President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to have a headache selecting the new board chairperson of the highly contested National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).
This is as Ramaphosa will first have an option of pleasing his party or better yet, go for a non-partisan candidate.
In the short-listed candidates who are due to undergo the interview process later this month, it appears that three candidates are frontrunners. Leading is ANC Youth League (ANCYL) treasurer-general Zweli Masilela. Masilela is favoured by history, in which ANCYL cadres have dominated the NYDA.
However, that same factor may be his undoing, as his opponents may whisper to Ramaphosa that appointing a fundraiser of an ANC structure will not appear good for a youth development government entity that must thrive on non-partisanship.
ANC comrades may rebut this by stating that Masilela will be a board member, while the NYDA will have a management led by a qualified CEO.
“The ANCYL has always gone for the chair and deputy chair but we are not about total control because the NYDA board has always had opposition members,” said one of Masilela’s lobbyists.
“We are solid. We will get this thing; there’s no real threat.”
Nicholas Nyati of the DA Youth is another candidate Ramaphosa may consider for chairperson in the spirit of the government of national unity. This would be a reflection that things have changed and give a DA candidate a chance to prove they can handle the hot seat. The blue party has, over the years, accused the NYDA of being an extension of the ANCYL.
But Ramaphosa has another option, which is most probably less controversial than his other two options. And that option is to go for Bonga Makhanya, who is a non-partisan contender.
Makhanya has a national profile for his work in community development and business through the South African Youth Economic Council.
Makhanya’s camp is beaming with confidence that their man is standing on solid ground to scoop the much-sought-after position.
“For far too long, the issue of choosing partisan candidates has been polarising and damaging the image of the NYDA. It might do the president good to give the nod to Bonga (Makhanya),” said a lobbyist for Makhanya.
“We will fight for it because our candidate is also the best qualified given his well-known track record in youth development issues.”
However, Makhanya’s disadvantage may be his association with minerals and petroleum minister Gwede Mantashe, who might find himself caught between a rock and a hard place in deciding whether to lobby for Masilela or Makhanya.
The interviews of the 20 short-listed candidates will take place from February 24 to 26 before ten names are sent to Ramaphosa, who will announce the NYDA’s new board of seven members.
