The process of rebuilding the ANC Youth League must be open and transparent to avoid factionalism, ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Sihle Zikalala said.

"The current structures... must do everything to avoid using the opportunity...to position themselves for election through improper and illegitimate practices," he said in a speech prepared for delivery in Esikhawini.

"The process of rebuilding the [African National Congress Youth League] must be open, transparent and stop being influenced from behind. If this is not addressed, factionalism will prevail again."

He said rebuilding the movement required a focus on nurturing cadres and recruitment.

"Without undermining the need of youth representation in Parliament, a tendency of using the ANCYL as a stepping ladder for positions in the ANC

or in Parliament must be avoided," he said.

"The mandate of the [national and provincial] task team cannot be to develop a list for Parliament before developing programmes of taking structures to congresses."

He said members needed to campaign for the ANC to win in the 2014 general election.

"If those in the leadership of the ANCYL will ever deserve any acknowledgement they must do so through youth mobilisation," said Zikalala.

"Young people are active and engaging. Those in leadership of the ANCYL must take the ANC leadership to the youth."

He said that once this was done, discussions could take place about who should be deployed to Parliament.