Independent Newspapers
Sindiso Magaqa. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu
Durban – The African National Congress Youth League’s former general secretary Sindiso Magaqa has gone home to uMzimkhulu where he is working as an ordinary member of an ANC branch in the Harry Gwala region.
Magaqa was once the right-hand man of former league president Julius Malema, and a known critic of President Jacob Zuma, before Malema was booted out of the ANC after a disciplinary hearing.
While Malema and former youth league spokesman Floyd Shivambu recently formed the red beret-ed Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party Magaqa decided to throw in his lot with the ANC.
He apologised to ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe for what happened in the youth league during Malema’s tenure and he was sent back to his branch to start his political career from scratch.
The youth league’s provincial task team co-ordinator, S’bu Ngwane, said Magaqa was doing very well in mending his relationship with the ANC.
When contacted, Magaqa said he was no longer talking to the media.
“He has no leadership position. He is disciplined and has no plan of leaving the ANC,” said Ngwane.
The task team is a provincial body of the youth league’s national task team. They were formed after the Malema-led youth league, in which Magaqa was the general secretary, was disbanded.
Ngwane said the branch had not indicated whether it intended giving Magaqa a leadership position.
“This will depend on his behaviour,” he said.
Four ANC Youth League regions – eMalahleni (Witbank), eThekwini, Far North (Jozini) and Abaqulusi (Vryheid) – were disbanded and replaced with youth league regional task teams.
At all levels the task teams were facilitating the rebuilding of the youth league’s structures. He declined to say when the process would be finalised.
The Mercury
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