Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: SOWETAN
Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: SOWETAN

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AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday appealed to the party’s youth league to restore itself as a political and societal force in the "battle of ideas".

Addressing some 3,000 delegates at the ANC Youth League congress in Midrand on Friday, Mr Ramaphosa also warned that the main body would act strongly against internal elements acting outside the broader interests of the tripartite alliance. Also, he said, although the ANC wanted a "militant" youth wing it did not want an "undisciplined" one.

The league needed to avoid becoming a "vehicle for enrichment", while still attracting members from across the spectrum, including future industrialists, entrepreneurs and those who will "lead the knowledge economy," said Mr Ramaphosa.

In a veiled warning, Mr Ramaphosa said liberation movements only remained viable if they learnt from past failings, saying "whenever we see signs of indiscipline in our structures we are required to act immediately".

"If we do not do so the ANC will be up for grabs for anyone … to take it in any direction they want to," he said.

Youth League delegates are meeting to elect new leaders for the first time since the 2012 expulsion of then league president Julius Malema — who later went on to form the Economic Freedom Fighters and took some former league members with him in the process.

The league was subsequently disbanded in 2013 and an ANC national task team was put in place to rebuild the organisation.

Delivering the political overview on Friday, ANC Youth League national task team convener Fikile Mbalula echoed Mr Ramaphosa’s sentiments.

He said the ANC had given space to league members to actively campaign for the presidency, but the youth wing urgently needed to avoid "cults of leadership that … pride (themselves) on perpetual opposition to the ANC and being more militant than the ANC", Mr Mbalula said.

Speaking earlier, Mr Mbalula acknowledged the ANC was applying pressure on the direction the league took, but said this had always been the case. It was ultimately up to the league to determine its own stance on issues and leaders, he said.

Delegates are expected to cast their votes for the next league president on Friday, the results of which are due to come out on Sunday.

Although ANC national executive committee member and former league treasurer Pule Mabe and former league deputy president Ronald Lamola are expected to contest the league’s presidency, the North West’s Collen Maine is the clear front-runner as he has the backing of most provinces.