THE ANC Youth League's powerful Alexandra branch says it will vote against Julius Malema at the league's national congress in two months time.

The branch became the latest to line up behind Malema's opponent, Lebohang Maile, the ANCYL Gauteng chairperson and MEC for sport, arts, culture and recreation.

Newly elected Alexandra branch chairperson George Mgoboli said last weekend: "We firmly believe under Maile's leadership the ANCYL will be able to regain its lost credibility and integrity among young people."

He said his branch would not be used as "voting cows" to return Malema to power once again .

"The current national executive committee of the ANCYL never created a platform to objectively engage with issues that confront young people broadly but rather focused on issues aimed at advancing narrow selfish interests and trying to legitimise those using the Freedom Charter or empowerment as the basis for those arguments."

Maile is a member of the ANCYL Alexandra branch.

Media reported last month that Maile might also have the backing of President Jacob Zuma, ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

Mgoboli conceded that there were ANCYL Gauteng branches that supported Malema. But he said Maile had a good chance of beating Malema at the ANCYL national congress because many branches had not announced their decision yet.