ANCYL calls 'change' website a 'faceless campaign'

The ANC Youth League denies that it is behind a website calling for change in the ANC leadership.

"As most South African citizens, the ANC Youth League also learnt about the 'Forces of Change' website and its twitter-handle SaveANC from the media," African National Congress Youth League spokeswoman Khusela Sangoni-Khawe said in a statement.

"While the ANC Youth League is advocating for change in the ANC leadership, we acknowledge that it is the ANC branches and leagues who will ultimately inform the election of ANC leaders."

The website, which was launched on Wednesday listed five reasons why change was needed.

"We need change because South Africans do not have confidence in the leadership of President Zuma," the website read.

"We need a leadership that will lead the ANC towards quality and durable change, towards an ideal as set out in the Freedom Charter, which remains its strategic vision and mission.

"A leadership that will regain the confidence of all Africans on the African continent. We believe that this will be best obtained by the following leadership structure, which is tried and tested and open to scrutiny."

It was not clear who was behind the creation of the website.

Sangoni-Khawe said the ANCYL condemned the site as a "faceless campaign".

"We reject faceless lobbyists and others who operate in the dark of the night," she said.

"We reject the notion that the ANC can be bought by some who try to buy ANC branches through bribes in black plastic bags and brown envelopes in order to influence the votes of our members."

The website's preferred candidates for the ANC's top six were: Kgalema Motlanthe for president, Mathews Phosa for deputy president, Thandi Modise for national chairwoman, Fikile Mbalula for secretary general , Thenjiwe Mthinthso for deputy secretary general and Tokyo Sexwale for treasurer general.

The ANC holds its national elective conference in Mangaung in December, when President Jacob Zuma will stand for a second term.

The ANCYL has come out in support of Motlanthe, but it was not yet clear whether he would accept a nomination for president.

The league condemned the website's use of Motlanthe's name.

"Comrades must at all times, and even after Mangaung, contribute and fight their battles within the organisation," Sangoni-Khawe said.

"The ANC Youth League remains committed to advocating for leadership change and the positive renewal of the ANC. We will do this publicly and openly, within the ANC processes."