ANCYL plans to hold its conference ‘no later than April’

The ANC Youth League conference is expected to be held no later than April, according to the national task team’s coordinator Joy Maimela. 

Maimela, who was speaking to Sowetan earlier this week, said they were hopefully looking at holding the ANCYL conference towards February or March but not later than April.

“The ANC, now that it’s done with its conference, [is] committing efforts to finding resources for our own conference. We’re hoping to sit by the end of April, the latest,” Maimela said.

Speaking at a Peter Mokaba memorial lecture over the weekend in Bloemfontein, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula assured members of the youth league that the party would raise funds for the league to convene its conference.

The youth league has not had an elected leadership for more than three years, with a national task team headed by convener Nonceba Mhlauli and Maimela appointed to take the organisation to conference.

While delivering the ANC’s January 8th statement in Mangaung on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the party leagues, including the ones for veterans and women, played an important role in enabling the ANC to serve the people and advance their interests and sectoral needs.

“The leagues need to have functional structures and dynamic programmes on the ground if they are to serve their constitutional and political purposes. The ANC leadership at all levels needs to take responsibility in reviving the structures of the youth league. The movement cannot afford to have no proper organisation of young people. The NEC will take a lead in the revival of the youth league so that our movement can connect dynamically with a new generation of South Africans,” Ramaphosa said.

Meanwhile, Maimela said she would not be contesting any position in the ANCYL conference.

On the newly elected national executive committee, of which she is a member, she said it was a step in the right direction.

“We’re not totally happy but [it’s a] step in the right direction. The [new] NEC is different from the last NEC. It’s a bit youthful and filled with different generations of the ANC and that’s what makes us more happy that when we see people in the NEC, it’s people we can relate to who are our former leaders,” she said.

“We’re hoping this NEC is going to be stronger, [and] will rebuild the ANC in a real sense.

“Firstly we believe we must kill factions. What weakens a movement or structure are factions. What this NEC must focus on is building cohesion and unity so we’re able to move as a unit.”