The ANCYL lashed out at the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Wednesday for supporting Eskom chairman Bobby Godsell, who resigned after CEO Jacob Maroga refused to step down.

"The ANCYL will stop at nothing at defending the principles of transformation in state-owned enterprises and will never be deviated by spokespeople of white monopoly capital in South Africa," ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said in a statement.

"We are concerned because the NUM has joined others in defending the owners of mines, even on the nationalisation debate."

NUM secretary-general Frans Baleni told reporters on Tuesday that racism accusations against Godsell ? who resigned on Monday ? were unfounded.

"He [Godsell] didn't apply to Eskom for the job. Godsell was approached by the ANC government who is the shareholder."

While racism was of great concern to NUM, he did not support racism being manufactured to suit certain agendas.

"The issue of plain racism, even when there is none, makes it difficult for all of us to confront real racism where it exists," said Baleni.

But the youth league said it "disagreed" with NUM's approach.

"The statements of the general secretary of the NUM are completely different from what workers in Eskom are saying," Shivambu claimed.

"Workers in Eskom have constantly raised concern over the victimisation of Jacob Maroga, and even had a protest march against Eskom board's victimisation of Jacob Maroga. Recurrently, workers have spoken in support of the transformation agenda in Eskom."

"The NUM general secretary has, despite workers' action in Eskom, decided to join those who are spokespersons of capitalists and blindly defend Bobby Godsell."

"The ANCYL will permanently have a problem with leaders who sit in air-conditioned offices, trade their originality and defend capitalists' interests against the transformation agenda in the economy," Shivambu said.