'ANCYL apology linked to ANC succession battles'

A source close to the ANC has revealed that the youth league made a tactical retreat and apologised for its public statement that the BDP government was a puppet regime under the control of imperialistic forces and that ANCYL would set up a support team to unite the opposition for the purpose of defeating the BDP at the 2014 polls.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said ANCYL had been campaigning for sports minister Fikile Mbalula to replace ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe at the party's 2012 congress and apologised to avoid being suspended.