Twelve of the 24 members of the ANC Youth League provincial elective committee (PEC) in Mpumalanga have resigned, provincial chairman Kgotso Motloung said.

The resignations came after the PEC suspended the provincial secretary Johan Mkhatshwa and two other members of the PEC last week.

Motloung said the 12 who quit as PEC members were guilty of ill-discipline.   

“They allowed themselves to be used by certain elements within the ANC, thus their conduct was and is a serious infringement and danger to the autonomy of the ANC Youth League,” he said in a statement   

Clarence Maseko, the acting provincial secretary, said the 12 included the deputy provincial secretary Themba Masombuka and treasurer Lerato Theko. No other names were made available.    

All those who quit still remained members of the ANCYL, he said.  Only Mkhatshwa had resigned from the ANCYL itself, he said.

Mkhatshwa could not immediately be reached for comment.

He and the two other PEC members were suspended for defying decisions of the provincial general council held in May.

They were accused of bringing the organisation into disrepute by  undermining and insulting the elected leadership of the ANCYL.

Motloung said the members now faced further charges. These included holding what was labelled an unconstitutional regional general council in the Ehlanzeni region and addressing a news conference without a mandate.

“It is our view that every member of the ANC Youth League should  behave in line with the constitution of the ANC Youth League,” said  Motloung.