Key Takeaways:
- The ANC Youth League in Limpopo aims to dominate the ANC’s national executive committee in the 2027 elective conference.
- The league’s ambition is to introduce export quotas to ensure that mineral resources and raw materials benefit the people of South Africa.
- The ANC Youth League’s 27th national elective conference will be held from December 14 to 17, 2025, in Limpopo, with over 4,000 delegates expected to attend.
- The conference will discuss key issues, including the replacement of Fikile Mbalula as ANC secretary-general and the introduction of a single-slate plan with no contestation for positions.
- Political analyst Solly Rashilo believes that a united slate may not work, as it may be a ploy for early succession maneuvering rather than a genuine attempt at unity.
Introduction to the ANC Youth League’s Ambition
The ANC Youth League in Limpopo has expressed its desire to dominate the ANC’s national executive committee in the upcoming 2027 elective conference. This ambition comes ahead of the party’s 27th national elective conference, which is scheduled to take place from December 14 to 17, 2025, at the Limpopo Turfloop Campus in Mankweng. The league’s provincial secretary, Phineas Sebola, stated that the province is expecting over 4,000 delegates from all corners of the country to participate in the conference. Limpopo will send a total of 579 branch delegates, with each branch contributing one delegate to the conference.
Conference Preparations and Theme
The conference venue has been confirmed, and preparations are underway to ensure a smooth and successful event. The ANC Youth League has chosen the theme "Economic freedom and social change now," which is a call to unchain the country’s economic patterns from the hands of the minority and benefit the majority. The league is advocating for the state to introduce export quotas to ensure that all mineral resources and other raw materials in the country benefit the people of South Africa. Specifically, they propose that not more than 70% of the country’s raw materials should be allowed to leave the country.
Agenda and Speculation
The conference is expected to discuss several key issues, including the replacement of Fikile Mbalula as ANC secretary-general and the introduction of a single-slate plan with no contestation for positions. However, Sebola refused to comment on these speculations, stating that he was not aware of any such discussions. An ANCYL insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed confidence in the league’s president, Collen Malatji, and believed that he was the best candidate to lead the party to "greener pastures." The insider also praised Malatji’s experience and knowledge of the organization, stating that he was a "tried and tested cadre of the ANC."
The Feasibility of a United Slate
Political analyst Solly Rashilo believes that the idea of a united slate is seductive on paper, as it could allow the party to focus on service delivery, youth unemployment, and economic renewal rather than personality clashes. However, he argues that beneath the rhetoric of unity lies a more familiar story of early succession maneuvering dressed up as principle. Rashilo believes that the real battle will be fought in the ANC’s national executive committee and provincial structures between now and 2027, rather than at the conference itself. He notes that the technical levers of branch audits, delegate numbers, nomination rules, and credentials will decide who gets to vote and who gets disqualified, and that whoever controls these processes will win the war long before delegates reach the conference venue.
Provincial Support and Preparations
The ANC Limpopo provincial executive committee has welcomed the decision to host the ANC Youth League’s 27th National Congress in Limpopo province. The committee has extended its best wishes to the ANCYL and called upon all its structures and deployees to offer the necessary support to ensure the success of the congress. The committee believes that the congress is not only a moment of renewal for the league but also a vital opportunity to reaffirm the role of youth in shaping the future of the ANC and the country. With the conference just around the corner, it remains to be seen how the ANC Youth League’s ambition will play out and whether the party will be able to achieve its goals of economic freedom and social change.