Tensions in the ANC Youth League have turned public and ugly as top officials of the structure — president Collen Malatji and secretary-general (SG) Mntuwoxolo Ngudle — have turned on each other.
On Thursday night, a letter penned by Ngudle communicated a decision to suspend Malatji, accusing him of convening a parallel meeting of the league and “misleading structures on the role of the president”.
The letter, which TimesLIVE has seen, alleges Malatji “facilitated the exclusion of the secretary-general and treasurer-general in the preparations for the 27th national congress as mandated by the national general council [NGC]”.
This week, two different invitations to a meeting of the structure were released to national executive committee members, one from Malatji and another from Ngudle.
Malatji convened his gathering, allegedly releasing pre-conference packages, after which Ngudle called for their retrieval because they had not yet been authorised for release.
In the suspension letter, the secretary-general pointed a finger at Malatji for sowing division, saying he sabotages the activities of the league.
“The president creates division within its ranks, impedes its proper functioning, and commits other acts calculated to undermine the effectiveness of the organisation.”
It is believed Ngudle’s outrage, which resulted in the suspension letter, was sparked by Malatji’s closing comments in a previous meeting, in which he allegedly announced the placement of Ngudle under “precautionary suspension”.
TimesLIVE previously reported the youth league has been rocked by factionalism as friends turned foes and wrangling threatened the stability of the organisation before the NGC.
So tense are the dynamics in the league that calls have intensified for an early conference, which was reflected in the outcomes of the NGC — which resolved to re-elect its structure in a conference scheduled to take place in Limpopo in December.
An insider who did not want to be named confirmed the legitimacy of the suspension letter.
“In the parallel meeting, he [Malatji] closed the meeting by saying the SG [Ngudle] is precautionarily suspended. Then Ngudle penned a letter to say he’s also suspending the president.”
Contacted for comment, Malatji said it was not true that he has been suspended.
“We are meeting the SG now, and we will have a media briefing to clarify all issues afterwards,” he said.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is said to have summoned the young lions in an attempt to intervene in their public spat.
“After the meeting, the letter is most likely to be retracted. The meeting with the SG will see what happens afterwards,” said a close source.
TimesLIVE
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