Newly elected Eastern Cape ANC Youth League chair Lihle Chalo has thrown his weight behind premier Oscar Mabuyane to again lead the party in the province.
Speaking after his election on Sunday, Chalo said the ANC in the province needed to unite and, according to him, the “face of that unity” is Mabuyane.
Mabuyane is expected to contest for a third time for the position of chair against his former ally, Lulama Ngcukayitobi, the current provincial secretary.
His supporters are also pushing for him to take a position nationally, possible as deputy president, when the party goes to its national conference in 2027.
“We, as the ANCYL, are preoccupied to see a unitedANC and a stable ANC but I can safely say that under the stewardship and the leadership of comrade Oscar Mabuyane, we have seen serious progress in terms of infrastructure [in Eastern Cape],” Chalo said.
He heaped praise on Mabuyane’s work in government, saying upgrades to road infrastructure in the province were as a result of his leadership.
“Even the ANC itself has been very stable under his leadership. We believe the unity of the ANC in the Eastern Cape is sacrosanct, but of course the unity must have a face.
“And that face, we believe should be that of the current provincial chair, which is comrade Oscar Mabuyane,” he said.
He, however, warned that his backing of Mabuyane was not a blank cheque. The youth league would be pushing for the development of young people, who constituted a large number in the province.
Chalo called for representation of young people within both the ANC and the government.
Chalo, together with the top leadership of the league, was elected unopposed after several talks behind closed doors to make sure there was no contestation.
He takes over from Vuyo Jali, the current deputy speaker of the legislature, whose term as chair has ended.
Other elected officials are Nkcubeko Madlalisa as deputy chair and Luzuko Lugalo as secretary. Yandisa Jubase was elected as first deputy secretary, with Khonaye Tilongo as second deputy secretary.
Angeziwe Myeki was elected as treasurer.
Jobs for youths
Chalo said they had used the conference to further reflect and review youth development programmes that benefited young people in the province.
He said part of that was to look at sectors like automotive, which created a lot of jobs in the province, and the oceans economy, which he believed should contribute more to job creation for the youth.
“We are looking forward to this provincial conference to [ensure that we deal with], besides youth unemployment, other social ills like GBV.
“We also want to save the ANC because if we allow the ANC to be subjected to corruption, and other things, it won’t work. The renewal programme by the ANC should not be rhetoric but practical.
“In this provincial conference, we have demonstrated that very well because the conference was not contested. In fact, it’s the second one after [the one which elected Jali].
“You can tell that after that provincial conference there has been coherence in that [provincial executive committee],” Chalo said.
He said the last PEC was preoccupied by programmes that were youth related.
“It was there to ensure it revives the ANCYL and champion the interest of young people in the Eastern Cape,” Chalo said.
He said a number young people were subsequently deployed to parliament and into the provincial executive as well.
“In this conference we are also emphasising that ... as from now the ANC must stop being preoccupied by conferences whereby there is serious contestation.
“We are determined in ensuring that the ANC must be able, where possible, to reach consensus in terms of leadership.”
