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The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) has expressed outrage over the exclusion of one of its former presidents, Lulu Johnson, on the party's national and provincial lists.
In a statement, ANCYL Nelson Mandela Bay regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula said his exclusion was an "extreme injustice".
Nqakula said the organisation believed that Johnson had been doing a sterling job as the head of the water and sanitation portfolio committee in Parliament.
"Comrade Johnson has also never been charged organisationally and has not been in a position to explain himself for any accusation in front of the ANC's integrity committee. How an ethical comrade of this calibre can be disregarded when drafting parliamentary lists is appalling and leaves a lot to be desired."
This sentiment is shared by the outgoing national leadership whose spokesperson told News24 that Luthuli House would have to answer for this after the elections.
ANCYL spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize said the Young Lions were concerned by Johnson's absence in the lists. He said this was not the first time Johnson, who has never held a Cabinet position like other former youth league presidents have, was mistreated by the ANC.
'These things happen'
"Almost all presidents of the youth league have been ministers. He remains as the only one who has not made it to Cabinet. It's a major area of concern. If the principle that he was taken out because 50% of retention, then Malusi Gigaba, Fikile Mbalula and Lulu Johnson should be at the forefront.
"We can't have leaders like comrade Jeff (Radebe) who has been there forever at the expense of younger and capable leaders. We are going to deal with it and the ANC has got to face them after election. Those that are responsible are going to make the ANCYLan organisation that knows no history and inculcating the idea [that] in order for you to get a position, you have to fight."
Mbalula and Gigaba made it onto the national list of the party and are both former youth league presidents.
Johnson knew his fate two weeks before the nominations to the National Assembly were announced by the ruling party. In an interview with News24, Johnson said he was ready to accept his fate.
"These things happen to the best of us.
"There is no guaranteed position at the ANC except for the president. The emotions at some point were there but they went away. You have to live as a human being. I have a mother that I must look after. I have five children that I must bring back together. I am out," Johnson told News24 earlier.
Campaigning in Benoni last week, Deputy President David Mabuza said those who had not made it onto the ANC's final national and provincial lists would be deployed to other institutions.
