A factional battle within the Nelson Mandela Bay ANC Youth League played out at the party’s regional leg of its 113th birthday celebration in Gqeberha on Sunday.
With hundreds of supporters gathered at the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton, the league’s regional chair, Sandiso Makwetu, demanded to address the crowd after realising he was not on the programme.
When he was denied the opportunity by master of ceremonies Yoliswa Pali, a group of young people wearing ANC T-shirts moved towards the stage singing, while some carried placards bearing the slogan “suspend us all”.
While Makwetu argued with other ANC members about getting a chance to speak, the party’s Eastern Cape chair, premier Oscar Mabuyane, took to the podium and started singing songs about discipline within the party.
Makwetu is one of two ANCYL regional chairs who were elected at parallel congresses in December, with his faction endorsed by the provincial structure of the league.
Mabuyane was about to be called to deliver a lecture on Gqeberha’s 94-year-old struggle stalwart Benson Fihla when the ruckus began.
Instead, he addressed the crowd about factionalism and the importance of discipline, especially among the youth league members who were the future of the party.
The event was also attended by ANC Women’s League secretary Siphokazi Lusithi, Sanco provincial secretary Tony Duba, and ANCYL national executive committee member Lufefe Mkutu.
“When there are issues within the ANC you see scenes such as these unfold,” Mabuyane said.
“An intolerant person, who doesn’t take no for an answer is far from executing the objectives of the ANC.
“In the organisation, if you are unhappy about something, there are structures in place to address such issues but don’t hold the ANC at ransom.
“When the ANC has an event, we must respect it.”
Mabuyane said the chaotic situation should never have happened because league representatives did not speak at the January 8 celebrations.
“The standard programme of the January 8 event of the ANC, from national down to the regions, doesn’t give the leagues the podium.
“There’s only one person who speaks on behalf of the mother body.
“As such, divisions, anarchy and chaos are the function of leadership to be dealt with.”
Mabuyane said internal party issues could not be dealt with publicly but privately though elected structures.
“It can’t be that when we know there were no branch structures in certain wards, we wake up to news that a youth league structure had been launched.
“I know the league is an autonomous formation, but it remains the league of the ANC as part of building the organisation.”
The disruption took place after three members of the youth league faction backing outgoing ANC regional chair Babalwa Lobishe and calling for her return to the position at the regional congress initially set for March, were suspended.
The trio, Zithobile Vaaltein, Ntombozuko Xipu and Amzolele Ngcayisa face expulsion, as recommended by the provincial leadership of the league for sowing divisions after their involvement in one of the congresses.
Speaking after the event, youth league national executive committee member Lufefe Mkutu said though he was not the spokesperson of the national structure of the league, he supported the decision by the province to act against ill-disciplined members.
“The youth league has internal disciplinary processes that are drawn from our constitution which have been applied to these three members.
“They are already suspended, and we await the decision of the NEC regarding the recommendation to expel them.”
The Herald
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