Nokukhanya Mntambo17 June 2024 | 5:45

In wake of poll results, some ANCYL leaders believe it must 'go back to the drawing board'

Young people were among the ANC’s harshest critics in the build up to the 29 May polls, accusing the party of reneging on its promises for job opportunities and service delivery.

In wake of poll results, some ANCYL leaders believe it must 'go back to the drawing board'

An African National Congress (ANC) flag flies outside a polling station in Langa, near Cape Town, on 1 November 2021. Picture: AFP

JOHANNESBURG - Some African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leaders believe the youth structure needs to go back to the drawing board as the party takes stock of the election results.

In the build-up to the 29 May polls, political parties lobbied for the youth vote amid concerns of low voter turnout.

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Young people were among the ANC’s harshest critics, accusing the party of reneging on its promises for job opportunities and service delivery.

ANCYL deputy convenor in Gauteng, Vuyiswa Jentile, said the resuscitation of the league needed an honest and tough conversation.

“It means we must then go back to the drawing board and ask if indeed we are that organisation and what is it that we need to do to strengthen our policies to be a youth league that is associated with a young, rich or poor person in society.”

ANCYL spokesperson Fasiha Hassan agreed.

"Sometimes I feel that we in the movement have forgotten. If you go do a door-to-door wearing a pair of shoes [that costs more] more than the person’s entire yearly salary, is that the kind of activism that brought us into the movement? Is that who we really are as the ANC? The answer is no."