President Jacob Zuma has criticised the African National Congress Youth League's push for a change in the ruling party's top leadership structures.

"In the ANC's national executive committee (NEC), which is the highest decision-making body, there is a lot of youth there, so what are you talking about?" asked Zuma, in an interview with The Star newspaper, published on Monday.

He was responding to the ANCYL's campaign for a so-called generational mix in the NEC.

It was widely known that the youth league wanted its former leader, Fikile Mbalula, now Deputy Police Minister, to become secretary-general of the ruling party, a position currently held by Gwede Mantashe.

"We have a system in the ANC on how do we deal with the question of lobbying and nomination... so why introduce a new culture?" asked Zuma.

He said that the lobbying for positions in the ANC despite instructions not to do so, "is a huge thing that should be stopped".

Asked about youth league leader Julius Malema's statement that Zuma's second term as President of the country was not a given, he responded: "Whatever statement that the youth league made in that line doesn't bother me at all, because it is not the youth league's decision... it is the ANC's decision.

"We need to help them appreciate that it is the ANC that decides," said Zuma.

"I will never fight any succession battle, the ANC will decide. If they say one term, why should I argue?"

Zuma also said in the interview that he would make sure that Malema went to political school, as was ordered during his disciplinary hearing, but which had not yet been enforced.

Malema received a two-year suspended sentence in May for bringing the party into disrepute.

Malema was approached by The Star for comment on Zuma saying that youth leaders did not understand how the ANC operated.

Malema responded by saying: "It's okay."

The ruling party held its national general council meeting last week, which was a midterm review of its policies drafted at its national conference in Polokwane in 2007.