KZN ANCYL factions in war of words
2012-02-28 18:16
Johannesburg - The ANC Youth League's caretaker leadership in KwaZulu-Natal has attacked the disbanded executive over its opposition to league president Julius Malema.
This showed a lack of political maturity, convenor Vukani Ndlovu said on Tuesday.
"They need serious political education. We will forever support the leadership of the ANCYL and reaffirm that [Malema] remains the president of the ANCYL till 2014," he said.
"[We are] appalled by the outbursts of former leaders of the provincial executive committee in KZN on matters relating to the organisation of which they have no knowledge nor participation."
On Sunday, the disbanded provincial leadership issued a statement signed off by provincial deputy secretary Sboniso Duma, pushing for an end to what it said was "mobster leadership" by Malema and his executive.
Duma urged the ANC to act swiftly against Malema, who is awaiting the outcome of his appeal against a five-year suspension after being found guilty by the ANC's disciplinary committee of a number of offences.
"... The verdict of [the] NDC [national disciplinary committee] symbolises the youth league in crisis with three full-time comrades facing the possibility of expulsion and or suspension," Duma said in a statement.
"This can also be defined as the lesson of history to all members that no member is bigger than the ANC."
Ndlovu said Duma was in defiance of a decision taken through the organisation's constitutional structures.
"This absolute disrespect for organisational democracy is very concerning and in fact ambitious in its very nature," said Ndlovu.
"There is indeed no one above the ANC or ANCYL and this includes [Duma] with his cronies who in fact are the ones behaving like mobsters and cowboys in this province."
The provincial youth league structure was disbanded in September and replaced with a caretaker team after it broke ranks with its headquarters on numerous issues.
Members insist that the committee was dissolved for supporting ANC president Jacob Zuma's re-election in Bloemfontein in December.
The group was refusing to accept its removal and was elated at Malema's suspension.
Ndlovu said the disbanded group was showing desperation to betray a mandate in which it had fully participated.
"It's an indication of their lack of organisational understanding, discipline and cadreship, and an act of desperation for media attention," he said.
"We remain the only voice of the youth in this province... the mandate given to us by the national executive committee to take the ANCYL in the province to congress will be fulfilled before June."
- SAPA
