ANCYL leadership will be disbanded, Magashule confirms

At a media briefing to reveal the outcomes of the ANC’s recent national executive council (NEC) meeting in Pretoria, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule announced that the NEC had made the decision to disband the ANC Youth League (ANCYL).

The NEC resolved to disband the ANCYL leadership, and would appoint a task team to organise an elective congress no later than February 2020, Magashule said.

The youth league would be replaced in the interim by this national youth task team, which Magashule said would be convened by Thandi Mahambehlala.

“The coordinator of the task team will be Sibongile Besani and the chairpersons of provinces and secretaries of the youth league will be part of this national task team together with the former officials of the ANCYL at national level,” Magashule said.

According to Magashule, “they will then be supported by the team from the national executive committee,” which would comprise Dakota Legoete, Zizi Kodwa, Pule Mabe, Faith Muthambi, Nomvula Mokonyane, Ronald Lamola, Lindiwe Zule, Nathi Mthethwa, David Masondo, Pinkie Kekana, Senzo Mchunu as well former ANCYL presidents Lulu Johnson, Malusi Gigaba, and Fikile Mbalula.

The NEC will also dissolve the North West PEC and will appoint an interim North West provincial committee to rebuild structures. This committee will be convened by Susan Dantjie and will include Supra Mahumapelo.

Members of the ANCYL demanded its immediate disbandment at the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Pretoria last week.

A crowd of disgruntled ANCYL members protested outside the meeting, calling for the disbandment of the league’s provincial and national leadership led by Collen Maine.

Bongiseni Dladla, a coordinator of the ANCYL Revival Movement, said: “We are simply saying take us to a national conference, and we can elect comrades who can take the Youth League to its former glory. The is a lot of talent in the ANC Youth League… we don’t understand why we must keep these old crooks in the youth league when they are old, illegitimate, and unconstitutional.”

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting, ANA)

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