The 26th ANCYL National Conference is set to go ahead despite a number of concerns from various branches who have questioned its credibility.
The much-anticipated conference is reported to produce leaders who have the interests of young people at heart, as youth unemployment surged to 46.5% in the first quarter of 2023 (about 4.9 million).
The electoral committee, on Thursday, at a media briefing, announced that the conference would start on Friday and end next Tuesday.
Leading the electoral committee, Donald Selamolela told the media that they did not doubt that the conference would sit until its end.
According to the committee, candidates like Collen Malatji (President), Deputy President Phumzile Mgcina, (Secretary) Mntuwoxolo Ngudle, (Deputy Secretary General) Tsakani Shiviti, and Zwelo Masilela reached the required 20% threshold to be on the ballot paper for the league’s congress.
The candidates were nominated in the provinces.
The committee said 2 972 branches have registered to participate in the conference.
A number of delegates and friends of the conference seem to gravitate towards Malatji emerging as the president of the structure, which last had a president eight years ago.
The ANCYL was disbanded in 2019.
Malatji took to Twitter this morning, expressing joy that the day has finally come.
“The day has finally come. A safe journey to all delegates that are still making their way to Nasrec. Here’s to a successful 26th ANCYL National Congress. Long live the ANCYL!,” said Malatji.
A number of delegates from across different provinces have been arriving at the Unisa campus in the south of Johannesburg to register and collect the tags that will give them access to Nasrec, where the conference is taking place.
One of the leaders from the Vhembe region in Limpopo, Tumelo (unknown surname), said they had had many challenges, and he said a conference is a conference of branches, and it should compose of branch delegates.
“But the challenge we have with this conference is that in our region, those who are legitimate branch delegates have been sidelined, with the secretary literally just filling packages and just appointing delegates for branches. There is no repetition for it. We have written to report these genuine issues. Branch leaders don't even know delegates in their branches, but they are the ones who preceded BGMs.”
He said they went to demand answers from the NYTT, but they were blue-ticked (ignored).
“Our delegates could not come here because their names are not reflected as registered. We have seen some random individuals from our region who have been taken, and they are being registered as branch delegates,” Tumelo said.
A number of delegates were seen chanting and singing struggle songs.
Thabo Molefe from Gauteng said he believed that all processes were followed and they were ready for the conference.
“We don't want people complaining about processes. The NYTT did all that was required. We are ready to have Malatji as our president,” said Molefe.
ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za