Business Day
*Gigaba fires salvo at league* *Sibongakonke Shoba, Business Day, Johannesburg, 12 October 2011*FORMER African National Congress (ANC) youth league leader Malusi Gigaba yesterday took issue with the league's call for "generational mix" --- widely perceived to be part of a campaign to have Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula elected ANC secretary-general next year.
Addressing the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union congress yesterday, Mr Gigaba said those obsessed with leadership contests were concerned only about their own material interests.
"All talk of 'generational mix' is deception and an attempt to pervert the character of the ANC as it has been so elaborately outlined in the strategy and tactics," he said.
Mr Gigaba's opposition to the youth league's call could be an indication that he is against leadership change in Mangaung and that he could throw his weight behind President Jacob Zuma 's re-election bid.
However, Mr Gigaba --- also the minister of public enterprises --- could also be fighting his own battles. Although Mr Mbalula is four months older than Mr Gigaba, he succeeded Mr Gigaba as league president. This makes Mr Gigaba politically senior to Mr Mbalula.
Party leaders of the same generation as Mr Gigaba or slightly older , have questioned why the league passed over them and instead chose to support Mr Mbalula, who is politically junior to many of them.
Youth league secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa refused to comment yesterday. "It is his views. We can't go around responding to people who are not serious," he said.
This is not the first time Mr Gigaba has clashed with the Julius Malema-led youth league. Two months ago he warned the debate on nationalisation of the mines had been handled recklessly and was harming the country's image.
The league has been calling for a generational mix in the leadership of the ANC, in what is seen as a pretext to lobby for its national congress resolution that Mr Mbalula replace ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe next year. The league also wants Mr Zuma to make way for his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe .
"The preoccupation of some with leadership issues which have nothing to do with the fundamental interests of our people, but rather with their own material interests, needs to be exposed for its bankruptcy and an alternative perspective must be put forward that places at its core the revolutionary role of the ANC in the present context," Mr Gigaba said.
He said it was the ruling party's duty to mobilise, organise and educate the youth.
Mr Gigaba also warned against divisions in the governing tripartite alliance, saying: "The perilous threat that a divided alliance poses is that the (National Democratic Revolution) can end up being hijacked, not by the opponents of our movement, as these pose no such threat, but by demagogues and opportunists in our own ranks posing as the most militant among us."
*From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=155720* ** ** -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
<<inline: BusinessDay.gif>>
