Latest news with #CollenMalatji
The Citizen
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Race relations slide after democracy
With over half a million white South Africans gone, Stats SA reveals a shrinking population and deepening racial rifts. The fact that more than half a million white South Africans have left the country in the past 25 years should surprise no-one. Emigration is a fact of life, both in South Africa and around the world, as people move to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Although that figure represents about 22 000 people per year, the other numbers in the latest Stats SA reporting on demographics in our country paint a broader picture of how the white community is shrinking, not only in terms of absolute numbers, but also in terms of its proportion of society. In the past 25 years – a generation – whites have gone from making up just under 10% of the population to just more than 7% currently. It is also true that, while many whites are dismayed about crime, black economic empowerment and political powerlessness, the biggest exodus of them occurred in the lead up to, and after, the 1994 elections, which brought democracy to South Africa. ALSO READ: Half a million white South Africans have left the country in 25 years Many of those who left then had fears about living under a black government – fears which are undergoing something of a revival lately in the wake of the tub-thumping being done in Washington by groups like AfriForum. Even as the Stats SA report was released this week, ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji was asking why there are no whites in the ANC organisation for younger people. Given that much of the ANC's rhetoric concerns alleged bad deeds of whites and apartheid, that should not surprise you, comrade Collen. Yet, with the diminishing size of the white community, do parties like the ANC even need to continue to pretend that they are nonracial? And as right-wing groups attract more whites with their victimhood gospel, it looks as though the races will only drift further apart in the future. NOW READ: SA's health recovery underway after deep scars left by Mbeki's Aids denial
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
South Africa's road to political unity is long
Once a home for activists of all races, the ANC now faces an identity challenge as racial divisions in politics deepen. Does the ANC really need whites in its ranks? ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji sparked this controversial debate when he said he wants to see more racial diversity in the party. He made the remarks during a youth rally in the Eastern Cape at the weekend, where he expressed concern over the lack of white participation in the youth league. Malatji questioned why, decades after democracy, young white South Africans are still largely absent from the ANC's structures, especially considering the pivotal role played by figures like Joe Slovo, Denis Goldberg and other white comrades during the liberation struggle. 'We have to ask ourselves,' Malatji said, 'why white youth do not see the ANC as their home any more. Why did they join in the past, and what's pushing them away now?' His comments come at a time when South African politics remains racially polarised. While the ANC continues to dominate the black vote, it has seen declining support among other racial groups. Meanwhile, opposition parties like the DA and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) are struggling with their own identity challenges. The DA, in particular, appears unsure whether it is a black-led liberal party or a white-dominated opposition. As Malatji pointed out, the DA 'doesn't know whether it is a black or white party' – an identity crisis that speaks volumes about the broader racial tensions that still shape voter behaviour. ALSO READ: 'I don't see white people here': Malatji laments lack of diversity in the ANCYL The ANC, once celebrated as a nonracial movement, was a political home to South Africans of all races during the fight against apartheid. Leaders such as Slovo, Ruth First and Beyers Naudé symbolised the inclusive, values-driven vision of the ANC. Today, that image is fading. The ANC's inability to attract white youth is not just a numbers issue – it is a reflection of a deeper identity crisis and a drift away from its founding ethos. There are several reasons why white South Africans, particularly the youth, feel disconnected from the ANC today. First, race-based policies such as affirmative action and broad-based black economic empowerment, though aimed at redressing historic injustices, are often perceived by some as exclusionary or even hostile. This perception, whether fair or not, creates emotional and ideological distance. Second, the ANC's track record in governance has hurt its credibility. Years of corruption scandals, poor service delivery and internal factional battles have driven many away – regardless of race. For middle-class voters, both black and white, trust in the party's ability to lead effectively has eroded. ALSO READ: 'Extend that apology to black South Africans,' says ActionSA over Macpherson's hobo comment Malatji, however, believes the presence of white voices is essential – not only for symbolic reasons but also for restoring a sense of shared purpose. 'Bringing in white youth isn't about chasing votes,' he said. 