The ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has denied allegations that he gave the go-ahead to the ANC Youth League conference in the Eastern Cape to take place.
He said the behaviour was unacceptable and amounted to gross ill-discipline and defiance.
Mbalula wrote a firm letter to the ANC National Youth Task Team (NYTT) leaders, including its convener Xola Nqola, who allegedly oversaw the congress.
In the letter, he clarified that the elective conference was unauthorised and not recognised, as the provincial ANCYL leaders were instructed not to go ahead with it.
“Accordingly, we directed in clear and uncertain terms that the ANCYL Eastern Cape Provincial Conference should not proceed, but rather be scheduled to take place after the ANCYL National Congress,” he said.
The bogus conference saw the likes of Luntu Sokutu being elected as chair, Zikhona Pakade as deputy chair, Bongani Mani as secretary, Athi Daniso as deputy secretary and Unathi Hlathuka as treasurer.
Mbalula said they were disappointed with some of the NYTT leaders who acted contrary to all the accepted organisational norms.
According to Mbalula, some NYTT members continued with the unauthorised and patently irregular event and misled the membership that the secretary-general had sanctioned the continuation of it.
The SG said it was clear from the reports presented, and the discussion that followed, that the planned ANCYL Eastern Cape Provincial Congress had not been duly and properly authorised in that, among others:
1. There was no recorded decision by the ANCYL NWTT to amend the ANCYL National Congress Roadmap and authorise the holding of the Provincial Congress.
2. There was no evidence that the required audits had been done, or that the requisite Verification Reports had been issued.
He called for accountability on the matter and included disciplinary measures, if necessary.
He said these actions left his office with no option, other than to take the “necessary corrective measures”.
IOL Politics