Embattled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema received a morale boost yesterday when party structures in Mpumalanga endorsed his bid for a second term.

In a statement issued after its congress, the organisation said it would back Malema as its presidential candidate at next year's national conference.

"The ANC Youth League in Mpumalanga is totally in support of Malema, and will support his re-election as president of the ANC Youth League in 2011.

"President Julius 'Blockbuster' Malema will lead the youth league towards the centenary of the ANC in 2012 and will best represent what the youth of South Africa aspire," the statement read.

The news comes as a growing number of youth league structures are rebelling against Malema's leadership.

This weekend, the league had to again postpone a provincial congress in the Eastern Cape after some of its members obtained a court interdict against the meeting.

Mpumalanga also announced that it backed Malema's call for the nationalisation of the country's mines.