ANCYL not deterred as Mantashe rejects 50% Cabinet representation bid

The ANC Youth League’s (ANCYL) aspiration for 50% of Cabinet members to be young people may not materialise if comments made by national chair Gwede Mantashe are anything to go by.

But the “young lions” say they will not be deterred and view Mantashe’s sentiments as a sign that he is irritated by the presence of the youth.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said they did not believe Mantashe’s remarks were an attack on the youth league. Bhengu-Motsiri said the chair was simply addressing structures of the movement.

Free to cover any issues with motherbody

She said the youth league was free to cover any issues they had with the motherbody.

“We are having a national executive committee meeting this weekend and we are looking forward to the youth league canvassing their issues there,” she said.

Mantashe shot down the ANYL’s dreams of having 50% representation in Cabinet on Sunday, saying they should instead focus on winning key elections and accept that the elders are in charge.

The youth league has also been calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to give them departments such as public enterprises, trade and industry, human settlements, transport, basic education and higher education.

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ANCYL spokesperson Zama Khanyase said Mantashe suggested they would not enter those spaces, “We have just said integrate us in numbers so we can learn and ascend to positions of responsibility.

“We are trying not to come to the level of the chair and respond to this like he did. Engage us on policy issues or in programmes that you think the youth league must implement,” Khanyase said.

“Don’t say young people are not going to enter. The utterances of the chair have nothing to do with what needs to happen to develop this country.”

She said the youth league was not happy with Mantashe’s approach and did not appreciate antagonistic views being aired on public platforms as the party has internal platforms.

ANCLY never attacked ANC publicly

“We understand that when there are charges which are going to happen, it is normal that some individuals will not feel comfortable about it, hence it is important to continue to speak about these conversations so we learn new things and unlearn those no longer assisting us,” Khanyase said.

The youth league has been publicly calling for ministers such as Thulas Nxesi and Pravin Gordhan to be relieved of their duties as the ANCYL believed they were incompetent. But Khanyase said the ANCYL has never attacked the ANC publicly.

“We have never attacked senior leaders of the ANC; we have merely raised issues of policy that have not been implemented. It is unfortunate that when we raise issues, it’s seen as an attack,” she said.

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