ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says the governing party looks forward to input from the ANC Youth League to address the challenges facing the youth in South Africa including unemployment and poverty.
The league has held its first congress at Nasrec, outside Johannesburg, after an eight-year hiatus.
Ramaphosa: You must renew and rebuild the ANCYL as the leader of young people. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/SLoT3gofGc
— Natasha Nokuthula Phiri (@NatashaN_Phiri) July 2, 2023
Ramaphosa was speaking at the close of the congress.
[WATCH LIVE] ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa Adresses ANCYL 26TH NATIONAL CONGRESS https://t.co/tDOba3DIel
— ANCYL (@ANCYLhq) July 2, 2023
Collen Malatji was elected as the new president of ANCYL.
Others elected to the youth league’s leadership included Phumzile Mgcina, who was elected deputy president; Mntuwoxolo Ngudle as the secretary general; Tsakani Shiviti as deputy secretary general and Zwelo Masilela as the treasurer general.
ANCYL: New leaders fired up and raring to go:
Meanwhile, former ANC Youth League Secretary General Sihle Zikalala says after almost a decade of no formal and formidable youth structure in the governing party, the primary task of the newly-elected leadership of their youth formation is to reconnect with the country’s youth.
Zikalala says the ANC Youth League should be the vehicle that champions the needs and aspirations of these young people.
“I think the first priority of the elected leadership will be connect the ANCYL with the youth. In terms of the youth sector, you have those who are workers, but you have the those in school and those who are unemployed, as well as those upcoming as workers in government. So, I think the primary task of the league leadership is to connect the youth with the ANCYL and the ANC.”
ANCYL’s primary task is to reconnect with the country’s youth with the youth structure: Zikalala