Youth League (Ancyl) chairperson, Mr Desmond Moela has distanced himself from any statements and media reports that suggest he was one of the youth league members who threatened to jump ship to the Economic Freedom Fighters.
He has rubbished these claims as a smear campaign to discredit his good name and standing within the ANC. “For starters, I was never in any meetings with either the deputy president, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa or the general secretary, Mr Gwede Mantashe.
“And I don’t know of any youth league members in this province who have threatened to jump ship to any political organisations. What I know and what I am sure of, is that all our members in the province are actually happy and are not going anywhere,” said Moela.
He was reacting to media reports that implicated him and other youth league members of Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal, that they were unhappy about the ANC failing to honour pre-election promises.
“For that matter, the elections were just held last month and only a mad person would go around accusing the ANC of not fulfilling its promises. I am a loyal son of the party and of the youth league and I know that there are structures and procedures to be followed before launching a complaint at Luthuli House,” he added, visibly angry.
He strongly believes that this is just a smear campaign to brand him as sowing division within the party. “Well, these campaigns will not break me or the youth league. As a matter of fact, the league is 100 per cent behind the party leadership and we will continue to pledge our support to them and the government,” he said.
Just two weeks ago, the youth league welcomed his appointment for another five years.
“We find the appointment consistent with the ANC constitution and guidelines, but also with our congress resolutions and the calls made by the people of the province,” read the youth league statement.
Attempts to contact Ramaphosa and Mantashe were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.
