Yes, Cabinet does need young blood

It’s not often we agree with the ANC Youth League – the supposed nursery for future party leaders, but which is itself populated by people who are hardly young themselves.

However, when Gwede Mantashe – minister of mineral resources and energy and ANC national chair – put the “ young lions” in their place by telling them they should accept that “the elders are in charge”, we did feel some sympathy.

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After all, these “elders” – and Mantashe is an overripe 68-year-old himself – are the ones who have brought our country to the brink of collapse…. while Mantashe’s fellow “mature” politician, President Cyril Ramaphosa (70 years young), believes his party has done a sterling job.

While we are not encouraging “ageism” – because older people, with their years of experience, can make valuable contributions to society – surely there is a need for fresh, young blood in the slowly clogging arteries of the ANC hierarchy?

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We don’t agree with the youth league that its members should comprise 50% of the Cabinet, but we would like to see half of our ministers coming from young, up-and-coming capable people.

Our only hope is that the ANC’s fossils, like Mantashe, don’t share their expertise in wrecking a nation.