‘If the shoe fits’: Malatji denies targeting Maile in scathing critique on ANC Gauteng leaders

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has expressed concerns over the ANC’s lack of seriousness towards youth involvement, sparking a heated debate.

ANCYL President Collen Malatji recently criticised provincial leaders for excluding youth from the provincial legislature and executive.

“There was no campaign here in Gauteng, just people smoking cigars and chilling with slay queens. There are untouchables and golden boys who are always in the executive but have no constituency,” said Malatji.

However, on Thursday Malatji denied that his comments were specifically directed at Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile, despite widespread speculation.

An X account believed to be Maile’s on Thursday shot back at Malatji’s sentiments about politicians who don’t do their work.

The tweet read: ”The sugar daddies send their boyfriends to insult us because they are cowards. I dare them to show their faces.”

Denial of personal attack

While many believed Malatji’s comment was a direct jab at Maile, the youth leader insisted he was making a general observation.

“I don’t know why there’s an obsession about Lebogang Maile unless society feels that the shoe fits, but I was talking about everyone else [who] must be held accountable.

“I’ve never mentioned anyone’s name. I spoke about a general view that the society feels. The ANC society is associated with opulence, cigars,[and] leaders [who] come whenever they want to go door-to-door for votes. It is no longer associated with organising and resolving problems,” Malatji clarified.

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Additionally, Malatji responded to Maile’s tweet and said he thought it was insensitive if it indeed came from Maile and not a fake tweet or account.

Malatji pointed out the ANCYL’s support for the queer community and highlighted the backlash he has faced for being an ally of the community.

“Especially in a country where there are high levels of homophobic characters. If it’s him that said that, he does not belong to the ANC,” he said.

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He called for Maile to apologise and for the queer community to hold him accountable by reporting him to the Human Rights Commission and the ANC.

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Call for accountability

Malatji emphasised the need for accountability and performance-based deployment, saying, “All MECs must be held accountable”.

“There must not be an MEC when we say there are issues of untouchable MECs, they jump around and mobilise people to do whatever they want to do. There’s no one who is untouchable in the ANC, that’s what I’ve been grown and told. Everyone needs to account and people must be deployed based on performance.”