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- On one corner stands a group of students known as the 'University of KwaZulu-Natal mafia'.
- On the other, the 'zama zama' slate.
- The two camps are contesting for positions in the rebirth of the ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal.
UKZN mafia vs zama zamas. It's not a case of the infamous construction mafia group pitted against the notorious illegal miners, known as the zama zamas, in a violent stand-off. It's two ANC factions tussling for political leadership of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in KwaZulu-Natal.
The young men and women ANCYL members are plotting a rebirth of the provincial structure, which was disbanded in 2011.
This all but tamed the once-roaring "young lions" - an organisation that boasts a lineage of struggle icons, such as former president Nelson Mandela and Anton Lembede, the principal architect of African nationalism, among other former leaders.
The ANCYL finally has a date for its elective conference, which will be held from 21 to 23 July at a yet to be confirmed venue.
The zama zama slate comprises Zama Ncube, who is vying for provincial chairperson position; Zamanguni Zondi for secretary; Mthera Mbotho for deputy chairperson; Xolani Skade for deputy secretary; and Lulama Mabude for provincial treasurer.
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While the University of KwaZulu-Natal mafia slate includes Mkhanyisi Myende for chairperson; Oyena Ngcobo for deputy chairperson; Khumza Khumalo for treasurer and two other would-be leaders, only referred to as "lions" Thulisa for secretary and Lu for deputy secretary.
Currently, there is a structure called the "preparatory committee for provincial congress" - appointed by the previous National Youth Task Team - to oversee the ANCYL affairs in the province.
Last week, the newly-elected ANCYL national executive committee (NEC) agreed that the KZN ANCYL congress goes to an elective congress later this month.
Nguni told News24:
"Branches met the threshold and went to the national [elective] congress in Nasrec," she said. "We had a meeting last Thursday with the NEC where they informed us we need to go to congress."
Asked whether the KZN ANCYL could afford to hold an elective conference, she said: "I'm not a fundraiser. Structurally, the organisation has a fundraiser.
"I'm not in a position to say there is money [or] there is no money. All I know is we're gunning towards elections and it's very important that we hold our congress and finally have a structure."
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She said all regions had held their branch general meetings, where they nominated delegates to the national and provincial congress. There will be another meeting to adopt reports before the provincial congress.
News24 reached out to Myende from the "UKZN mafia", but he had not responded to a request at the time of writing.
There are 11 ANCYL regions in KwaZulu-Natal, making it one of the biggest in the country.
