Durban — Despite the court challenge to interdict the ANC Youth League conference in KwaZulu-Natal, the preparation committee said it was all systems go.
The conference, which has seen several postponements already, was due to begin on Friday in Durban. However, there was doubt since both parties were expected to square up in the South Gauteng High Court today (Thursday) after the application by the disbanded eThekwini Youth League leadership to prevent the sitting of the elective conference before their matter was resolved.
Speaking to the Daily News on Wednesday ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele, in his capacity as provincial youth league task team co-ordinator, said the conference would go ahead as they believed that the court would dismiss the case.
He said the court challenge was an attempt to delay the conference by the people who feared losing. He asked why the structure, that was disbanded four months ago, would only file papers on the eve of the conference. He added that the date of the conference was announced three weeks ago but those who were opposed to it had waited to file this week.
“We are not concerned about this application. The NYTT (National Youth Task Team) and the ANC have filed opposing affidavits so we are opposing their application and we will meet them in court but we are confident that the court will throw the matter out,” said Mndebele.
In the court papers seen by the Daily News, the disbanded youth league secretary, Thulisa Ndlela, and chairperson Nokuthula Zibi, as the applicants, have asked the court to interdict the 10th youth provincial conference.
The application was on an urgent basis and cited several respondents, including Paul Mashatile as acting secretary-general. In their affidavit, they questioned the decision of their disbandment and asked the court to set it aside as invalid and unlawful.
The applicants argued that the effect of the decision was that the independence of a lawfully elected regional leadership had been undermined, creating chaos and confusion within the branches constituting the ANC youth league in eThekwini.
The applicants further argued that if the conference was to go ahead before the review of the disbandment decision, 15 861 youth members of the eThekwini region would not be represented and the rights of the first and second applicants would be severely encroached upon, specifically their right of association and that of participating in the conference.
“The relief sought by the applicants is twofold. Firstly, the applicants seek an order interdicting the fourth respondent (KZN task team) from holding the ANCYL 10th provincial conference on the 9th to 11 December. Secondly, in the alternative order that directs the inclusion of applicants and the 91 delegates of the youth league in the eThekwini region.”
The youth structure was disbanded after the faction opposed to Ndlela and Zibi held a separate conference which resulted in the two parallel structures that the youth league national leadership responded to by dissolving both of them. But Ndlela’s side claimed their conference was the one that legitimately sat.
He is said to be eyeing the secretary position at the coming conference.
On the other side, Harry Gwala regional secretary Qiniso Mnguni has been tipped to take the secretary position.
Attempts to contact Ndlela were unsuccessful. He had not yet responded to the questions sent to him and was not taking calls.
Daily News