"We'll Run the Campaign": ANC Youth League Vows to Take Charge of 2024 Elections

(JOHANNESBURG) September 19– The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has launched a blistering attack on its government partners, calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to immediately remove Democratic Alliance (DA) ministers from the Government of National Unity (GNU) whom they accuse of sabotaging presidential directives.

The call was a central resolution from the ANCYL’s recent National General Council (NGC), where the league also reaffirmed its push for the creation of a state bank and action against the exploitation of township economies.

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"Acting Like an Opposition"

In a fiery press conference, ANCYL President Collen Malatji did not mince words, accusing DA ministers of being in government but "acting like an opposition."

“We must call upon the removal of all DA ministers who are refusing to implement resolutions and instructions of the president,” Malatji stated. “They're not taking collective responsibilities... The president must urgently act on them and remove them and bring in partners who are prepared to implement the program with us.”

This demand threatens to destabilize the fragile GNU formed after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in the 2024 elections.

Zero Tolerance on Corruption and Taking Election Reins

Weighing in on the ongoing Madlanga Commission, Malatji issued a stern warning to any ANC members found guilty of corruption, stating they must be "shown the door" and that the league would not associate with criminals.

In a significant power move, Malatji also declared that the ANCYL, alongside the Women’s League, would take full control of the party’s campaign for the 2025 elections, sidelining other structures.

“There's no one who's going to run elections in this country. It's going to be run by the women's league and the youth league,” he proclaimed. “We want if the ANC loses elections, we must take responsibility for it ourselves. We don't want to be blaming anybody.”

The league is also in talks with the South African Communist Party (SACP) and its youth wing to persuade them not to contest the elections separately, aiming to present a united front.