Durban — The newly-elected ANC Youth League in eThekwini has added its voice to growing calls for Eskom executives to step down following persistent load shedding.
In a first media briefing held by the league on Thursday in Durban, it said it was time to allow new people with new ideas to rescue the country from load shedding which was described as a major contributor to high unemployment in the country, as it destroyed the economy.
League regional secretary Thulisa Ndlela slammed the ANC-led council for reducing the youth office budget from R22 million to R8m and asked mayor Mxolisi Kaunda to account for the reduction.
“We were taken aback to learn of this decision to cut the youth budget. We do not know what informed this decision. That’s why we say the mayor would have to account for this decision. We wonder how this happened while unemployment especially among young people is so high in the country. Look at the rising cost of living, fanned by Eskom (load shedding) and high fuel prices but the city decided to slash our fund,” said Ndlela.
The mayor’s spokesperson Mluleki Mtungwa said he could not specifically respond about the youth budget cut as he would have to verify whether it was true or not. However, he was aware that budgets in all city departments were reduced because of the impact of Covid-19 and the April floods.
The league also demanded a seat on the city’s executive committee, calling on the ANC to remove one councillor to accommodate its own member.
The league said it wanted to be represented in the highest decision-making structure of the city and urged the mother body to create space for its member.
Ndlela said they would soon engage the party, adding that they would reveal the name of the person after the ANC has agreed to their request. He said the decision was one of many that the league agreed upon during their post-conference meeting held at Radisson Blu hotel a few days ago.
On the composition of the Exco ANC, regional secretary Musa Nciki said they would wait for the youth league to come to them with the proposal and would take it from there.
The league also lamented what it called the deliberate plot to destabilise the existence of the leagues in the ANC to limit their contribution to the ANC conference. It said the effort to undermine the ANC Youth League and its contribution to the ANC has been noted and will be confronted and defeated for what it is.
It further noted how structures of the ANCYL have been excluded from the programme taking discussion documents to the people.
“The league resolved to take up space and create its own platforms to address and discuss issues in the ANC while practising its autonomy.”
Ndlela said the league also discussed various important matters around the renewal and strengthening of the organisation in the region which included taking all branches to compulsory inductions, creating a conducive environment for young activists and forging unity as a tool to serve the youth of eThekwini.
Daily News