After years of struggle to elect a leader, the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) will hold its national conference in June.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula on Thursday addressed the media on the outcomes of the ANC’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting where he urged all involved to work tirelessly towards ensuring that the ANCYL conference was a success.

The NWC decided that the National Youth Task Team (NYTT) be reconfigured “with individuals who can add impetus to the task of ensuring that a credible National Conference of the Youth League takes place within three months”.

The reconfigured NYTT will be led by committee members from all provinces and the first meeting will be held on Thursday to outline the expectations of the ANC’s national leadership with regards to the task of the NYTT.

Anyone wanting to be in the ANCYL must be 18 to 35, must be an eligible South African who is participating in the league and must be a good-standing member of the youth league.

“We have full confidence that the collective will deliver the conference which will give rise to an ANC Youth League that is able to mobilise the youth behind the African National Congress, in championing the interests of young people," Mbalula said. 

He added that the party also supported the work done by the task teams of the ANC Women’s League and the Veterans' League in preparing for their respective national conferences.

MBEKI LETTER

Following former President Thabo Mbeki’s recent claim that the ANC was protecting President Cyril Ramaphosa “at all costs” in the Phala Phala matter, Mbalula said the ANC finds it regrettable that Mbeki’s letter, directed at national officials, was leaked to the public.

In a letter written to Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Mbeki questioned why ANC MPs blocked a Phala Phala investigation, which he compared with the Nkandla saga.

Mbalula said this was not the first time former presidents of the ANC had written to the party and added that the ANC’s national structure would seek an audience with Mbeki to discuss the concerns raised in the latter, “as they are valid and important for the party and the society at large”.

Mbalula called on ANC leaders to refrain from responding to the contents of the letter.  

MANGAUNG

On the latest developments in Mangaung, Mbalula said the ANC was in consultation with party structures and added that there must be consequence management where an organisational mandate has been undermined.

The ANC in Mangaung has reportedly threatened to polygraph its councillors after some of them defied the party line and voted for Democratic Alliance councillor Maryke Davies as the municipality’s new speaker.

Mbalula said the ANC would act decisively, even if by-elections were convened.

“The people of Mangaung have been loyal to the ANC, have voted for the ANC and we cannot allow a few individuals to undermine that confidence. We are confident to turn around the municipality and ensure service delivery and at the same time we will act decisively to ensure there is discipline in the organisation,” Mbalula stated.