By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
The ANC is congratulating itself on the highest number of young people in its national and provincial candidates list for the 29 May elections — a whole 17%.
After weeks of deliberating on who should make it onto the list, the party’s spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said youth representation on the list has increased.
Youth by ANC standards include people as old as 40.
Youths between the ages of 15 and 34 make up 20.6-million people, which is 35.7% of the total population, according to Stats SA.
The ANC Youth League was always going to lose the battle for the so-called generational mix in government.
First, it has been in the doldrums for years as it suffered an exodus of members when the party expelled Julius Malema, who later formed the EFF.
Second, ANCYL graduates have not fared well in public office in provincial and national government.
Take, for instance, former ANCYL president Malusi Gigaba, the former minister of public enterprises who used his position to help the Gupta family plunder the state.
Although Gigaba has not yet presented himself to the ANC’s integrity committee to explain allegations made against him at the State Capture Commission, he somehow made it onto the ANC national executive committee.
And he embarrassed the ANC as finance minister when his sex tape was leaked and circulated on social media.
Next is Zizi Kodwa, another former ANCYL leader, whom Justice Raymond Zondo found to have benefitted from R1.68-million in cash payments to him by Jehan Mackay — a former director at technology group EOH.
Knowing all this, President Cyril Ramaphosa promoted Kodwa from deputy minister of state security to minister of sports, arts and culture.
Another former ANCYL president, Fikile Mbalula — the current ANC secretary general — did not do well as minister of transport.
South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, is another product of the ANCYL who was rewarded with positions, including minister of police. When he was minister of sports, arts and culture, he wanted to blow R22-million on erecting a massive flag. Heaven only knows why.
Former ANCYL executive Mduduzi Manana, who was made deputy minister of higher education at the age of 28, resigned from government after he was charged with assaulting three women outside a Johannesburg nightclub.
Recently the ANCYL lost the confidence of the party’s elders after it was beaten by the EFF Student Command in SRC elections at various college and university campuses.
Pictured above: ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji wants more young people to join him in parliament.
Source: X
