ANCYL chaos under scrutiny

2008-04-09 19:03

Bloefontein - The ANC's national working committee will discuss its Youth League's recent national congress in Bloemfontein next week, spokesperson Jesse Duarte said on Wednesday.

"We will speak at the NWC meeting on Monday," Duarte said.

The party was waiting for a report from the three national executive committee members who were deployed to the league's national conference which ended on Monday.

The NWC would make decisions on the way forward.

"We will look at how to resolve the impasses which could include reconvening the conference," she said.

The ANCYL national congress was adjourned on Monday and indefinitely postponed after being unable to finish its work or confirm the election results of its top five leaders after five days.

The league effectively only elected its top five leaders, with Limpopo's Julius Malema as president, during the five-day congress.

Objections derailed the conference

The conference was marred by strong campaigning by the Malema group and supporters of the other presidential candidate Saki Mofokeng of the Free State.

Moments after the new leadership was announced on Monday objections against the election process surfaced which derailed the conference.

Electoral commission member Malusi Gigaba said at the time congress eventually adopted a resolution that the league ask the ANC for "guidance and advice" to help solve its differences.

Gigaba said the conference would either reconvene, or a special national conference would be held to finish the uncompleted work.

Shortly after the congress ended, Malema told journalists the newly elected ANCYL leadership "was not pending" the ANC investigation.

"Yes, we have the power to hire and fire," Malema said.

He indicated there was no reason to doubt the election process, but would stand down if the ANC asked them to.

"We would re-emerge as new leadership at any other point," Malema said.

- SAPA