TheANC Youth League(ANCYL) is likely to support the highest bidder for its vote at the party’s 2027 national elective conference, according to senior party leaders. The league held its national elective conference this week, where its president Collen Malatji waselected uncontestedalong with his slate. The league is expected to play a significant role in determining who is chosen as the new ANC president at the party’s 2027 national elective conference, succeeding Cyril Ramaphosa.
Many within the party believe the ANCYL is most likely to support current secretary generalFikile Mbalulashould he decide to stand for the top position. A senior member of thenational executive committee(NEC) told theMail & Guardianthat it was difficult to predict who the party’s youth wing would ultimately support, adding that it was more likely to back whoever paid the most for its vote. The source who declined to be named described the league as a “crisis” when it came to money.
“These kids like money. The only thing you can say is that Collen is not likely to work withPaul[Mashatile, the deputy president]. If you look at the lifestyle, it doesn’t look very ordinary.
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They will tell you, ‘Give us this and we will support you’,” the NEC insider said. The influence of the youth league at the elective conference cannot be doubted and it has previously played a significant role for those seeking nominations to advance their ambitions. Sources have previously told the M&G that the league holds a 10% vote at the conference, although the source who spoke this week disputed this.
“It is not necessarily that they have 10%. The youth league is calculated as a province in terms of nominations, but in voting it might only be the officials, depending on how credentials are determined. “It might only be those in their national executive committee who vote. The ANC might decide to give it 20 delegates who vote, just like the Women’s League,” the sources said.
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