The list of hopefuls lining up to replace outgoing ANC Youth League president Collen Maine is growing, with another candidate raising her hand.
Victoria de Beer, 31, who sits on Maine's national executive committee, told the Sunday Times this week that she had been approached by structures to stand for the influential position.
De Beer, 31, joins frontrunners treasurer-general Reggie Nkabinde and KwaZulu-Natal secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo, who are already campaigning for the position.The youth league post is one of the most influential in the ANC as the incumbent sits on the party's national executive committee and its powerful national working committee.
Should De Beer win the battle, she would become the first woman president of the league.
De Beer said she would use her campaign to challenge patriarchy in the ANC.
"I have been approached by a lot of comrades across South Africa and some structures in my province to raise my hand," she said.
"I am also inspired by the undying spirit of women like Mama Winnie who was not only waging the struggle for South Africa but the struggle against patriarchy."
De Beer's supporters say she has support in her province of the Free State, Western Cape, Northern Cape and some parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Beulah Hewu, a member of the youth league executive committee in the Dullah Omar region in the Western Cape, said: "We support her for the presidency first because we've never had a female president.
"Also she has shown good leadership qualities as she has been leading from branch level up to national. She now serves in the NEC and empowers the youth, especially women."
This was echoed by Terence Dikana, the deputy chairman of the Lejweleputswa region in the Free State, who said De Beer's political credentials spoke for themselves."We believe she represents the interests of young people. She will take us forward and benefit a lot of young people. We are ... ready to run all over pushing her campaign," he said.
De Beer has vowed to push for the repositioning of the league to fight the struggles of the youth instead of fighting individuals' battles.
"In the league we should not be subjected to be members of members, but members of the organisation. We should defend and attack policies, not individuals," she said.
This was echoed by Nkabinde, who said the league needed to focus on its core founding values and issues affecting young people...