Leadership not about individuals - ANCYL
2012-11-21 22:15
Johannesburg - The call for change in the ANC leadership has nothing to do with individuals, the ANC Youth League in Gauteng said on Wednesday.
"When we look at leadership, we don't look at how people dress, or how they look or how they sing and dance," provincial chair Lebogang Maile told reporters in Johannesburg.
"We look at what ANC stands for, what are the characteristics of the ANC and who among ourselves is best suited to take the lead."
Maile said that after analysing the current "material conditions", the ANCYL came to the conclusion that the party needed a leadership of a certain calibre.
"We need a leadership that is energetic, that is going to bring new ideas, a leadership that is decisive, a leadership that has a grasp on issues, a leadership that will help us change the status quo."
The ANCYL in Gauteng nominated Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to take the ANC's top job in Mangaung next month.
Maile said there was overwhelming support for Motlanthe in the province.
The league in the province nominated Mathews Phosa as deputy president, Fikile Mbalula for secretary general, deputy secretary general Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, national chairperson Thandi Modise and treasurer general Paul Mashatile.
Maile said the African National Congress had to be concerned about what society thought about it.
"It [the ANC] is leading the whole society. That's what we look at... we need a type of leadership that will win us elections in 2014 and beyond."
Maile said it was concerning that Congress of SA Trade Unions president Sdumo Dlamini had called for Motlanthe not to challenge President Jacob Zuma for the post of ANC leader.
Dlamini was showing "factional interests" by trying to intimidate Motlanthe, Maile said.
"There are internal organisational democratic processes in the ANC and we will not allow our alliance partners to dictate who we should elect."
The African National Congress is holding its national elective conference in Mangaung next month.
Zuma is expected to stand for a second term as leader. However some structures within the party have called for a change of leadership.
The ANCYL in the province bemoaned reports that Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association (MKMVA) members in Ekurhuleni were threatening ANC branches to support Zuma.
"We call on the ANC to investigate a possible existence of a vigilante group, calling itself MKMVA... which goes from one branch to another terrorising ANC members who are supporting comrade Kgalema."
- SAPA
