Western Cape ANC Youth League blasts parent body for election collapse

The Western Cape ANC Youth League on Friday strongly criticised its parent body after the party's poor municipal elections results.

The ANCYL said in a statement it noted with “concern the steep decline of the ANC support in the 2021 local government elections, including the reduction to below 50% at national level”.

The results reflect “voters’ discontent with the ANC and an outcry for a thorough and urgent renewal process”, it said.

“Out of the 26.1 million registered voters, only 12.3 million South Africans participated. This is a form of protest action by the oppressed masses of our people who are growing tired of poverty and poor living conditions, a poor track record of service delivery by various ANC municipalities, and numerous cases of corruption and maladministration by leaders of the movement.

“It is a clear message from the people that the ANC can no longer afford to delay the thorough rebuilding and renewal process.”

The league said the party should fix its shortcomings or risk losing power in 2024.

“The ANCYL Western Cape calls for an urgent rebuilding and renewal of the ANC that will have young people at the centre,” it said.

“In the Western Cape, while the DA lost its majority in 15 municipalities it won in 2016, it is disappointing that the ANC failed to capitalise on the weaknesses of the DA and maximise its gains.

“ANC electoral support was reduced to a mere 18.63% in the City of Cape Town, thereby losing 14 council seats. Between the 2011 and 2021 local government elections, the ANC has lost 30 council seats in the City of Cape Town.”

The ANCYL blamed the Cape Town result on the “deeply entrenched factionalism, structural degradation, and neglect of building and servicing organisational structures in the Dullah Omar region, which resulted in the waning of organisational influence”.

It added: “The vast amount of manipulation during the list process ... is a reflection of this dire state the organisation in the region finds itself in.

“As disheartening as it is to witness the decline of the movement in the province and Cape Town, it is, however, unsurprising. We have been moving towards the edge of the precipice for far too long.”

The youth league said it was also disappointed that the party would have only one Cape Town councillor below the age of 35. “This is a disregard and undermining of ANC rules which clearly stipulate that all ANC caucuses must be made up of 25% youth representation.

“The ANCYL Western Cape reiterates its calls for the immediate dissolution of the ANC in the Dullah Omar region and for the establishment of a youthful regional task team entrusted with the responsibility of restoring health back to the ANC in the region.”

ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni said, “We don’t have any comment.”

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