THE decision to change the status of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) conference has generated positive and negative responses. It has disappointed and to a certain extent angered some, especially those delegates whose sole presence and keen interest in the conference was to vote and be less interested in other business.
As a member of the ANC, I am not one of those questioning the ANC, especially its national executive committee's right and responsibility to intervene in the ANCYL's affairs, especially if the situation requires such. The NEC is the highest decision-making body of the ANC between conferences.
I think the problem started with the dissolution of the ANCYL and its provincial structures. It is my opinion that the dissolution was informed by factional and triumphalist considerations, and not political imperatives.
As expected, the national task team (NTT) (including the provincial task teams (PTTs)) was also a factional appointment which did not do the ANCYL any good. The worst part was appointing comrades who had ambitions of leading the ANCYL.
Some of the comrades are capable, but their appointment compromised their chances of leading, given that they will be labelled referee/player. This has happened.
With regard to the conference, the ANC NEC knew before us about the ANCYL conference and I assume, accepted the date. It therefore is confusing as to why the ANC officials would choose to postpone or change the status of the conference a day before its commencement.
I suspect factionalism has reared its ugly head again. What has changed between when the date was announced and now?
Why were caretaker leaders of the ANCYL pushing so hard for this national conference? Why did the mother body (ANC) wait till the 11th hour to pull the plug on a process to which it has been an active participant all along?
I believe the date was prematurely announced because from a distance, the ANCYL is not ready for a conference. Inasmuch as the deployment of Jessie Duarte to assist the ANCYL and intervene was necessary, such an intervention has not yielded the desired outcomes. Rushing the conference was very unfortunate.
The decision by the ANC officials has created suspicion and tainted the whole rebuilding process. We need to be told of the reasons why.
Failure to do that will only deepen the divisions and give credence to the suspicion, among others, that the ANC officials are paving the way for a preferred candidate. There must be political reasons why the conference was postponed.
Siviwe Kasi aka Svige, Daleview, King William's Town