Besani quits as coordinator of ANCYL task team

The ANC National Youth Task Team finds itself in a muddle over the resignation of its coordinator Sibongile Besani.

His resignation was made public on Thursday, detailing his discontent about how decisions within the task team have been made without his input or knowledge.

City Press then received confirmation from the task team’s spokesperson Sizophila Mkhize that Besani had indeed resigned, only for the convener Thandi Mahambehlala to issue a statement saying that the letter was fake.

“It has come to our attention that there is a fake statement being circulated regarding the resignation of the national task team coordinator. We wish to put on record that the task team has never issued such a statement. To this end the national youth task team has not received such a resignation letter from the coordinator,” Mahambehlala said in a statement on Thursday night.

She then said that any official correspondence by the task team was only issued on official platforms.

In the resignation letter in question, Besani stated his frustrations about being excluded from the process of appointing auditors for the upcoming youth league conference. He also complained about media statements issued without his knowledge.

“This is a recipe for unnecessary disagreements between myself as coordinator and those who advocate for this tendency. The fact is that I can no longer own up to statements that carry my name without being consulted and this will consequently undermine the rebuilding of the ANCYL,” he wrote.

“In the context of an emerging environment that seeks to remove me from some of my critical responsibilities, it is prudent that I do not become party to the national youth task team.”

Shortly after the letter started making rounds on social media, a heavily-worded statement by the youth league in the Free State emerged.

They welcomed Besani’s resignation saying this was not a surprise as the coordinator was known to “always throw his toys [out of the cot] whenever faced with politically challenging situations”.

“This confirms our long-held view that the rebuilding of the ANCYL requires young people with the necessary energy and political stamina, as opposed to old political spoilt brats who never played any meaningful role in the ANCYL during their youth,” the statement read.

Besani’s resignation came just a day after the task team released a statement in support of former president Jacob Zuma.

There was outrage this week when a judge issued warrant of arrest for Zuma when he failed to appear in court for the start of his trial on the arms deal corruption case.

Queenin Masaubi Political journalist | City Press

+27 11 713 9001 Queenin.Masuabi@citypress.co.za Media Park, 69 Kingsway Road, Auckland Park

Rise above the clutter | Choose your news | City Press in your inbox

City Press is an agenda-setting South African news brand that publishes across platforms. Its flagship print edition is distributed on a Sunday.