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In the latest twist in the Nelson Mandela Bay leadership saga over stubborn “chairperson” Andile Lungisa, members of Ward 28 have said the ANC Youth League regional task team who openly stated their support for Lungisa do not represent them.
Read: Young lions give muscle to Lungisa, call for him to retain chairperson position
Represented by Zolani Mdolomba, in his capacity as branch secretary for Ward 28, they denounced the regional task team, and said they were not a legitimate structure.
“It is unfortunate that a comment was made by Cde [Luyolo] Nqakula in respect of the Andile Lungisa issue, claiming to be the convener of the regional task team of the youth league,” said Mdolomba.
“As a legitimate youth league branch in Ward 28, we reject and disown their statements under the name of the ANC youth league,” he said.
Nqakula defended his position, and said that the league’s regional task team in the Nelson Mandela Metro was appointed on February 24.
“We have however, found ourselves in foreign terrain, in the sense that there is an unfortunate memo which was sent out to the structures of the ANC across the province, communicating a decision of the provincial executive committee not to recognise the provincial task team, as appointed by the national executive committee of the youth league,” said Nqakula.
What this decision translates to, is the illegitimacy of the regional task team structures across the Eastern Cape Province.
Citing an appeal process they lodged with national officials of the ANC, which defends their recognition, Nqakula said: “We view the appeal process and subsequently the memorandum sent out to structures as means that seek to sequestrate the autonomy of the ANC youth league,” he said.
The memo, which has been seen by the City Press, stipulates that any regional task team set up by the provincial task team of the youth league should not be recognised by the structures.
“It is within this context that we were chased out of an regional task team meeting of the ANC, prior to the regional conference, and subsequently denied the opportunity in participating in an organisational platform of critical substance.”
Nqakula said they were denied an opportunity to engage in the process of cross-pollination with branches of the ANC and contribute towards reshaping and rethinking the ANC in the metro.
“In light of these difficulties, we as the regional task team of the league have managed to convene a cadres forum which has provided us with the opportunity of not only to inculcate a culture of political education but to engage our constituency in the organisational renewal process and do away with gatekeeping and factionalism.”
He said they were visiting and engaging clusters in the region.
“The process of cluster visits will be concluded by this weekend.”
Mdolomba has his version of events which he called the “facts” on the status of the Nelson Mandela Region youth league.
He said the provincial executive committee of the ANC in the Eastern Cape made it very clear, that any structure elected by the provincial task team of the youth league must not be recognised.
“The so called regional task team led by Nqakula did not even take part in the regional conference due to its illegitimacy and only the expired youth league regional executive committee, represented by Xolani Mgxoteni and Siphiwo Tshaka, participated,” said Mdolomba.
“Even they were not delegated by the league branches to represent us in the conference, Mgxoteni and Tshaka delegated themselves and voted on our behalf illegitimately,” he said.
“Therefore, it cannot be correct for the so called regional task team to hijack the name of the league and misuse it for their own interests, which are unknown to the legitimate structures of the youth league in this metro.
“I therefore put it to you that they were speaking on their capacity as members, not as a legitimate structure,” he said.
“The appeal process is one of the avenues within the ANC constitution and its course should be allowed to unfold and if they feel that they have been aggrieved by the said memo and appeal, they also should consume the same avenues available to them as members. The ANC views are discussed and adopted at a conference as policy not by individuals using their own discretion.”
