New ANCYL leaders bent on reviving league

THE newly elected leadership of the ANC Youth League say they are on a mission to revive and renew the governing party’s youth structure after years of being in disarray.

The new leaders of the league were unveiled at the conclusion of the 26th ANCYL national elective conference at Nasrec Expo Centre on Sunday.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri introduced the top officials at a briefing at Luthuli House yesterday.

This was the league’s first elective conference in eight years.

Collen Malatji was elected as the league’s president; Phumzile Mgcina is his deputy; Muntuwoxolo Ngudle emerged as secretary-general, with Tsakani Shiviti as first deputy secretarygeneral and Zwelo Masilela as treasurer general.

Malatji said he was excited to be given the opportunity to lead an independent Youth League.

“We got our autonomy back ... We went into the 26th national elective conference to reclaim it. The majority of young people remain unemployed, are still the faces of crime, and are highly excluded from the affairs of their own country. The only way to realise this is for us to re-industrualise the economy of this country. We can only achieve this through a functional youth league,” he said.

Malatji said the youth leadership would work hard to transform the economy.

“We hosted a successful conference. We had high-level discussions; at the centre of our discussions was the restructuring of the economy, as the leadership is able to address this fundamental issue. The Peter Mokaba generation has led us to this freedom.”

Malatji said he appreciated the work of young people and journalists who were overworked and underpaid.

“Don’t be scared to lobby us on many issues. We are here to speak on your behalf because the work you do is important. That is why we support the issues of the journalists as the youth league,” he said.

Malatji said the league would work towards ensuring that the youth are well represented in Parliament.

“We won’t accept anything under 50% representation of young people in Parliament. Everything that has to do with the power of this country and young people should be part of that agenda.”

Second deputy secretary, Shiviti, said they would deploy young people to rebuild the youth structure.

“As young people, we are the ones who should protect the ANC. We are not going to tolerate ill-discipline if people go against the constitution (and) are not representing the ANCYL.”