The job of the previous Young Communist League regional leadership was praised when a new one emerged in Saturday’s elective congress.
YCL Gert Sibande leader Ayanda Mashaba emerged for a second term as secretary of the league in the region.
Delegates also elected Enock Mogale, who was Mashaba’s deputy, as the new chairman of the YCL in the Gert Sibande region, taking over from Sindi Sibeko who was elected late last year during a special regional congress as regional SACP treasurer.
SEE ALSO: YCL: complete list of elected leaders – statement
Delegates also elected Nelly Mlangeni, who was a member of the young communist’s executive committee in the region, as the new treasurer while Msukaligwa convener Ntsiki Cindi made a surprise emergence as Mashaba’s new deputy and spokesman Edward Letsimo emerging as the new deputy chairman.
Njabulo Mthabela, who was the deputy chairman, was elected an additional member after he protested his non-emergence in the top 5 – he was eyeing the position of regional chairman but was defeated when delegates chose Mogale instead.
Nokuthula Nkosi, who was the treasurer, didn’t make it both in the top 5 and as an additional member and was visibly unhappy about it and left congress early.
Chief Albert Luthuli convener Amos Nkosi, who was an additional member, also didn’t make it as well as Goodman Nkosi and Teboho Nkosi.
Xolani Shiba, Sbusiso Gininda, Joy Thwala, Sfiso Maseko, Nokuthula Sangweni, Phumi Mbatha and Mthabela are some of the leaders who emerged as additional members.
SACP second provincial deputy leader Nhlakanipho Zuma addressed the YCL regional elective congress at the Donna-Bella guesthouse in Ermelo and called for an end to ANCYL, YCL spats – saying this was not necessary because the ANCYL “is a child of the YCL”.
He said the YCL was formed long before the ANCYL and the formation of the ANCYL was as a result of influence made by SACP leaders for the ANC to also have a youth wing – following a resolution taken by its Central Committee then.
“That is why comrades at no stage should the ANCYL find itself at loggerheads with the YCL because the ANCYL is our child,” Zuma said to thunderous applause.
“The YCL has a responsibility to guide the ANCYL at all time.
“If there are now criminals or individuals who want to drive the ANCYL where they like the YCL must call it into order so that the ANCYL can go back to its direction that it was initially established for,” Zuma said.
Gert Sibande SACP leader Touch Ndlovu also addressed the congress and called on the ANC government to make sure that “the Gert Sibande economy is dominated by co-operatives”.
“There are faces of the ANC who want to try and frustrate this programme because they want to benefit alone,” Ndlovu said while on stage.
“They have been benefiting all along and still they want to continue to benefit, we can’t accept that. All the people of the region must benefit from its economy, and can only be achieved through co-operatives,” Ndlovu said.
He said the region’s schools and healthcare facilities were in a “very bad state” and that that was a result of corruption.
“Corruption affects the working-class we’re leading, if we don’t fight it we’re not leading well,” he said.
Mashaba addressed delegates on Sunday afternoon as the new re-lected leader and promised the YCL under his leadership will no longer be “a board-room organisation” before he thanked everyone who came to the congress.
The congress was attended by various leaders – Nehawu provincial leader Welcome Mnisi, YCL provincial leader Ntinyiko Ntini, YCL Nkangala’s Themba Ntimane, Gert Sibande Sasco regional secretary Genius Shabalala and other provincial and regional leaders, like the ANCYL’s Gracious Shabangu and YCL’s Themba Zulu.
(edited by ZK)
Send tips to editor@013.co.za
