Mbali Ntuli responds to City Press Special Report

It should be noted that responding to baseless accusations does nothing more than to increase speculation about their validity. Typically these types of comments should be ignored.

However, the recent media attention (see here and here) focusing on internal electioneering within the Democratic Alliance (DA) Youth demands a response following the unbecoming conduct of some DA Youth Members who have stooped to levels of political immaturity previously unknown in the party. Because these members deliberately spread misinformation for political gain, Mbali Ntuli needs to respond in order to clarify the facts of this situation and move this debate to being more constructive and not just one of personal attacks.

The decision to postpone the DA Youth Federal Congress was a collective one made by the DA Youth Executive, a body consisting of representatives from every province.

As chairperson, naturally Ms Ntuli was a participant at the meeting which made the decision as were other individuals who are now alleging that she made this decision alone. Ms Ntuli does not shrink from criticism. Members have every right to exercise their right to speak out - that is what internal democracy is all about. However, we must encourage our colleagues to bear in mind their responsibility to accurately represent how decisions are made. This is especially important for those who have high aspirations within the organisation they aim to lead.

The decision was taken for the simple reason that many structures across the country would not have been properly constituted in time and would thus not be able to be represented at Congress. Thus, delaying the Congress was and is in the interests of the party where it maximises the number of representative voices able to be present and participate in this important occasion.

Those familiar with how the DA and the DA Youth works would know that any Congress made up of fewer structures than prescribed by party rules would have been invalid. Any leader elected at such a Congress would have naturally endured the constant criticism of not being legitimately elected representative. Postponing the DA Youth Congress was a necessary decision so that all structures were represented and that any decisions taken by that Congress was valid, legitimate and supported by the entire DA.

Further, this decision was taken with the approval of DA's Federal Executive, the party's highest decision making body when the Federal Council and Congress is not in session. For anyone to assert that Ms Ntuli and/or the DA Youth Executive overrode this body is ludicrous.

Secondly, Ms Ntuli takes note of the unfounded comments levelled against her attributed to Ms Sinethemba Amanda Gwen Ngwenya. Whilst Ms Ngwenya is welcome to her opinion Ms Ntuli would not like to engage in any politically immature character assassinations. Ms Ngwenya, who is heralded in the media as a possible DA Youth Leader herself, was the former SRC President of a DASO-led SRC at the University of Cape Town.

Even though Ms Ngwenya was a member of the DA Youth for a short while she, like every member, knows that any issues they have with how the DA Youth is run can be addressed directly with Ms Ntuli who, as chairperson, has an open door policy for such serious discussions. The fact that Ms Ngwenya has had to resort to measures that she has to make a point is regrettable.

Whilst Ms Ngwenya may have been misquoted in the press, we find her inability to explain how she came by private conversations between Ms Ntuli and a third party most disturbing. This casts doubt on how Ms Ngwenya came to possess these conversations and where a sworn affidavit from the unnamed third party in question denies ever having voluntarily given the voicenotes to Ms Ngwenya. Ms Ngwenya must then answer for her unscrupulous conduct.

Ms Ngwenya's claim that she sent private conversations out of concern for Werner Teubes is misleading. Ms Ngwenya found it convenient to send these voice notes to Mr Werner Teubes so that, in the absence of context, Ms Ngwenya could use Mr Teubes as an ally to discredit Ms Ntuli as both of them have subsequently attempted to do. It may be of interest to anyone paying attention to this unfortunate saga that these voice notes were made over half a year ago and are not a true copy of the full conversation as it occurred. In her desperation to discredit Ms Ntuli, Ms Ngwenya has shown herself to be an immature leader of questionable character.

However, we understand that Ms Ngwenya is in France Au pairing and we would like to wish her well.

Ms Ntuli has been aware of voice notes becoming public since the 28th November 2012 when Mr Teubes contacted her through social media and tried to intimidate Ms Ntuli into subordinate her and/or making her apologise for comments she expressed in private. It was obvious from his communication that Mr Teubes hoped Ms Ntuli would withdraw from the election - and his recent statement indicates as much.

Mr Teubes has every right to be upset about what Ms Ntuli considers to be an honest and frank assessment of his ability. It is for him however to defend his own record on his merits. Deflecting attention away from the his own track-record by attacking Ms Ntuli will not change the assessment made of him, which Ms Ntuli stands by. Ms Ntuli makes no apology for possessing what politicians are often accused of lacking: the ability to speak openly and frankly about colleagues who are not living up to the high standards expected of them.

We regret his decision to use these political gimmicks in an effort to bring his fledgling campaign more attention, but now that he has done so, we wish him well in trying to justify his own claim to any position of which ability and integrity are central job requirements.

This whole saga is regrettable for the kind of damage that it has done to the credibility of the DA Youth which has thus far been free of the kind of dirty politics used by Ms Ngwenya and Mr Teubes, more commonly associated with the ANC Youth League. Ms Ntuli regrets that this may have damaged the morale of DA Youth members and that it may have caused them some angst. Ms Ntuli however commits herself to not being side-tracked by these lamentable actions and commends all members across the country for their hard work in trying to build this organisation and by extension, build the DA, as a political force to be reckoned with. Members of the DA Youth can remain assured that the current leadership is only interested in continuing to grow the DA Youth brand and championing issues that affect all young South Africans.

Beyond all this, we are confident that DA Youth leadership's track-record over the last two years, the first of its existence, will speak for itself. During this time, the DA Youth has quadrupled its representation at University Campuses, run two successful entrepreneurship campaigns, exposed the NYDA's cronyism, championed successful skills programs in the Western Cape, championed the Youth Wage Subsidy, been at the forefront of NSFAS reform and won an outright majority on the SRC of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University amongst others.

We hope that going forward, everyone can put these matters to rest and conduct themselves maturely, according to the best traditions of this party. We hope that those members of the DA Youth who may struggle with this idea, can put aside their self-interest and engage with the issues at hand rather than be the cause of embarrassing ad hominem attacks. We think this is especially important where they may be in conflict with party rules and maliciously attacking fellow members in the media.

The youth of this country deserves better political leadership than that which is currently offered by the ANC Youth League and members of DA Youth should commit themselves to providing it.

Statement issued for and on behalf of Mbali Ntuli by Kameel Premhid, February 1 2013

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