'It's about restoring a vision of unity that was central to the liberation movement.' In other words, inclusivity strengthens the ANC's moral and political legitimacy. It reaffirms the principle that the party belongs to all South Africans, not just one group. Yet despite these intentions, the racial divide in voting remains deeply entrenched. Last year's general election showed that most South Africans still vote largely along racial lines. Black voters remain loyal to the ANC, EFF, Inkatha Freedom Party and lately uMkhonto weSizwe party, while the majority of white voters support the DA or FF+. Coloured and Indian voters are split across smaller parties, often guided by regional or economic concerns. This racialised voting pattern has been reinforced by South Africa's unequal society, where race still closely aligns with access to education, wealth and services. Political parties, whether intentionally or not, often speak past each other – targeting specific racial or cultural groups rather than building a shared national narrative. ALSO READ: Half a million white South Africans have left the country in 25 years So what would it take for the ANC – or any party – to truly bridge this divide? First, parties need to rebuild public trust through clean governance, transparency and delivery. Actions speak louder than speeches. Second, they must embrace inclusive language and stop relying on racial identity as a political tool. Third, they need to actively engage young people of all races – especially in schools, universities and communities – where future leadership is shaped. In the past, many whites, coloureds and Indians joined the ANC not just because it was a black-led movement, but because it stood for justice, democracy and human rights. Today, that moral clarity is harder to find. The ANC will need to rediscover and live out those founding values if it hopes to regain that kind of cross-racial support. Malatji's comments, while controversial to some, may be an important reminder that the struggle for a nonracial South Africa is far from over. Whether the ANC – or any other party – can build a truly inclusive future depends on whether they are willing to listen, reform and lead with integrity. The road to unity is long. But acknowledging the gap, as Malatji has done, is at least a start. NOW READ: Does Africa still need liberation parties?
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
'Even white Zimbabweans are returning': Zanu-PF insists exiles are flocking back home
African National Congress (ANC) Youth League president Collen Malatji shared pictures with President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa during a recent visit to Harare. Image: Thlologelo Collen Malatji/X Many Zimbabweans who left the country at the peak of economic and political turmoil, and settled in numerous countries, including South Africa, are now investing back home, while others are returning to their ancestral nation. These were the views expressed by Zanu PF national spokesperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa, who was recently in South Africa for the 2025 Liberation Movements Summit hosted by the African National Congress (ANC) in Kempton Park. The summit concluded on Monday and was hosted under the theme: 'Defending the liberation gains, advancing integrated socio-economic development, strengthening solidarity for a better Africa.' Southern African liberation movements, including the ANC, People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), Namibia's ruling party, the South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo); Mozambique's Frente de Libertação de Moçambique (Frelimo); Zanu-PF, and Tanzania's ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) were represented at high level at the summit in Gauteng. Mutsvangwa, in an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, was asked for his views on the prevailing political and economic situation in Zimbabwe, which has resulted in the extensive migration of Zimbabweans into South Africa, estimated in the millions, sparking tensions in South African communities. In his response, Mutsvangwa said Zimbabweans in South Africa are seeking greener pastures, but the situation back home has significantly improved. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'It is the search for better pastures, that is natural. South Africa had the advantage of having comparative access to capital as a white apartheid state. In colonial times, capital into Africa followed white, and South Africa has the biggest white population on the African continent. All those Western countries gave South Africa a certain edge in access to capital. 'We in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia were second in terms of our white population. We also had comparatively better access to capital than any other African country, and we had migration of labour from Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia into Zimbabwe. The former Zimbabwean ambassador to the People's Republic of China said people follow where they see an advantage in terms of development and capital. National spokesperson of Zimbabwe's ruling party, Zanu PF, Christopher Mutsvangwa (left) with Zanu PF director of information Farai Marupira addressing journalists in Harare. Image: File 'Now things have changed. We are now having capital in a flat global world where China can supply capital, India can supply capital, Riyadh can supply capital, so we now have an Africa that is going to global markets, getting capital. That discrepancy in access to capital, which was the case for the colonial era, is beginning to disappear. 