Former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) head of news Snuki Zikalala has been elected the second president of the African National Congress’s (ANC's) veterans’ league.

This follows a three day conference, where the veterans elected four other leaders and discussed their role in the ANC and ways to improve this so it has an authoritative say on matters in the ruling party.

Zikalala, who left the public broadcaster with a dark cloud hanging over his head, was accused at the time of blacklisting commentators from appearing in bulletins during former president Thabo Mbeki’s era. He recently made it into the news again when his name appeared on a shortlist of candidates for the SABC board.

Bonsile Phillemon Norushe from the Eastern Cape was elected his deputy. The secretary Natso Khumalo retained her position, while the Northern Cape’s Evelyn Lubidla was elected her deputy. Gabriel Moosa from the Western Cape was elected the treasurer of the league.

“Let me state upfront, comrades, that our determination of the success of this gathering will be based on how we implement the resolutions we have adopted,” Zikalala told comrades during his closing address.

He said what was achieved over this weekend was due to the veterans of the 105-year-old liberation movement being committed to their objectives.

“We are in agreement that our movement is facing serious challenges unlike what we have experienced in the last century of its existence,” said Zikalala.

"Most of our structures are characterised by factionalism, corruption, gatekeeping, patronage and buying of membership and support. Importantly, we all agree that if these ills are not addressed decisively, our glorious movement will diminish further and may ultimately be removed from power," he continued.

Agreeing with his views the ANC’s Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte told the crowd that was gathered at the event that no one in the ANC could pretend there were no challenges in the party.

“But for us to see only challenges is a serious fault line,” said Duarte.

Although there were murmurs among delegates that President Jacob Zuma would address the closing of the conference, it ended without his appearance, this in spite of members of his presidential protection unit being spotted doing the rounds throughout the conferencing centre. Zuma was initially set to deliver an opening address but couldn’t due to a scheduling clash. ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe delivered the address instead.

Duarte warned of the dangers of factionalism and of the veterans reducing their role to historians in the movement, urging them to help reform and strengthen future leaders in the party.

“We are not minions that can’t hear you,” said Duarte, reminding the senior ANC members that the current crop of leaders were also approaching veteran age.