Maile booed at ANCYL Congress

ANCYL president Julius Malema's challenger, Lebogang Maile, was booed on the first day of the youth league's congress at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Thursday afternoon.

Maile was welcoming delegates in his capacity as the Gauteng ANC Youth League provincial chairman. When he said "Viva the ANC", delegates responded by shouting "Juju" in place of "viva". Juju is Malema's nickname.

Delegates also booed Maile during the first few minutes of his speech.

Earlier, delegates refused to stop singing songs calling for Malema to be elected for a second term as president.

Andile Lundisa, the programme director for the first day of the four-day conference, asked delegates not to mention people's names when singing but they continued to sing after he had left the podium.

As delegates streamed in to the venue, they sang songs calling for Malema to retain his position. Some songs were old African National Congress songs with their lyrics altered to indicate their support for Malema.

"Sifuna Ujuju manje" (we want Malema now), "uMalema ungowethu" (Malema is our leader), were some of the songs sung by many of the delegates. Juju is Malema's nickname.

At the congress Malema is being challenged by Maile.

Maile will go to the election as an underdog after he failed to get even a single province to endorse his candidacy.

Malema on the other hand was endorsed by all nine provinces including Maile's province. Maile's only chance to qualify to contest Malema's position would be if he was nominated from the floor. This would require the backing of 30 percent of the 5500 delegates expected at the Gallagher Estate venue.

Malema received a resounding welcome when he arrived with President Jacob Zuma who was also expected to address the delegates in his capacity as the ANC president.

Another post expected to be highly contested is the general secretary position.

KwaZulu-Natal ANCYL deputy chairman Sindiso Magaqa, and Eastern Cape ANCYL chairman Ayanda Matiti, are vying to replace outgoing incumbent, Vuyiswa Tulelo.

Magaqa is supported by eight of the nine provinces, but Matiti's camp is adamant its preferred candidate will win.