The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has launched a scathing critique of the recent National Convention, dismissing it as a futile “tea party of friends” and demanding that the broader National Dialogue process focus squarely on transforming South Africa’s economy and resolving the land question.
The criticism, levelled by the league’s top leadership, signals growing discontent with the initiative and places pressure on organizers to address core issues of economic ownership and inequality.
ANCYL President Collen Malatji and Secretary-General Mntuwoxolo Ngudle stated unequivocally that any dialogue failing to prioritize these fundamental issues would be a “mere waste of time.” They argue that the historic struggle of Black South Africans is rooted in the dispossession of land and exclusion from the economy, problems that remain largely unresolved.
“The battle now for the South African soil is about transforming this economy to work for our people,” Malatji said in a statement echoing the league’s long-held position. “We are not prepared to listen to anything that does not talk to… beneficiating our minerals, industrializing, creating economic opportunities and jobs.”
The Youth League’s propositions are not new. Malatji pointed to policy resolutions dating back to the league’s 2011 congress, which established “seven cardinal pillars” for economic freedom. This mission, he asserted, was reaffirmed and expanded at their most recent national congress.
Beyond the agenda, the ANCYL also challenged the structure of the Dialogue. The league advocates for a process led by civil society organizations—including churches, labour unions, and community groups—alongside political formations, arguing they collectively represent the aspirations and pains of the South African people more authentically.
“Political formations… together with labour, we are representing the pain and the heart [and] the aspirations of the South African people,” said Malatji. “So, it must be us who are leading this national dialogue.”
The strong language from the ANC’s youth wing presents a significant challenge to the National Dialogue. It underscores a deep impatience among the party’s younger members for tangible progress on economic transformation and land reform, setting the stage for a contentious debate over the nation’s priorities.