The ANC Youth League is in a tight spot as its long-awaited conference faces financial challenges.
Speaking to Sunday World on Friday, Collen Malatji, the deputy coordinator of the youth league, acknowledged the difficulties but expressed determination to proceed with the conference despite the odds.
Originally scheduled to commence on Friday, the conference has experienced delays due to a lack of pre-audits in major provinces including Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
According to Malatji, the absence of pre-registration procedures has put a strain on the organisation, particularly in dealing with large provinces.
“What has delayed us is that the big provinces such as the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal did not do pre-audits, now we had to do everything at once in one day,” Malatji said.
“Dealing with pre-registration is a lot of work, that process can take you a lot of hours, now that has delayed us.
“We were not too organised, and it is a learning experience. We have not had a conference of the youth league in a very long time, and we are doing it in three months, we have done a lot [of work to put it together].”
Insufficient staff capacity has also hindered the smooth organisation of the event.
Malatji attributed these challenges to financial problems faced by the youth league, which has struggled to secure adequate funding and sponsorships.
He admitted that the league has not convened a conference in a long time, resulting in the loss of sponsors and supporters, however, he expressed optimism that regaining the confidence of the youth will attract sponsors who are aligned with the league’s policies.
“For the past 10 years, the youth league was not existing, no businesspeople can put their money in something that does not exist. Now we are rebranding the youth league and bringing it back to life.”
Despite acknowledging the financial strain, he emphasized the importance of holding the conference, stating that even after its conclusion, the league may face debts and a need for fundraising.
Suspicions regarding the league’s budget arose when service providers were observed still working on branding at the conference venue on Thursday evening.
Furthermore, media accreditation tags had not been distributed, and registration for other provinces like Eastern Cape had not taken place as of Friday.
The issuance of blue wristbands with the government emblem to the media raised questions about the source of funding, with some speculating whether state funds were being utilized.
However, Malatji dismissed these claims, stating that the blue tags were solely for security purposes related to the visit of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“It has nothing to do with budget. The blue tags are for security purposes of the state president that is coming here, it has nothing to do with our conference, but the vetting of people who are coming to the conference.”
Race for league’s top job
During the state of readiness briefing, the league’s electoral committee announced that Malatji had received the highest support in his bid for the presidency.
While other candidates may still emerge, Malatji expressed confidence in his chances, citing years of hard work and extensive mobilisation of structures.
He highlighted the significance of gaining support from his peers and emphasized that he is not a “candidate of the elders”, but rather of his own generation.
“I am humbled, I got the highest nominations of close to more than 1 900 on a conference of close to 2 000 voting delegates,” he said.
“It’s a vote of confidence from my own peers, that is why I have always dismissed that I am a candidate of elders when my peers are assembling their own structures.
“A candidate of the elders is someone who comes to conference, elders come and lobby for them to be elected in the conference when their peers have not nominated them in structures. I have obtained full confidence from my own peers across South Africa.”
He acknowledged that it is possible for other candidates to emerge from the conference floor, as they only require 25% support.
However, he believes that his substantial nominations made it challenging for them to overturn the support he has garnered.
While confident in his own campaign, he acknowledged the democratic nature of the ANC and the possibility of another candidate emerging from the floor.
“I have always been praised in structures of the ANCYL and the ANC. I think I have always prepared myself for the day when it happens that I get elected as the president of the youth league.
“It is possible that for other people to emerge from the floor, they just need 25% … the margin of the nominations is too high, it might be difficult to change so many delegates overnight, but it is possible that a person raised from the floor can win over someone who is nominated by the branches.
“We are confident that we have done our work, that we have lobbied our peers, the chances of winning are high but also there are chances that somebody from the floor can emerge, because the ANC is a democratic organisation.”
As the youth league strives to overcome financial constraints and logistical challenges, the delayed conference remains a crucial milestone for the organisation.
It represents an opportunity for the league to rebuild its image, regain support, and pave the way for a new generation of leaders within the ANC.
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