Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

Former ANC Youth League national general secretary Sihle Zikalala's decision to back Saki Mofokeng for president instead of Julius Malema before the league's lekgotla has cost him dearly.

Before showing his support for Mofokeng, Zikalala was tipped for the position of ANC provincial secretary in KwaZulu-Natal.

Party insiders said he shocked many members of the youth league when he announced that he was fully behind Mofokeng as league president and not Malema, who was favoured by the then president Fikile Mbalula and other ANC national executive (NEC) members.

This resulted in bad blood between him, certain ANCYL NEC members and the ordinary members of the youth structure.

Sources in the party said after his backing of Mofokeng, who was associated with President Thabo Mbeki's camp, members were no longer comfortable with his holding the position of provincial secretary.

The league in KwaZulu-Natal had nominated him for the position but at the weekend branches decided otherwise.

A NEC member in KwaZulu-Natal said Zikalala dug his own grave.

"He served the league well as secretary and I have no doubt he would have done a good job. But supporting Mofokeng was a grave mistake."