By Thys Khiba – The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) National Task Team organiser, Tlangi Mogale said there is no regional congress of the ANCYL that took place over the weekend in Mangaung, Bloemfontein.
Speaking to Free State Central News, Mogale confirmed that the only recognised congress of the ANCYL Mangaung will take place from today, 01 June.
“In the ANC Youth League, we don’t do things willingly, there are processes that ought to be there are organisational terms of references and guidelines that ought to be followed,” said Mogale.
She continued to say that no one can continue with the Youth League congress without registering delegates and without adopting credentials.
“And worse of, you can’t have a congress that does not have people we call delegates. So whatever you might have seen is not a true representation of what needs to happen in a congress of the Youth League,” said Mogale.
The National Youth Task Team (NYTT) member, Mogale indicated that she was physically present in Mangaung observing developments around the build up of the congress as a member of the NYTT.
“There were disputes around registration venues, and there were disputes around credentials,” said Mogale.
She continued to say that allegations that are claiming that the ANC tried to distract the congress are not true.
“In the nature of regional congresses of the youth league is that, young people will always differ. Then in some instances, the differences might be out of control. But with the case of Mangaung that attempt was made but never found expression,” said Mogale.
She confirmed that a meeting with members of the ANC IPC and IRC took place earlier this week to assist leaders of the youth league to plan a proper congress.
The ANCYL national coordinator Joy Maimela told Free State Central News that they are still waiting for a report to confirm whether there is a newly elected leadership of the ANCYL in Mangaung.
At the moment, she is not willing to make any conclusions based on a social media post.
Meanwhile, there is a allegedly newly elected structure of the ANCYL in Mangaung.
According to the statement released by the region, a congress allegedly took place on the 29th to 30th of May at Hyde Place in Bloemfontein, and elected Mthuthuzeli Bidi as their chairperson, Khumbulekile Mananzi as their deputy chairperson, Moeketsi Bohloko as their secretary, Nteboheng Mokhethi as their deputy secretary and Itumeleng Ditlhage as treasurer.
“We condemn, in the strongest terms possible the violence that infiltrated the congress, however if we are to decisively root out this emergent and foreign tendency, we must not, when we condemn it, pretend it was a natural act of God and omit to give it a face and a genesis,” said the released statement.
This comes after it was reported that the congress which was scheduled to take place over the weekend descended into chaos.
The ANCYL Provincial Coordinator, Xolani Tseletsele was blamed for allegedly disrupting the registration process on Saturday. Speaking to other media Tseletsele indicated that he left the conference in Mangaung.
“I left for Jagersfontein last night before registerations of delegates.”
We have tried to get a comment from Tseletsele but his phone was unanswered.
The former provincial chairperson of the youth league and current MEC for Destea, Makalo Mohale was blamed for some of the chaos that took place in Mangaung. He denied the allegations that were made against him.
“I am no longer leading the ANC youth league,” said Makalo.
A member of the ANCYL Ward 36 (Chief Bambatha Branch), Thamsanqa Godfrey Milela alleges that the congress had three factions who managed to get funding from some of the ANC leaders for logistics purposes and to run the conference.
Young people who allegedly got funding from the ANC leaders had a pressure of fulfilling their expectations within the congress.
“What happened over the weekend was a man made. No one is to be blamed than to blame ourselves as young people,” said Milela.
Milela argue strongly advised young people of the ANCYL in Mangaung to unite and rebuild the branches of the ANCYL.
Meanwhile, Milela said they are calling for the nomination and election of the current provincial convener, Katlego Mangoejane to be the next provincial chairperson and the ANCYL RCPC Fezile Dabi region fundraiser, Edgar Legoale to be the next provincial secretary.