Business Day
*Lamola in the wings as Malema heads for the desert* *Setumo Stone, Business Day, Johannesburg, 7 February 2012*RONALD Lamola, the deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League, is well placed to step into the breach as Julius Malema heads for the political wilderness.
Mr Lamola's colleagues say the shy law graduate is ready to take over. "In fact, the Young Communist League deployed him to serve in the youth league. It was through our approval," says Mandla Tibane, the former provincial secretary of the Mpumalanga Young Communist League. Mr Lamola served as district secretary of the Young Communist League's Gert Sibande district in Mpumalanga between 2008 and 2009.
In terms of the ANC Youth League's constitution, if its president is expelled or suspended, a deputy takes over until an election is held. This time elections could be held at a national general council --- reportedly set for December --- but insiders say a special general council could be held earlier for the purpose of elections.
When the ANC Youth League was preparing to elect new leadership at its national conference in June last year, Mr Lamola's name featured on both of the lists of candidates put forward.
He was on Mr Malema's list, and was also selected by a group opposed to Mr Malema's re-election. Mr Lamola, who was then a spokesman for Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza, had been expected to deliver the Mpumalanga vote to either of the two contenders for youth league president --- second-term seeker Julius Malema or Gauteng provincial chairman Lebogang Maile.
Mr Maile ultimately withdrew from the race and Mr Lamola became Mr Malema's deputy.
Now, with the imminent downfall of Mr Malema after the ANC disciplinary appeals committee confirmed his suspension, Mr Lamola stands to take over as acting youth league president.
However, the race for top office is open again and Mr Maile could make a comeback and contest for the presidency, particularly since it has been suggested that he enjoys President Jacob Zuma 's support.
Explaining Mr Malema's preference for Mr Lamola as his second in command, insiders suggested he was opting for a deputy who would not challenge his ideas.
However, Mr Lamola has on occasion shown he can hold his own. While addressing the National Union of Metalworkers youth last year, he successfully fielded difficult questions on the ANC Youth League's call for the nationalisation of mines as well as its take on land expropriation.
He even had the delegates in stitches at times. "The relationship between the youth league and the ANC is not biological, it is political," he said, responding to a question on juniors' respect for party elders.
Mr Lamola has proved not to be a Malema acolyte. However, he has also received his share of criticism. Various allegations have been levelled against him in his short tenure as deputy president, including that he facilitated the purging of former Mpumalanga youth league secretary, John Mkhatshwa, who was removed from his post together with three others after their provincial executive committee welcomed Mr Malema's suspension from the ANC.
"He said I was not present at the march for economic freedom and other national events," Mr Mkhatshwa said about his ordeal with Mr Lamola.
However, youth league spokeswoman Magdelene Moonsamy denied at the time that there was a purge, saying Mr Mkhatshwa's claims were misleading.
In KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Lamola accused the provincial committee of disregarding organisational processes by leaking internal documents to the media, making remarks that were divisive, and commenting on the ANC succession debate before it had begun.
These allegations were part of the decision to disband the KwaZulu-Natal youth league executive, as well as the disciplinary action against and removal of provincial chairman Mthandeni Dlungwane, secretary Siboniso Duma and treasurer Yolanda Young.
In all this, Mr Lamola was seen to be acting on Mr Malema's account, with the aim of consolidating the league's clout ahead of the ANC's elective congress in Mangaung this December.
But this was not to be. Even if Mr Lamola was not a Zuma supporter, political analyst Eusebius McKaiser says any other anti-Zuma faction after Mr Malema will fail to unseat the president.
Mr Lamola's strongest challenger by far is youth league treasurer Pule Mabe, who is serving a second term in his position and will become the most experienced leader in the youth league top five when Mr Malema leaves office.
More clarity could emerge after the youth league's national executive committee meetings tomorrow and on Thursday.
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