ANCYL president Collen Malatji has urged the youth to lead the party’s renewal and avoid factionalism.
Image: Facebook / ANC Northern Cape
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president, Collen Malatji, has urged young members to take the lead in renewing the party and to avoid being used in factional battles that divide the party.
Speaking at the closing of the youth league’s conference in the Eastern Cape, Malatji called on members to put the interests of the organisation and the people first.
Malatji said the league had committed to building unity within the ANC, warning that internal divisions undermine the party’s ability to serve its supporters.
“No conference of the youth league must be contested or must be infighting because we must show that if we can unite the youth of this country, which have majority, the ANC itself can unite because the ANC can't afford to be divided at the expense of the people of South Africa,” he said.
He praised the Eastern Cape Youth League for demonstrating unity throughout the conference, noting that such cohesion sends a strong message to the ANC in the province.
''If the Eastern Cape Youth League is united, it will send a message to the ANC in the Eastern Cape that its leadership must be elected on consensus, because every division defocuses the interests of the province’s people,'' he said.
He highlighted the province’s challenges, including high unemployment, underdevelopment, and poor service delivery, saying divisions within the ANC only exacerbate these problems.
Malatji urged young members to take responsibility for their own future and reject corruption and manipulation within the party.
“Stop singing about pensioners and take responsibility for your own future because they are going to die and leave you in the mess you are in today.
''Many have died, they have left you at 40%, they have left you with problems. You can't even walk in the streets wearing ANC T-shirts because the ANC is now associated with corrupt behaviour. It is not seen as a parliament of the people,” he said.
He also warned the youth to resist being bribed or influenced by money when choosing who to vote for in their branches and who should become councillors.
“Today, there are people who know that the youth is important because they want to go back as councillors and mayors, and others want to be elected in provincial executive committees. Their whole time, they never knew that there is a structure called the ANC Youth League.
''But today, because they want to be re-elected, they want to use the Youth League as child soldiers to further divide and fractionalise the African National Congress. And this conference must reject that,” Malatji said.
Malatji said the youth must say enough is enough for putting the country forward above everyone else.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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