Some members of the ANC Youth Alliance have called for the cancellation of the upcoming Gauteng provincial assembly, accusing the leadership of manipulating the process to benefit their preferred candidates. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
Some members of the ANC Youth Alliance have called for the cancellation of the upcoming Gauteng provincial assembly, accusing the leadership of manipulating the process to benefit their preferred candidates.
Provincial convener Amkelani Mashele and National Working Committee (NWC) member Ntombi Magwaza are accused of abusing the process in an attempt to install Samukelisiwe Madonsela as deputy provincial secretary.
Sources said Mandonsela's placement in the state's top five will help Mashere's campaign. He plans to challenge for the post of deputy secretary of the ANC Johannesburg regional conference next year.
A branch meeting was also disrupted by members throwing stones at each other, and multiple shots were fired.
Youth League officials say Young Lions are being used to disrupt chapter meetings, including one who allegedly took a member hostage at a chapter meeting in Meadowlands, Soweto last Saturday. It also included some things.
Mashele, Mandonsela and Magwaza are also accused of starting their own branches to create parallel structures.
One source said Madonsela was not appointed after setting up a branch in Rockville Soweto, so a parallel structure was set up.
“They launch these branches to boot. They open their own branches, and some branches have two branch executive committees, forming a parallel structure.”
The official said this has sparked serious debate about the health of Congress and the youth league renewal process.
At the moment, the most likely candidates to emerge from the provincial assembly are Ntsako Kevin Mogobe as chairman, Kamogelo Gasietsiwe as vice-chairman, Mpume Sangweni as secretary, Madonsela as deputy secretary and Onwabile Lubelwana as deputy secretary. will be the treasurer.
The Gauteng Youth League's five regional branches were finding agreement on other names, but none supported Madonsela, who lacked the backing of his home Johannesburg region.
The source said the operation was aimed at exploiting the Youth League's voting power at the 2025 ANC provincial conference in order to influence the outcome.
“We will be at the ANC conference in 2025 and the Youth League will have certain voting rights in the conference, so they will use those numbers to their benefit.” said the official.
Another official said the legitimacy of the meeting was called into question due to questions about incitement by members of the state task force.
The information manipulation caused confusion within the organization, and violence broke out at the branch's general meeting, officials said.
“It's difficult to know which structures are allowed, which is causing discord among young people,” the official said.
Officials said it was difficult to report problems because they had to submit complaints to the same person they were complaining about. “Of course, it will be useless.”
The official said he would try to get the youth league's national leadership to intervene, but if that doesn't help, “we will ask the ANC for guidance.”
Machel denied allegations that he operated a parallel system or tampered with the process to support Mandsela or other candidates.
He said those who think their favorites won't play in the conference are “doing everything they can” to make sure the conference doesn't happen.
“If you want to destroy Congress, aim for its head,” Machel said. “There’s nothing wrong with it, we’re expecting it, but we’re dealing with it in an organized way.
“I report everything that happens in the state to the National Executive Committee through the Office of the Secretary General. If there is a problem with what we are doing with these processes, they can call me and give me orders. I would have put it out.”
Mashele confirmed that violent branch meetings broke out in Diepsloot and the city centre, and that two armed men seized the meeting packages and lists from officials sent to manage the meetings.
“Local issues are the theme in Diepsloot. In the 2026 city council nomination contest, the ANC will be able to control who gets on the city council by keeping the ANC Youth League in its pocket. I feel like I can do it,” Machel said.
“Out of a total of about 480 branches that we have set up, there are only a few incidents, but we are not happy about this and we are addressing the issue.Most of the time it is a local issue. It's about.
Machel said calls for the parliament to be postponed would not prevent it from being held as planned.
Youth League President Collen Malatsi said chapters could have disputes over the process and meetings would not be held until they were resolved.
Marazzi said the league “runs a very tight ship” so no representatives would go to court to challenge the results.
“Not everyone is satisfied with the background music.” [branch general meetings] Because although we are a very democratic organization, we have encouraged unity everywhere.
“This is very difficult because some organizations have gone more than 14 years without participating in an elective conference. The last conference in Gauteng was in 2014. It will be a difficult journey, but Our plan is to have everything in place by the end of February next year, so we hope to be successful.”
He said the violence was being caused by “old people trying to stick their fingers in the youth federation's stuff.”
“We know they won't go down without a fight. They will look for people to disrupt the meeting, some will try to fund the ban. We know they will feel left out. Because they believe that this youth league will be competing against them in the future. We want them to be permanent leaders. I know there are.
“Those who are causing the chaos are buying alcohol from the elderly people I am talking about, creating instability and creating a situation where the process seems to be breaking down. It's an old trick, and we're going to discipline anyone we find violating discipline.
He said the allegations against Magwaza were not true as Magwaza did not have the authority to erect any structures.
Magwaza also denied the charges, saying he had been posted to the Eastern Cape.
“I am not very involved in daily life in Gauteng,” she said, insisting that she would never support any acts of violence.
Mr Madonsela added: “People cannot make such accusations without proof. Mr Amu is the provincial coordinator and is not involved in the affairs of the Greater Johannesburg Municipality, so why would he incite violence?” Is it true?
“Comrade Ntombi is an NWC member, but where does she fit in? She is not even deployed in Gauteng. Comrades must be honest.”
When asked if he would run for the post of deputy provincial commissioner, Madonsela said he would run if nominated.
“The position is vacant and we are all allowed to compete, but we cannot say we will take it now. ANCYL delegates and members choose the candidate they want.”
