ANCYL in the province on life support
Members of the ANCYL are divided and the leadership of the movement is under scrutiny.
POLOKWANE – While President Jacob Zuma continues to urge ANC member s not to allow factionalism to divide the party, a meeting was held in the city on Saturday in which disgruntled members of the ANC Youth League expressed their dissatisfaction at what they refer to as the current lack of proper functioning of the structure.
The slogan “Sihamba no president! Sihamba no Cyril!” could be heard, as chanters were led by the Milo Malatjie Branch Chairperson, Boy Mamabolo, who said young people in the province are “politically homeless” in the ANCYL.
The ANCYL, led by Vincent Shoba is defunct and is slow to host meetings, according to Mamabolo.
“The current youth league is preoccupied with the presidential succession debate of the ANC and who should succeed President Jacob Zuma. Instead, they should be uplifting young people. Students in the province don’t have money to further their studies as the youth league ignores them, Mamabolo claimed, adding “we will express ourselves on the succession debate once it is officially open, not now,” he said.
According to Mambolo, the last time the ANCYL was a powerful force to be reckoned with, “was in 2012 shortly before its disbandment”.
He continued, saying: “Today, the youth league is dead. During the 72-year national anniversary of the league, led by the National President, Collen Maine at the University of Limpopo in September last year, only 54 members attended,” he fumed, “The capacity of that hall is about 2 000 people. I was expecting over 1 000 members to fill the seats,” he said.
Mamabolo said they have written a letter to the ANC’s PEC to “resuscitate the dying youth league”.
“If they don’t take us seriously, we will call the PGEC with all branches and elevate the matter to the national level and call the NGC. No branch of the ANC is in good standing.
“The same that happened during Julius Malema’s tenure is now repeating itself. Young people are unemployed and don’t have money to go to school. We are now taking the matter into our own hands.
People should contact us instead of Shoba and Selane if they need help from the youth league,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the ANCYL, David ‘Che’ Selane who spoke for Shoba as well claims the “slow regression” in the league was as a result of interference by the ANC’s Provincial Chairperson, and Premier, Stanley Mathabatha.
Mathabatha has on several occasions denied these allegations.
“The allegations that the league has never convene a meeting are false, we always have meetings with branches.”
In turn, he claimed Mamabolo was being funded by persons wanting him to “fight” the youth league.
“The allegations that we are pre-occupied by succession debate of the ANC is nonsense,” said Selane. Responding to the funding allegations, Mamabolo said he doesn’t have “these type of friends”.
Spokesperson for the ANC in the province, Aluwani Netsianda said he is not aware of the letter Mamabolo claimed to have sent, and if the letter was received, the office will respond.
“If they want to talk to us officially, we will discuss it with them.
“But if they want to talk to us through the media, we will not respond. All members of the organisation are aware of the official channel of communication,” he said.