'You cannot believe it, there is now a seamless environment between life in Zimbabwe and life abroad. That is why our diaspora is coming back to Zimbabwe, putting a lot of money … our diaspora feels at home, they are now beginning to invest at home. For your information, the biggest diaspora migration is white.' He said the white Zimbabweans who had fled the country at the onset of majority rule in 1980 make up a good number of the people moving back into the landlocked Southern African nation ruled by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. 'So the return of the white diaspora back to Zimbabwe is actually an indication that things are getting better in Zimbabwe. Remember we are operating the hardest currency in the world, the US dollar, and if you can make your economy succeed on the back of the US dollar, it means you are doing very well as a country,' said the War Veterans Association chairperson. Speaking to IOL, Dr Alexander Rusero, head of the department of international relations and diplomacy at the Africa University situated in Mutare, Zimbabwe, said the landlocked country seemingly has its worst times behind it - economically and politically. 'I think in all fairness, Zimbabwe has had its bad tide and we are definitely past that in as much as the mess we were once in as a country is concerned. That explains why you hear an opposition voice. We are as good as not having an opposition in Zimbabwe, and if you want to look at Zimbabwe's dynamics currently, just look at the balance of forces within Zanu-PF. 'With regards to the economy, like any post-colonial African state, we still have challenges with regards to unemployment. The Zimbabwe situation at the moment there is hardly anything to write home about, especially with regards to difficulties. If we are to put that on scale - where are versus where we are coming from, I think we are performing fairly well, in as far as the Zimbabwean standard is concerned. On the political front, Rusero said the country has seen stability after the exit of former president Robert Mugabe. 'We are actually in the most stable political climate post Mugabe, save to say it is unhealthy for a polity not to have a viable and vibrant opposition., as is currently the case. We do not have an opposition, and what happens is that protagonists in Zanu-PF will start quarrelling against each other because there is no external force which would make them unite and fight against an external threat.' He said temperatures within Zimbabwe have normalised, which has paved the way for the country to slip from the regional and international agendas where it was perennially perched due to political violence and intolerance. With regards to the millions of Zimbabweans based outside the country's borders, Rusero said there is no guarantee that they will return home, as some have permanently settled in the countries they moved to. 'We are living in an era of epic human movement. It is not always the case that people migrate so that, at some point, they have to come back. We wouldn't have had whites migrating from Europe to Africa. The whole idea is that you have to be where opportunities are thriving. The world, the global economy, is shrunk at the moment, and as much as people might have nostalgia for coming home, home is where the heart is. 'Zimbabwe is pretty much very stable, but also still has challenges with regard to opportunities, an environment that is hassle-free. In Zimbabwe, you have to hustle, but if it is between life and death, between stability and instability, you would rather be home and be stable, safe, as opposed to being away,' Rusero told IOL. 'The Zimbabwe of 2008 it is a gone Zimbabwe. The country is relatively calm, relatively free, and I think we are experiencing a modicum of some economic and political stability, which has become unusual insofar as Zimbabwe's polity is concerned. IOL News
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
ANC Youth League slams party leadership: ‘ANC now a symbol of corruption and broken promises'
ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji delivered a fiery speech during the President's Jazz Hour in East London over the weekend. Image: Facebook/ANC Northern Cape ANC is losing the trust of its own people, according to ANC Youth League, Collen Malatji, who torched the party's leadership in a scathing rebuke, saying the ANC's name has become tainted to the extent that citizens view it as a symbol of corruption, broken promises, and failed service delivery. 'No matter how true the message is, if the integrity of the messenger is in question, no one will believe the message,' Malatji declared at a recent gathering of party members and community leaders. His words cut deep into the heart of the ANC's crisis — not just of governance, but of reputation. Malatji addressed the President's Jazz Hour in East London over the weekend. Malatji said the public's patience had worn thin, emphasising the crisis of credibility facing the ANC. He stated that the call for renewal is not just a political, but also a moral one. 