The league will have a provincial elective conference on 7 December 2018.
Mpumalanga ANCYL deputy chairman Trevor Nkosi says he personally feels he must give others the chance to lead the ANCYL.
Nkosi says the reason he is available for the position of league provincial chairman ahead of congress is because he respects the comrades who have requested him to stand “but personally I have never stood up and say I want to lead the ANCYL”.
Nkosi spoke to the 013NEWS reporter Friday afternoon this week after it had come to light that he is actually turning 36 next year April.
He was born on 27 April 1983 and the age limit for being a member of the ANCYL is 35 years.
“I have raised the issue of my age to comrades but you know comrades they always have something they put forward to justify their views,” the affable Nkosi said over the phone.
“I have said that I’m 35 years-old already and I think now I’m ready to contest the space in the ANC,” he said.
He said personally he feels the ANCYL should be led by people between the age of 20 and 30 and afterwards “give those who are following you the chance”.
Nkosi said when he told comrades about his age “they started saying, ‘No, we have confidence in you. We want you to lead us, you have the capacity to change the political landscape in the province for young people”.
He is endorsed by his home region of Gert Sibande as well as other comrades in Bohlabela and Nkangala.
In mid-2017, Nkosi, who had previously served as regional secretary and chairman of the league in Gert Sibande before being elevated to the position of deputy provincial chair in 2016, was elected as the regional executive committee member of the Gert Sibande ANC.
Also Mduduzi “Mswati” Nkosi, former leader of the Nkangala ANCYL, got elected to the Nkangala ANC REC as was outgoing league provincial leader Tim Mashele for the Bohlabela ANC REC in June 2017.
Nkosi, who is also the chief whip of the Gert Sibande district municipality, said comrades began pointing out the age of current national leader Collen Maine who is apparently 38 years and former leader Fikile Mbalula, who left the league in 2007 at 38, to say he must accept leading the league.
He said it is because he respects them that he is available “but personally as Trevor Nkosi I’m no longer there”.
“I feel other young people should be given the opportunity to lead the league. Our space is now in the ANC,” Nkosi said.
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(edited by MLM)
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