'Motlanthe's violation' - expelled ANCYL man

Julius Malema is facing a spirited campaign by a former top ANC Youth League member - expelled from the organisation in August - to rejoin the league.

And many believe Lehlogonolo Masoga could successfully challenge Malema for the presidency of the ANCYL at its elective conference in June.

Masoga was the chairman of the Limpopo branch, but fell foul of the organisation when he challenged the results of a controversial conference where he was deposed.

After court actions, the involvement of South Africa's deputy president and a disciplinary hearing by the youth organisation, Masoga was found guilty of, among other things, "creating divisions within the ranks of the ANCYL" and thrown out as a member.

Masoga claims, however, that he is still a member of the organisation, arguing the disciplinary committee did not have the power to expel him - only the national executive committee.

In his battle to be reinstated, he began a letter-writing campaign to various senior ANC officials to appeal against his expulsion.

In a letter dated December 2, Masoga decried the fact that he was persuaded to abandon his court challenge by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in favour of internal ANCYL processes.

"I conclude that you have failed to attend to my matter as required by the constitution, which constitutes a gross violation of my rights as a member of the ANCYL," he wrote.

"Your failure to deal with this matter illustrates that at all material times you acted in bad faith and never really intended to facilitate a resolution of this matter."

Contacted by the Sunday Times, Masoga said his correspondence with the leadership of the ANC and the youth league was confidential.

But an ANC leader close to the former chairman said Masoga was frustrated by the various leaders' failure to reply to his letters.

The official, who refused to be named, claimed "the ANC is being given the middle finger here".

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the Masoga matter had been dealt with by a committee headed by Motlanthe.