QONCE- The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in the Eastern Cape has voiced deep disappointment over the outcome of the Provincial List Committee (PLC) and Electoral Committee processes for the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE).
In a statement issued by the political organisation on 27 August 2026, ANCYL said it cannot accept a process that has systematically marginalised young people, despite clear resolutions of the African National Congress (ANC) on youth representation and renewal.
The League emphasised that, this is not about dissatisfaction with individual list positions but a fundamental objection to a process that failed to accommodate youth while retaining the same individuals who have long occupied positions of power.
EC ANCYL Spokesperson Babalwa Magqwanti emphasised that, “Young people are not leaders of tomorrow. We are leaders today,” She said adding that youth are ready to lead the renewal and transformation of local government.
Magqwanti further added that young people who received legitimate branch nominations had their names removed, were excluded from the Regional Interviews and Vetting Process (RIVP) or were placed at the bottom of lists with no realistic chance of entering council.
This is despite the ANC’s commitment to a minimum 30% youth representation. The ANCYL said youth are still concentrated in non-winnable positions, reducing representation to a numbers exercise. It cited several root causes, including absence of political oversight by the Provincial Executive Committee / Provincial Task Team (PEC/PTT), exclusion from the RIVP, failure to achieve the 30% target, rubber-stamping of predetermined outcomes and inconsistent application of criteria and gatekeeping driven by factional interests.
The ANCYL commended five regions for prioritising youth; Alfred Nzo, Amathole, Chris Hani, OR Tambo and Sarah Baartman. It said they proved it is possible to balance experience with generational renewal.
The organisation called out Joe Gqabi, Nelson Mandela Bay and Dr WB Rubusana regions for failing to meet the target and raised particular concern about Senqu Local Municipality where, it says, not a single young person is on the list.
Furthermore Magqwanti added that Nelson Mandela Bay and Dr WB Rubusana, only one young person is in a safe Proportional Representation (PR) position, with the rest at the bottom.
“The old may control the lists, but the youth determine the campaign,” the statement said.
The ANCYL demanded that at least five young people below 35 be placed in winnable ward and PR positions, a review of excluded youth, and urgent intervention in Senqu, Rubusana and Nelson Mandela Bay.
Courtesy of IMAGES: Internet/Supplied
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