adminDurban – The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in KwaZulu-Natal has come out in defence of provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala, saying disgruntled members must stop “acting like some sort of deputy Jesus”.
“Those people aren’t God, you must not elevate them to God. It’s only God who said there shall be light and there was light; there shall be water and there was water.
“We cannot just follow [what they say] because they have said that the congress was bogus. Those people must not be some sort of deputy Jesus,” KwaZulu-Natal ANCYL chairperson Thami Ngubane said.
He was addressing a press conference at the party’s provincial office in Durban yesterday. Along with deputy chairperson Kwazi Mshengu, provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabela, deputy secretary Sibongile Khathi and treasurer Siyabonga Nene, he presented the resolutions taken at the congress held this past weekend.
The delegation also strongly denied allegations that delegates had been barred from participating at the eighth Provincial ANCYL congress held at the Ugu Sports and Leisure centre in Port Shepstone on June 6 and 7. The opening day was marred by violence, disruptions and delays. Two people were allegedly shot with rubber bullets when the police opened fire on disgruntled members from six regions attempting to disrupt the congress.
Ngubane, who is also Umvoti mayor, walked out victorious when he trumped opponent Sipho Hlomuka from the uKhahlamba region.
Ngubane said the new leadership called the press conference, because there were pressing issues that could not wait for a provincial executive committee meeting. “Out of 11 regions, [it is] only uKhahlamba did not register and was not represented inside the congress. We, however, regret the incidents of disruption which necessitated the intervention of police officers.”
He said it appeared the disgruntled members could see they were in the minority and had decided to manipulate delegates attending the congress.
He said discipline was non-negotiable in the ANCYL.
“We have identified orchestrators and an organisational process will ensue in this regard. We will spare no energy in uprooting hooliganism and eradicating thuggery.”
He maintained no delegates were prevented from congress participation. “Lies will remain lies and they can never be a truth, no matter how many times they get repeated.”
Defending Zikalala, he said it was public knowledge that the comrades who attempted to disrupt the congress had, for a considerable period of time, branded their campaign “to defend ANC provincial chairperson Senzo Mchunu against the imaginary attack from ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala”.
“We want to put it clear as this leadership, we had no mandate from the provincial secretary and believe the disruptors (sic) also had no mandate from the provincial chairperson. Equally, we call on the leadership and membership of the ANC and the ANCYL to defend the ANC provincial secretary against the continuing onslaught he is a dictator. Sihle Zikalala is a democrat, a leader, an ANCYL graduate and among the best ever produced by the ANCYL,” Ngubane said. — AFP
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