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The ANC Youth League’s presidential race may be decided without votes if a new proposal by its Limpopo structures is accepted by its national conference.

The national conference takes place in Mangaung, Free State, in two weeks’ time.

The Limpopo branch made a proposed amendment to the constitution at its provincial conference last weekend.

This will allow their preferred candidate, Julius Malema, to become the only candidate to replace outgoing leader Fikile Mbalula.

Limpopo delegates are pushing for a motion to disqualify any future league head who may turn 36 in the next three years while still in office. The constitution says no one over 35 can stand for office.

If the proposed resolution is adopted at the national conference, it will mean that Saki Mofokeng and Songezo Mjongile will have to withdraw from the race.

Mofokeng is 34. If elected president, he will turn 36 barely two years after taking office.

Mjongile, whose bid is regarded as dead in the water by many, is 33. Malema, at 27, has age on his side.

The ANCYL constitution says that league membership is open to anyone between the ages of 14 and 35. It is silent about what happens if a leader turns 36 while still in office.

Mbalula’s tenure in office until the age of 37 had raised eyebrows. Some questioned his continued involvement with the league.

But he was not the only president to stay in office beyond the age of 35. The late Peter Mokaba was league head until he was almost 40.

Limpopo provincial chairperson Lehlogonolo Mosaga confirmed that the youth league in his province would table the motion at the national conference.

He said in terms of the constitution, when someone “completes 35”, the person is no longer eligible for membership of the league.

“Once you complete 35, you must go – finish and klaar. What do you want in the youth league when you are no longer a member? Why must we be led by old people?” Mosaga asked.

“As we approach this conference, Limpopo will table a motion that when someone is no longer a member of the youth league, the person should resign,” Mosaga said.

The motion is said to be supported by KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and the Free State.

Teboho Sikisi, the youth league’s outgoing chairperson in the Free State, said he was expressing his personal view. He said he agreed with the Limpopo proposal.

“I don’t think we should go to the extent of asking people to resign. We should discourage them from standing. The membership of the youth league is young and we should reflect this,” Sikisi said.

He said the Free State, which is holding its provincial conference this weekend, would deal with the motion once it was tabled at the national conference.

Mxolisi Kaunda is youth league chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal, the organisation’s second-biggest province after Limpopo. He said the issue was still under discussion and it would be inappropriate for him to comment.

“It will be premature to state our position at this stage,” he said. But the province might find it difficult to support the proposal as it had said it would back Mofokeng for president.

The Eastern Cape’s Andile Lungisa said: “I think this is a correct move. This is one of the issues we are discussing.”

ANCYL members are campaigning hard for their candidates as the debate rages on.

On Thursday, the Gauteng provincial executive committee (PEC) announced that it was lobbying for Mofokeng. The same applies for the Northern Cape. It decided to support Mofokeng at its meeting last Friday.

Meanwhile, Mpumalanga and Limpopo announced that Malema was their presidential candidate. The Eastern Cape still has to hold its provincial conference but is believed to be behind Malema.

Two ANCYL regions in the Free State – Lejweleputswa and Thabo Mofutsanyane – have nominated Mofokeng. The other two – Motheo and Xhariep – have decided on Malema as their presidential candidate. The Fezile Dabi region did not nominate anyone .

Gauteng youth league leader Lebogang Maile said though the PEC had taken a decision to support Mofokeng, the provincial conference would make the final decision.

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