Maine accused of disrespecting the youth league
New ANC Youth League president Collen Maine‚ on his first visit to the Eastern Province since his election to the hot seat‚ had to weather a storm of booing at the weekend at Walter Sisulu University.
Speaking during the youth league’s 71st anniversary celebrations at the university’s Zamukulungisa Campus‚ Maine landed the first punch when‚ towards the end of his address‚ he criticised youth league members for having contested recent SRC elections against the South African Student Congress (Sasco).
Both the youth league and Sasco are affiliated to the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA)‚ which also includes the Young Communist League and the Congress of South African Students.
But the two organisations have been at each other’s throats on the campus for some time.
Maine said it had been resolved during the youth league’s national congress that Sasco would be the leader of the PYA at university level.
While he was cheered on by Sasco members in attendance‚ he was booed by youth league members from the Thobile Bam branch.
Some even walked out and started singing Struggle songs outside while others argued that he was being disrespectful.
Inside the hall‚ Maine‚ who was celebrating his birthday on Saturday‚ warned that the newly elected leadership of the youth league would not tolerate anarchy.
“Deal with your egos because we want a strong and progressive youth alliance. If you are counter-revolutionary‚ you don’t belong here. This is a youth league of the ANC. If you don’t like it‚ go out‚” he said.
Chairman of the Thobile Bam branch‚ Luzuko Delihlazo accused Maine of disrespecting not only the branch but the youth league he was leading.
“The president speaks about a resolution. We were delegates in that congress and there was never a resolution like that. PYA is not led by Sasco. The leader of the PYA is the youth league.”
Delihlazo also criticised Maine for failing to engage with the youth league leadership at the institution before addressing the anniversary celebrations.