African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula on Friday urged the party’s youth league, the ANCYL, to play a central role in ensuring that the party wins back its electoral power.

Mbalula was delivering the closing remarks at the ANCYL’s 2nd National General Council in Kimberley where he said electoral outcomes have the effect of altering South Africa’s landscape, citing the advent of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

The ANC celebrated its by-election victories in Limpopo, Free State, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, after winning wards on Wednesday.

“This reality demands of us to sharpen our focus and put our best foot forward in using State power to make a better life for all. A lived reality for all our people, as we advance the objectives of the National Democratic Revolution,” he said.

He said the ANC does not want a youth league with “directionless militancy”; urging the members to not fight amongst themselves.

“We do not have the luxury of infighting; we do not have the luxury of inward looking. The struggle to liberate our people is out here, and we are needed. The ANCYL is going to be in the forefront and at the centre of the struggle of ensuring that the ANC wins back power,” he stated.

Mbalula said bickering, infighting, and the choices of leadership in the youth league, is not necessarily the one needed by South Africans.

“… you may despise Mbalula and like Collen, you may despise that comrade and like that one, but South Africans are not looking for that from us. They want real leadership for real change for their lives,” he said.

ECONOMIC REVOLUTION

He said decisive leadership is needed for the evolution of domestic political factors, underpinned by economic conditions and their interplay with geopolitical factors.

Meanwhile, he said the deepening crisis of youth unemployment requires the organisation to build an economic model that places young people at the centre.

“Young people should not be merely recipients of such interventions but should play a central role as its architects and midwives. They should lead the efforts to build a new economy, where young people are on the driving seat of mineral beneficiation, technology that includes artificial intelligence services and many more,” he said.

South Africa's youth unemployment rate reached 46.1% in the first quarter and remained at that rate in the second quarter.

Mbalula said young people must lead the “economic revolution”, where youth development is not an afterthought, but an integral programme of development.