‘Mobilise the youth or perish' - Paul Mashatile’s rallying cry to ANCYL ahead of 2026 elections

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile has called on ANCYL president Colleen Malatji to mobilise young people in support of the ANC ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

Mashatile was addressing delegates at the second National General Council (NGC) of the ANC Youth League, held at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre in Kimberley, Northern Cape. 

The NGC, which runs from September 10 to September 13, aims to chart a path forward for the youth league in advancing the interests of young people and shaping the direction of the movement.

“Comrades delegates, we must consider that this second National General Council is being held in the aftermath of the 2024 general elections. In those elections, the ANC suffered a strategic setback, receiving 40% of electoral support,” Mashatile said.

He said that the gap between eligibility and voter registration had ranged from 6 to 8 million since 1999, rising to 10 million by 2019 and escalating to 12 million by 2024.

“From 80% in 2014 and 72% in 2019, the registration level in 2024 was only 69.9%,” he added.

Mashatile also pointed to declining voter turnout, acknowledging a drop from 89% in 1999 and 77% in 2004, to 66% in 2019 and just 58.6% in 2024. 

He said the lowest turnout was recorded in the North West province, followed by Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.

The ANC's loss of support in the May 2024 general elections marked the first time since 1994 that the party failed to secure a majority. 

This led to the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), bringing together former rivals such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus).

The GNU has been marred by ongoing tensions, as coalition parties clash over the implementation of key policies.

Meanwhile, taking a turn on youth participation, Mashatile said that a study conducted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), found that younger age cohorts remain underrepresented in electoral participation.

“The study suggests that the reasons for youth underrepresentation are due to poor political engagement by young people, including their lack of participation in civic organisations or activities, even voting,” he said.

He also said that the polling data from research firm Ipsos, found that eight in 10 South Africans believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.

“This means there is a greater need for us to restore confidence - not just through speeches, but through action,” Mashatile said.

He said that the 2026 local government elections would be a crucial test, not just for political parties, but for South African democracy as a whole.

“The challenge before us as the ANC is to translate the public's appetite for collaboration into the effective leadership that South Africans urgently need.”

He called on the delegates to reflect on how to increase youth participation and support their development.

“We must further acknowledge that despite our considerable progress in tackling the issues of unemployment, poverty and inequality, the economy remains stagnant and fails to generate the jobs necessary to absorb our youth.”

Mashatile argued that Operation Vulindlela, which is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury, was a key part of the party’s economic reform agenda. 

The programme aims to accelerate structural reforms and support economic recovery, including modernising industries such as electricity, water, transport and digital communications.

“These include investments in energy reform to ensure long-term energy security through market restructuring and grid expansion,” he said.

Other areas of investment include water reforms, freight logistics, and a visa system overhaul designed to attract global talent and support tourism.

Mashatile also emphasised the importance of local government reform, saying many ANC-led municipalities were struggling with basic service delivery and financial sustainability.

“They are the closest to our people… And over the past months, that's where we have had a lot of difficulties,” he said.

He called for accountability at the local level, urging the party to fire all incompetent mayors and officials.

“So we must fix these municipalities, including ensuring that those people who were appointed who are incompetent must be removed. Whether they are councillors of the ANC or officials, if they are incompetent, they must go.”

Mashatile’s remarks come amid growing frustration within the ANC over corruption, internal factionalism and service delivery failures.

IOL News previously reported that political analyst Professor Siphe Seepe says the ANC is in "panic mode" as the country heads towards the 2026 local government elections, and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s focus on the National Dialogue is a clear sign of that anxiety

“At the national level, they’ve witnessed a total rejection. And when people feel the government most acutely is at the local level - this is where the ANC should really be panicking,” he said.

However, the ANC denied using the dialogue as a tool to grow its support ahead of the local government elections.

simon.majqdibodu@iol.co.za

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