The KwaZulu-Natal ANC Youth League conference which was scheduled to take place on the first weekend of next month has been postponed.
The postponement was confirmed by the provincial co-ordinator Mafika Mndebele who told the Daily News that it was moved to the second weekend of September due to the national youth task team national executive committee meeting which was going to clash with the start of the conference.
It was initially scheduled to sit from September 2 to 4 but has been moved to run from September 9 to 11.
Mndebele said the NEC meeting will take place on the same date as of the initial conference day so it was going to clash hence they were asked to postpone it by a week.
Other than that he said everything looks set to go for the long awaited elective conference.
“We decided to postpone it for a week.
“It’s not that there is a problem but our date was clashing with the NEC’s meeting so as we are all expected to attend the meeting we decided to shelve it for a week,” said Mndebele.
He said because of his age he was no longer available for any position.
As the conference day draws closer two candidates have emerged as front runners for chairperson and secretary position.
Nqobile Gumede from eThekwini region could make history by becoming the first woman chairperson of the league.
She has been nominated alongside current Harry Gwala regional youth league secretary Qiniso Mnguni.
The two have been endorsed by Harry Gwala and other regions.
The regional league spokesperson Nomusa Phungula said in their meeting two week ago her region endorsed the two to run for the positions, adding their religion believes the two were capable of addressing challenges facing youth in the province.
Gumede is currently working at the legislature while Mnguni also serves as regional deputy secretary for the mother body in Harry Gwala.
He was yet to choose one of the positions.
It has been over a year since the youth league had no elected structure in the province and was last led by former Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu and eThekwini councillor Thanduxolo Sabelo and after it was disbanded Mndebele was chosen as co-ordinator.
Nationally, the league has been under the task team twice and has failed to hold the conference.
Both Gumede and Mnguni said they would respect branches’ decisions as they are the ones who have powers to elect leadership.
Daily News