Swakopmund: The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture has postponed the National Youth Council (NYC) General Assembly after violent scenes disrupted proceedings in Swakopmund over the weekend. The disturbances reportedly left nine delegates injured, all of whom have since received medical attention.According to Namibia Press Agency, in a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry said the assembly, which commenced on Friday, was disrupted on Saturday by what it described as "unacceptable, unruly conduct and violence". Minister Sanet Steenkamp, accompanied by Deputy Minister Dino Ballotti and other ministry officials who intervened on Sunday morning, condemned the violence in the strongest terms, stressing that no grievance could justify physical harm."In the interest of safety and order, the Minister took the decision to postpone the continuation of the General Assembly," the statement said. The fallout from the disturbances continued on Sunday when the Electoral Committee resign ed with immediate effect, citing safety concerns.The ministry stated that members of both the Electoral Committee and the NYC Interim Board were significantly affected after witnessing the unrest firsthand. The ministry also revealed that it had received a petition from several affiliates and regional youth forums raising concerns over compliance with established procedures, delegate verification, and adherence to the approved roadmap for the assembly.It said these issues remain unresolved and will have to be addressed before the General Assembly can reconvene. Despite the disruption, the ministry commended the majority of delegates and affiliated organisations for remaining peaceful and exercising restraint throughout the proceedings."The legitimacy of the assembly depends on a lawful, transparent and credible process. The Interim Board and other relevant structures will therefore urgently address the outstanding concerns and communicate the way forward, including timelines for reconvening the gatherin g," the statement quoted Steenkamp as saying.The General Assembly is the council's highest decision-making body, bringing together regional youth forums and affiliated organisations to deliberate on policy matters and elect new leadership. The latest assembly was expected to determine the future direction of the organisation. However, tensions over delegate accreditation, electoral procedures, and governance issues reportedly overshadowed the proceedings, resulting in the weekend's violence.