ANCYL needs to reconnect the youth with the league: Zikalala

Former ANC Youth League Secretary General Sihle Zikalala says after almost a decade of no formal and formidable youth structure in the governing party, the primary task of the newly-elected leadership of their youth formation is to reconnect with the country’s youth.

He was speaking to the SABC on the sidelines of the 26th ANC Youth League national congress under way at the Nasrec Expo Centre outside Johannesburg.

Currently, over 60% of young people are unemployed with some of them consumed in the abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Zikalala says the ANC Youth League should be the vehicle that champions the needs and aspirations of these young people.

“I think the first priority of the elected leadership will be connect the ANCYL with the youth. In terms of the youth sector, you have those who are workers, but you have the those in school and those who are unemployed, as well as those upcoming as workers in government. So, I think the primary task of the league leadership is to connect the youth with the ANCYL and the ANC.”

ANCYL’s primary task is to reconnect with the country’s youth with the youth structure: Zikalala

Meanwhile, political analyst Thami Malinga, says it’s worth questioning if the ANC needs a Youth League, following an eight- year long hiatus.

The ANC Youth League has elected Collen Malatji as its new president at the congress held at the Nasrec Expo Centre south of Johannesburg on Saturday.

Others elected to the youth league’s leadership included Phumzile Mgcina, who was elected deputy president; Mntuwoxolo Ngudle as secretary general, Tsakani Shiviti as deputy secretary general; and Zwelo Masilela as the treasurer general.

Malinga says the fees must fall movement brought forth a different dimension in youth structures in political parties.
“The big question though is, does the ANC need an ANC Youth League- after an absence of eight years. It’s been eight years since they’ve been operating without an office for the youth league. After the fees must fall movement, young people did show that they are a force to reckon with; they could’ve started their own political movement. By then, a lot of political parties had shown that there was no need for youth leagues anymore. It’s a matter of taking young people that are within student movements and moving them into various structures within the higher echelons of parties.”

Collen Malatji elected new ANCYL President: