“I have never been a Congress of the People member, my political life has been in the ANC structures. Those spreading rumours have a political agenda because we defeated them,” he said.
Maine, an MEC for Settlement in NW Province, defeated former deputy president of the youth league Ronald Lamola and former league treasurer Pule Mabe for the presidency.
The ANCYL in the North West has also dismissed allegations that Maine was a former Cope member.
ANCYL spokesperson Kabelo Mataboge said: “We have noted the release of falsified claims about the political profile of Maine, including that he was a member of Cope, a claim I dismiss with the contempt it deserves.
“Maine has since 2009 held various responsibilities in the ANC, ranging from MP, MPL, MEC and chairperson of the ANCYL to date, and at no stage has this matter been raised.”
Maine was elected president of the youth league when he was elected unopposed at Gallagher Convention Centre over the weekend. Since his election unconfirmed reports have emerged that Maine is a former Cope returnee to the ANC and as such can’t be trusted.
However, Mataboge defended Maine, saying the report referred to in which it’s alleged that Maine and other leaders of the ANC previously collaborated with Cope was dismissed by the ANC as a political “concoction”, lacking any basis or substance and therefore couldn’t be validated.
“It is therefore untrue that Maine to the best of my knowledge and the ANC was ever a member of Cope.”
Although a number of delegates seconded Lamola’s nomination, the IEC said that after counting the votes he had not reach the required threshold. The nomination for president had to be supported by 25% of the voting delegates for a candidate to qualify.
Tshwane regional chairperson Lesego Makhubela was nominated from the floor as well for president but he declined to stand, saying, “I decline in favour of a recount for Ronald Lamola.”
