Statement of the ANC Youth League following the National Nominating Meeting held 22 November 2012
The youth of South Africa, represented by the African National Congress Youth League, have made an unequivocal declaration that Comrade Kgalema Motlanthe must be elected as President of the African National Congress at the 53rd National Conference. They have also called upon Comrade Fikile Mbalula, the Former President of the ANC Youth League, to ascend to the position of Secretary-General of the African National Congress in order lead the organization decisively in the programme towards Economic Freedom in our Lifetime.
These nominations, both of which were unopposed, were made at the National Nominating Meeting of the ANC Youth League held on the 22nd November 2012 at St. George's Hotel, Irene, Gauteng. The National Nominating Meeting was attended by members of the National Executive Committee of the ANCYL and delegates representing all provinces. It was presided over by an Election Commission led by Veterans Comrade Wessi Seekoe and Mme Sophie de Bruyn, processes of nomination and voting were administered by an independent elections agency.
This detail is important because, the decisions of the National Nominating Meeting reflect the official views of the ANC Youth League on leadership, these decisions were arrived at through a fair, credible and inclusive process and are binding on all members of the organization.
The African National Congress Youth League participated in the process of nomination of leadership of the ANC cognizant of the fact that to do so is to also reaffirm our confidence in and loyalty to the African National Congress. We have also reaffirmed the central tenant of the Strategy and Tactics that what the ANC stands for is what the ANC is. Thus, we uphold the values of unity and democracy and have committed ourselves to respect the outcomes of the Mangaung conference, regardless of which ideas emerge victorious.
We will work tirelessly to lobby across all sectors of society and in all corners of South Africa, speaking to young and old, friend and foe, for the leadership collective we have nominated to be elected by members of the ANC in Mangaung. Following the 53rd National Conference, together with all members of the ANC, we will work with the elected leadership to bring about a better life for all. On our programme of action we will never retreat and our confidence that the leaders we are nominating are ideally suited to deliver it is unquestionable.
Following intensive and robust discussions where young people deliberated at length on the best cadres in the movement to take forward the organization to the next 100 hundred years, intact and united; young people of South Africa are united behind a collective that represents the necessary fearlessness, energy and experience required to drive the programme for urgent and radical change demanded by the masses of our people. The future of the ANC and the future of South Africa is therefore constituted as follows:
President: Comrade Kgalema Motlanthe
Deputy President: Comrade Matthews Phosa
Secretary-General: Comrade Fikile Mbalula
Deputy Secretary-General: Comrade Thenjiwe Mtintso
Treasurer-General: Comrade Tokyo Sexwale
National Chairperson: Comrade Thandi Modise
The ANC Youth League will also support former leaders of the ANC Youth League and other ANC members who share our perspective on the Programme of Action towards Economic Freedom in our Life for additional member positions of the ANC National Executive Committee.
We call upon all our structures to fight side by side by members of the ANC to ensure that these ideas find expression in the final outcomes of conference. Structures that do not participate in the process of nomination or voting including MKMVA, COSATU and others should allow democracy in action to reign supreme and desist from threats of intimidation. The youth has spoken, our leaders have been called, victory is certain.
Statement issued by the ANC Youth League, November 23 2012
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