Mzantsi's politics news: Autonomy of ANCYL under siege?

The regional congress of the Cacadu ANCYL in Tsitsikamma. Pic Sibulele Magini

At the regional congress of the ANC Youth League, vibrant discussions and resolutions were taken in addressing some of the regional and organizational heated issues.

“The autonomy of the youth league is hijacked anda undermined” said regional chairperson of the youth league, Mabhuti Matyumza. He also added that “the ANC Youth League is subjected to a desk.” Matyumza firmly argued that “the organization will never die in our hands.”

Tsitsikamma was home to the 3^rd Regional Conference of the ANC Youth League where the league robustly engaged in issues affecting the organization and the country’s youth overall. In this elective congress, the league confirmed its support for Julius Malema and announced that it will stand behind its fearless leader until he is retained from his positions which they feel that his removal was politically motivated.

“Discipline is used as a tool to silence young people,” said the ANCYL Koukamma Sub Regional Chairperson, Melikhaya Lutshete.

The league also bashed the ANC for the Eastern Cape’s poor state of education and labeled the party to be in denial and ignorant about the condition Eastern Cape pupils face in schools. The Cacadu regional youth league also criticized the government for failing the youth. “In this country youth unemployment has taken its toll, skills development to make the youth employable is scarce and HIV and AIDS is killing us,” said Lutshete.

The messages of support delivered by the Regional Chairperson of the Young Communist League, Simphiwe Rune, reaffirmed the alliance unity and support. The league declared its full support for SASCO’s HIV/AIDS campaign which states that “if it’s not on it’s not in’. The YCL also pledged solidarity with the Youth League on its call for Economic Freedom. Rune stated that YCL support the means to bring democracy in Swaziland and is against King Swati’s dictatorship

Out of the 180 people excepted to attend the conference only 132 members including delegates from respective sub regions of Cacadu including Makana, guests and provincial leadership attended. The invited SASCO leadership did not attend and the excepted national leadership such as Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and the ANC Youth League Acting President Ronald Lamola never arrived either.

The conference was launched under the theme: ‘Mobilization of social forces towards economic freedom in consolidation of the people’s revolutionary movement.’

Matyumza, chairperson of the region stated that “economic freedom must be interpreted based on the challenges of the region not merely free education, nationalization of mines and expropriation of land.” He said that the region’s youth is calling for economic freedom to be a reality because “freedom is meaningless without it.”

Mabhuti Matyumza from Makana retained his position as chairperson of the Cacadu region and so did Thembani Mazana as deputy chairperson and Nqabisa Gantsho as treasurer. While on the other hand, the regional secretary, Zukiswa Funiselo and her deputy were removed from their positions and replaced by Solwethu Lucas as secretary and Mjiphutha Diamond as deputy secretary.

The ANC Regional leader from Makana, Lungile Mxube, pledged his support for the ANC Youth League and was inaugurated as an economic freedom fighter. He stated that “the youth league must remain radical, militant and revolutionary and should not be apologetic about that.”

The delegates stayed for three days at the lavish Khoisan village. The meals and accommodation for the conference were paid by the regional ANC. In this congress, factional songs in support of Kgalema Motlanthe as president and Fikile Mbalula as secretary-general were sung. What became clear is that the conference was convened for the region to pledge support for Njadayi to run for ANC regional secretary in the upcoming ANC congress and to reaffirm support for Malema to be brought back into his position.