'No one believes anything the ANC says anymore. It is only members of the ANC who we believe in each other. But when we leave, no one believes us.' This comes amid fresh infighting and power struggles within the ANC, particularly as factions battle over leadership renewal and accusations of gatekeeping plague branch structures. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The party's Veterans League has increasingly called for deep reforms, echoing Malatji's urgency for self-correction. He warned that deploying leaders known for unethical behaviour was a death blow to public trust. 'If you are known in your village as a criminal, even if we put you as a councillor and tell people you are fighting against crime, they won't believe you — they stay with you every day,' he said. Malatji's remarks highlight a core weakness within the ANC: its inability to separate leadership from impunity. As corruption scandals and service delivery protests mount across provinces, particularly in Gauteng, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape, voters were making it clear they are no longer bound by loyalty, he said. 'We no longer have that luxury,' Malatji said. 'The people of South Africa have told us: we can take you out of power any day. We love you, but self-correct.' With local elections looming and trust at a historic low, Malatji's message was clear that the ANC's survival depended not on slogans, but on sincerity. IOL Politics
Mail & Guardian
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Malatji: Nkabane ‘cowardly' for withdrawing ANC linked appointments as Seta board chairs
ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji (@ANCYLhq) 'If I were her, I would not have withdrawn those appointments of chairpersons. She has weakened herself and will never appoint anyone again. What she did is cowardly,' Malatji told the Mail & Guardian . He said cabinet ministers and deputy ministers considered to be part of the youth in the ANC should only fear him, as ANC youth league leader, and not opposition parties. 'They are my deployments, and the only person they must fear is me. They must consult me on everything. Luthuli House is open for them to come and we will defend them, because there is nothing wrong with deploying qualified people who are aligned with the ANC,' he said. Nkabane faced criticism in May over her appointment list, which included Buyambo Mantashe, the son of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister In parliament, Nkabane refused to give the names of members of the independent panel that selected the initial names she had appointed for the Seta positions. In a statement on Tuesday, Nkabane said she had disclosed a members panel for the selection and recommendation of Seta board chairs to the portfolio committee on higher education and training and was ready to account to the committee and to respond to further requests for information. In a separate statement, also on Tuesday, the chairperson of the committee, Tebogo Letsie, welcomed the submission of a letter containing the names of panel members appointed to oversee the selection and recommendation of board chairpersons for the Seta boards. The panel members are Terry Motau (chairperson), Asisipho Solani, Nelisiwe Semane, Mabuza Ngubane and Rhulani Ngwenya. The committee said that it had consistently held the view that Nkabane was constitutionally obligated to disclose the names of the panel members to parliament. 'We are pleased that sanity has prevailed, and that the minister has now complied with this requirement. The committee believes this disclosure should have occurred from the outset,' said Letsie. 'We are dealing with public institutions funded through parliamentary appropriations. It was therefore baffling that the committee had to strongly remind the minister of such a basic accountability requirement in our democratic governance system.' During a meeting of the higher education committee last month, Malatji told the M&G that he would never have withdrawn the appointments, asserting that opposition parties have created a false narrative that anyone associated with the ANC is corrupt. 'The ANC contests elections to control power, and every party wants control. This is why parties, including the 'I will never withdraw appointments. You make a decision as a leader, and you stick by it. Why is she apologising for powers given to her? Those people meet the criteria; they are qualified and everything. Anyway, the most educated people are in the ANC, not the DA or EFF.' Malatji said he considered Buyambo Mantashe as having an unfair advantage and would never have considered him for the post. 'Mantashe's child is something else. I was never going to appoint Mantashe's child because he is a minister — not that he is not qualified or not a comrade, but morally wrong,' he said. 'Unfortunately, when your father is a minister or president, you lose certain privileges in life. You can't compete with a child of a president; it is an unfair competition.' On calls for Nkabane to be removed from her position, Malatji said she was a good and qualified minister who had been caught off guard. 'She is good for the sector and is also learning higher education needs a person like her,' he said. 'She is not doing badly; just a few things, small things, and over time, she does not consult the youth league, which gets her into trouble.'
