ANCYL sticks to guns on Zuma

2006-01-30 14:04

Johannesburg - The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) on Monday again swore fealty to the ANC's beleaguered deputy president, Jacob Zuma, and said it opposed "the creation of two centres of power" in the party.

The league also threw cold water on a South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) proposal that President Thabo Mbeki serve a third term as head of state.

"South Africa is a constitutional state. We believe in it (the 1996 Constitution) and will defend it," ANCYL president Fikile Mbalula said on Monday.

Senior youth league functionaries also briefed the media on an extended ANCYL national executive committee (NEC) meeting over the weekend.

Mbalula wondered whether the proposal to change the country's Constitution, which currently limits the president to two terms, was a Sanco position or the opinion of Sanco president Mlungisi Hlongwane. Mbalula said Sanco was to his knowledge divided on the issue.

Earlier ANCYL secretary-general Sihle Zikalala read a statement on behalf of the NEC that it remained firm in its support for Zuma.

Bid to advance debate

"We remain firm in our resolve on the succession issues within the ANC. The NEC lekgotla reaffirmed its position against the creation of two centres of power and will seek to advance this debate within the structures of the movement."

The argument the ANCYL was promoting was that the ANC and the country must be headed by the same person - who should be Jacob Zuma.

It opposed the idea that the leader of the governing party and the head of state could be different individuals.

Zikalala also said the NEC had "unanimously endorsed" a report from its national disciplinary committee to expel former youth league deputy president Reuben Mohlaloga. It accepted unconditionally the apology of the Eastern Cape ANCYL chairman and secretary who had earlier crossed the national office on the issue of the two centres of power.

Last year some media reports suggested that Mohlaloga supported the Mbeki camp of the ANC, whereas the national office was supporting Zuma.

- SAPA