Gun sight trained on youth league

THE ANC wants to disband its youth league's national executive committee, finally ridding itself of the ghost of Julius Malema.

The possible disbanding of the committee was raised during deliberations at ANC commissions in Mangaung.

Two days earlier ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe had criticised the league for acting in a manner similar to forces who were against the party.

Mantashe said yesterday that Malema's letter of remorse was too little too late.

The letter from the expelled ANC Youth League leader had been received after the programme for the conference had been adopted, and it could not form part of the discussions, Mantashe said.

A youth league leader from Gauteng who supported the move to have the executive disbanded, suggested that the league was not complementing the ANC and would compromise President Jacob Zuma's election campaign in 2014.

It is understood that KwaZulu-Natal youth league members - supported by their counterparts in the Ekurhuleni region in Gauteng - launched a bid to disband the committee before the close of the elective conference today.

League acting president Ronald Lamola said: "We respect the outcome of the conference. But that does not mean we will stop being critical. The ANC has to take renewal seriously. Young people must never be asked to cease to think."

Another league member who supports Malema said the motion would be rejected.

"What they are doing will result in chaos. I tell you now - we will fight at [the] plenary session."

The youth league has been in disarray since Malema's axing from the party earlier this year.

The league's national executive committee maintains he is still its legitimate leader. - Additional reporting BDlive