NATIONAL NEWS - The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) has become a stepping stone in the ANC’s patronage network and is no longer a tool to hold the mother body accountable.
This was according to political analyst Protas Madlala, who was speaking to The Witness ahead of the KwaZulu-Natal youth league’s provincial elective conference next month.
In the past 30 years, I think the ANCYL has become victim of tender corruption and all the other issues that plague the party. It is no longer the youth league of Nelson Mandela, Peter Mokaba and Oliver Tambo.
“It is now a stepping stone for self-enrichment, for tenders and government positions. I have seen media reports where they have blatantly expressed that positions in government should be allocated to ANCYL members while making no mention of how the youth league should be a tool to hold the mother body to account in making sure that issues of youth and poor people are prioritised,” the analyst said.
Madlala said with the electoral prowess of the ANC diminishing with every election, party members and structures like the ANC Women’s League have also had their influence reduced.
All ANC structures are diminishing, they are no longer looking after the people but after themselves They are fighting over projects, contracts, positions and not the real issues. Everyone is looking after their own stomach, everyone is biting their tongue when speaking on real issues because they don’t want to jeopardise their chances of moving upwards.
On Sunday, the ANCYL in KwaZulu-Natal announced it would be holding its 10th elective provincial conference.
Njabulo Mtolo and Nqobile Gumede are understood to be the frontrunners for the chairperson position.
In their statement, the ANCYL said it is hoping for a peaceful three-day conference that will unite their structures.
ANCYL members should often be encouraged to value the life and future of the organisation more than individual interests.
We, therefore, appeal to all members to remember that post the ANCYL KZN 10th provincial congress we will need a united primary driving force [members] of the organisation intact and more equal to the task of revitalising the ANCYL from its basic units. The conference will be held on September 2-4 at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue.
