ANC’s electoral decline goes beyond current leadership: Malatji

African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) President Collen Malatji says the party’s poor performance in the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE) should not be blamed solely on its current leadership, arguing that the ANC brand has been damaged over the years.

Malatji was responding to remarks by former ANC President Thabo Mbeki during an interview on Mbuyiseni Ndlozi’s podcast, where Mbeki said that if reports were true that President Cyril Ramaphosa had offered to resign following the election outcome, it would be the right thing to do.

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ANC Youth League President Cde Collen Malatji responds to former ANC President Cde Thabo Mbeki, stating that Mbeki himself was part of the leadership under which some of the problems contributing to the ANC’s decline emerged, long before the current leadership took office.

He maintains that accountability must extend to the current NEC and the old guard, including those who failed to campaign, arguing that those who contributed to the decline cannot lead the movement’s renewal.

#RoarYoungLions

— ANCYL (@ANCYLhq) November 10, 2026

He also said the ANC leadership should consider taking responsibility for the party’s electoral decline.

Malatji says the decline in the party’s municipal support requires collective accountability, particularly from those who contributed to damaging the ANC’s image.

“The ANC brand has been damaged over the years, and all of us in the ANC must take accountability. But the old guard must take more accountability because they are the ones who participated in damaging the brand. They must stop pointing fingers at each other and take full responsibility.”

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