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- The ANCYL’s 27th congress faced chaos, with the programme delayed from its 11:00 start, no clarity by 15:00, and unregistered delegates blocking progress.
- Security issues arose, including delegates denied entry for lack of accreditation and alcohol being confiscated from buses.
- Despite financial recovery claims, logistical and organisational issues persisted, overshadowing president Collen Malatji’s promises of a well-organised event.
The ANC Youth League’s (ANCYL) 27th national congress at the University of Limpopo in Polokwane got off to a shambolic start.
By 15:00 on Monday, the first day of the congress, it was unclear when the programme would start.
According to a programme that the league communicated to the media on Sunday evening, it was meant to start at 11:00.
However, at a media briefing on Monday morning, ANCYL president Collen Malatji indicated that the programme would start at midday.
But by 15:00 the programme had yet to start. In his address, Malatji had said ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa was expected to address the delegates at 15:30.
Also, members of the media were yet to receive their accreditation tags, and some delegates were still arriving at the venue at the University of Limpopo with no indication of when the actual programme would start.
News24 observed buses transporting delegates parked at the university’s entrance, with security guards refusing them entry because the delegates did not have accreditation tags.
READ | Polokwane showdown: Malatji’s likely unopposed return as ANCYL president
This publication also saw security guards removing cooler boxes, containing alcohol, from buses that had transported delegates to the congress at the university venue.
On the university grounds, delegates were milling about in the blistering Limpopo sun, while others were seen at the local mall getting food.
The chaos, though expected, played out despite Malatji’s claim at an earlier press briefing that the congress was well-organised and would be different from previous ANCYL conferences, which have tended to be chaotic.
He, however, admitted that the ANCYL had a challenge with the registration of delegates, which he said was something the league needed to “fix”.
Malatji admitted:
I think both us and the ANC have not mastered the registration process. I have been making this example that maybe it is because of the [lack of] resources, sometimes, but also the technologies that are faster are more expensive.
“And the TG (treasurer-general) has said we are being defunded deliberately; big businesses in South Africa are funding small political parties to weaken the ANC’s influence.”
“Our registration process gets delayed because there are manual processes. And, also, members of the media, I know that some of you are still waiting for your tags, but we will resolve it. But we cannot start without registration, because the (ANC) constitution tells you that 90% of delegates must be from branches. Then, the 10% is comprised of the NEC (national executive committee) and provincial delegation. So you can imagine that if 90% of the people are not registered, it means there will be no conference. Conference is totally dependent on registered delegates,” said Malatji.
At registration on Sunday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, delegates and the media had to fill in their details on paper manually.
Healthy finances
Meanwhile, responding to questions about the state of the league’s finances, Zwelo Masilela, who is the treasurer-general, said its 26th NEC was leaving the organisation’s financial health in a positive state, unlike when the committee took over from the previous leadership.
“When we took over as the 26th national executive committee, we inherited a debt of R60 million from the previous leadership. We were able to resolve it and took the league out of the woods,” said Masilela.
Masilela, who is now 35 years old, is not eligible to be a youth league member, and that automatically rules him out of the race.
Speaking of the league’s finances, Masilela said it had held successful rallies and hosted the “biggest march” of over 25 000 people to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, which he said “cost millions”.
A billboard of Collen Malatji near the University of Limpopo in Mankweng.
“We hosted an NGC (national general council) recently, which was historic – the 7th NGC of the Youth League, which cost over R40 million. We are going to deliver a report that seeks to suggest that the health of the organisation, financially, is on a positive note (sic). We will certainly not leave the 27th NEC with serious debt,” said Masilela.
He added that at the league’s NGC, he had delivered an independent, audited financial statement, which gave credence to the fact that the organisation’s finances are healthy.
Day 1 of the 27th ANCYL National Congress is under way at the Uni of Limpopo.
On Sunday, the league’s election committee announced the Top 6 nominees as put forward by branches. Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the opening address of the Congress.#ancyl27thcongress@News24 pic.twitter.com/Zx9vplDZrU
“The youth league has been defunded; it has been very difficult, but we were able to re-establish the investment of the youth league. We are trying to make sure that the youth league is independent and is able to carry out its programmes. We will hand over the investment arm to the 27th NEC and ensure that it continues to sustain this organisation,” he said.
