Durban - The knives are out for KwaZulu-Natal provincial
secretary Sihle Zikalala as disgruntled members of the ANC Youth League accuse
him of convening an illegal, fraudulent and unconstitutional congress at the
weekend.
Members have also accused Zikalala of being “a dictator who
was trying to turn the ANCYL into a helpdesk that would help him oust current
chairperson Senzo Mchunu”, and see him become the next premier of
KwaZulu-Natal.
Zikala has refused to comment.
The KZN ANCYL held its congress at the Ugu Sports and
Leisure centre in Port Shepstone at the weekend. The two-day congress saw
Umvoti mayor Thami Ngubane trump his opponent Sipho Hlomuka from eThekwini
region.
Disruptions, delays, violence
The first day of the congress was marred by disruptions,
delays and violence. Two people were allegedly shot with rubber bullets during
a stand-off between the police and disgruntled members from six regions who
were barred from entering the venue after they attempted to disrupt the
congress.
On Monday night, the disgruntled members stormed the
Coastlands Hotel on Peter Mokaba Road [Ridge Road] in Durban - where a meeting
was being held between the party’s top six and the Provincial Executive
Committee – demanding that the ANC top brass deal with their grievances.
It is believed President Jacob Zuma, along with deputy
president Cyril Ramaphosa, chairperson Baleka Mbete, secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, deputy secretary Jessie Duarte and treasurer Zweli Mkhize, were in
Durban to discuss issues affecting the eThekwini region.
The disgruntled ANC Youth League members on Monday vowed to
wait all night to address the top six.
“They came here to deal with issues affecting the eThekwini
region but we want them to deal with the illegal ANC Youth League congress that
took place at the weekend. Most of the people here are from the Abaqulusi,
Ukhahlamba, greater KwaDukuza, Moses Mabhida, Emalahleni, eThekwini and Far
North regions.
'The entire process was a fraud'
“We are outside Coastlands Hotel but the police are firing
rubber bullets and teargas and chasing us away saying that the president is here
and we need to get as far from the hotel as possible. But we are not going
anywhere because we believe the ANCYL congress was illegal, unconstitutional
and fraudulent.”
“There were bogus delegates and branches. We know that
eThekwini, Moses Mabhida, Far North and Musa Dladla were not part of the
congress. They took students from the Durban University of Technology and the
University of KwaZulu-Natal and made them delegates. Six regions did not
participate in the congress, only five regions voted so we do not understand
how they met the quorum,” said a source outside the hotel who asked not to be
named.
“Nathi Mthethwa was supposed to facilitate the congress but
the congress was facilitated by Provincial Task Team member Mzi Thobola, the
entire process was a fraud,” said the source.
The disgruntled members also questioned newly elected
chairperson Thami Ngubane’s age, saying there were rumours that Ngubane is
older than 35 and does not fall under the youth league category.
“Sihle Zikalala is the one who orchestrated the entire thing
because he wants to oust current ANC provincial chair Senzo Mchunu, he wants to
become premier after the provincial congress in September,” he said.
Another ANC Youth League member from ward 22 in eThekwini
region said the aim of the gathering was to address the top six.
“We want the top six to hear us out because the matter is no
longer a provincial matter. We have exhausted all avenues, we reported our
grievances to province and they ignored us. We reported the issue to the
Provincial Task Team and they also ignored us. It is clear that Sihle Zikalala
is behind this.
“If Sihle had listened to us when we first reported the
issues then this would have never happened,” said the source.
'Dictatorship'
A source from Emalahleni region said the congress was a
sham.
“There were people there that were suspended but were
allowed to participate in the congress. The regional secretary of Emalahleni
was suspended by the Regional Executive Committee but he was participated in
the congress. We don’t understand the contradictions,” he said.
A source from the Lower South Coast region said the problems
began at the ANCYL regional congress last year.
“There is dictatorship from provincial level. Sihle Zikalala
wants to turn the youth league into a helpdesk that will make him the
provincial chairperson so that he can become the premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
“We want the youth league in KZN to be like the youth of
Peter Mokaba and Fikile Mbalula, we don’t want to be dictated to by Sihle
Zikalala. There are serious issues affecting the youth in KZN, we have the
Economic Freedom Fighters emerging strongly in the province but we are too busy
fighting.
“The leadership that was chosen at the weekend are too busy
with tenders and they are being supported by Sihle. Sihle must not kill the
youth league. We will wait all night for the top six to address us,” said the
source.
'Sour grapes'
When News24 approached provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala
for comment he referred News24 to newly elected ANCYL provincial secretary
Thanduxolo Sabela, who was unavailable to comment.
Newly elected ANCYL provincial chairperson Thami Ngubane
told News24 that top six had left Durban shortly after the meeting with the
PEC.
“I was in the meeting between the top six and the PEC.
President Jacob Zuma even congratulated me on becoming the new chairperson and
he was given a report from Nathi Mthethwa about the congress.
“If the congress was fraudulent then I wouldn’t have
attended the meeting with the top six and the PEC,” said Ngubane.
He said a meeting was held on last week Tuesday and all the
regions expressed that they were ready to hold the congress.
“Everyone agreed that the congress must sit. We had another
meeting on Thursday where regions again said they were ready. We were shocked
on Saturday when members tried to disrupt the congress.”
He denied that six regions were denied participation.
“That would mean that majority of the regions did not
participate. These tendencies of disrupting congresses emerged during the
rebuilding processes. There are members who do not respect democracy. Some
delegates believe that, ‘It is me or nothing’ and they want to take the entire
organisation down with them.”
When asked about his age he said, “You can go to Home
Affairs and check for yourself, I was born in 1983, I still carry the same ID
that I got in 1999 when I was in school. These comrades are just sour grapes
because they lost,” said Ngubane.
