Malatji Hits Back at Mbeki Over Ramaphosa Step-Down Calls
African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) President Collen Malatji has launched a veiled attack on former president Thabo Mbeki, dismissing recent calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down following the party’s electoral decline.
Addressing the state of the governing party, Malatji argued that the roots of the ANC’s waning support trace back to the era preceding the historic 2007 Polokwane Conference, rather than the current leadership.
“We will not listen to people who destroyed the ANC before the Polokwane Conference.
“The decline in ANC support started there,” Malatji said
Although he stopped short of naming Mbeki directly, his remarks were aimed squarely at the former statesman, who recently suggested that Ramaphosa should vacate his position after the ANC suffered heavy losses at the polls.
Turning his attention to local governance, Malatji reiterated the Youth League’s staunch opposition to working with the Democratic Alliance (DA) at municipal level.
He maintained that the ANC should avoid entering into coalition arrangements with the DA in municipalities across the country.
Beyond internal party politics and coalition debates, the ANCYL leader also raised alarm over the socio-economic challenges facing South African youth.
Malatji called for an outright ban on online gambling, warning that the industry is having a devastating impact on young people.