Branches nominate leaders, Youth League reminds ambitious ANC members

The African National Congress Youth League has taken a swipe at members who have pronounced on who should take the helm at the party's highest leadership position.

"The Youth League calls on comrades especially seniors to desist from launching lobby groups to advance their nominations and publicly confirm their availability in the media having not been nominated by even a single branch‚" said ANCYL secretary general Njabulo Nzuza.

• Mbete says she’s been ‘approached’ about leading ANC‚ but would rather not talk about itANC chairperson Baleke Mbete has played down claims that she has raised her hand to be the next female leader of the country. 

His remark comes as the ANC Women's League is endorsing African Union Commissioner Dr Nkosazane Dlamini-Zuma to take over the baton when President Jacob Zuma's term of office comes to an end in December.

"The power to nominate and elect leaders is fully rested with the branches who will form 90 percent of the conference‚" said Nzuza.

• ANC rushes to clam up MchunuANC factionalism has resulted in senior members shooting off their mouths, a political analyst has said. 

In an interview with the Sunday Times‚ ANC chairperson and Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete said she had been "approached by many" party structures to run for high office and‚ "after agonising for a long time" over it‚ decided to make herself available for the job.

She played down claims that she has raised her hand in a bid to become the country’s first woman leader.

• Zuma says it’s not ANC policy for a deputy president to ascend to the highest officePresident Jacob Zuma on Thursday gave the first hint that he does not back his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed him by telling SABC radio stations that it was not ANC policy for a deputy to ascend to the highest office. 

The Youth League have distanced themselves from pronouncing on who should take over the helm‚ saying they will only do so after the party's policy conference‚ which is due to take place in June.

Earlier this month‚ Youth League president Collen Maine said the candidate they will back as ANC leader would send shock waves through the party.

He said in an interview with the news agency Reuters‚ that the ANC needed a bold leader to launch a second revolution that would distribute wealth to the black majority.