ANC SG Fikile Mbalula meets ANCYL Leadership
By Thabo Mosia
In a dramatic turn of events that gripped South Africa’s political scene, the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) found itself at the centre of a fierce leadership battle. On 21 November 2025, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula stepped in to mediate, bringing calm to what had been described as a “civil war” within the youth wing. This intervention came just weeks before the ANCYL’s crucial 27th National Congress, set for 14 to 17 December 2025 at the University of Limpopo in Polokwane. The showdown highlighted deep divisions over power, processes, and preparations, but Mbalula’s meeting marked a shift towards unity and maturity, strengthening the league’s role in championing youth issues like unemployment and economic freedom.
The ANC has since praised the ANCYL for handling its challenges with discipline and collective leadership. In a statement, it noted the positive outcome of the engagement, reaffirming support for the youth league as it heads into its congress. This resolution not only averted a potential crisis but also underscored the importance of internal accountability in South Africa’s oldest liberation movement.
The Roots of the Rift: Building Tensions in the ANCYL
The conflict within the ANCYL did not erupt overnight. Cracks had been appearing throughout 2025, with rival camps forming around key leaders. President Collen Malatji, elected at the 26th National Congress in 2023, led one side, while Secretary-General Mntuwoxolo Ngudle and Treasurer-General Zwelo Masilela aligned on the other. These divisions echoed past ANC battles, such as the 2021 clash between former secretary-general Ace Magashule and President Cyril Ramaphosa over the step-aside rule.
Earlier in the year, reports surfaced of factionalism and low participation in league activities. At the 2nd National General Council (NGC) in September 2025, Ngudle presented a declaration from commission discussions, but underlying issues persisted. Malatji publicly denied any splits, insisting the leadership was running a “very tight ship” and that relations with Ngudle were strong. He explained that Ngudle handled day-to-day operations, while he focused on political direction and Masilela on finances.
However, external pressures added fuel to the fire. In May 2025, a court ordered the ANCYL to pay over R800,000 for an unpaid hotel bill from a 2024 luxury event in Sandton, including fines for wining and dining. This financial strain raised questions about the league’s ability to manage its affairs ahead of the congress. More recently, in mid-November 2025, the ANCYL’s Facebook page was hacked, with false information posted about the elective congress. While no direct links to internal fights were proven, it sparked rumours of sabotage and further eroded trust.
Public controversies also played a role. In August 2025, Malatji dismissed the National Dialogue—a multi-stakeholder initiative launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa to address economic and social challenges—as a “tea party.” He argued it was a right-wing platform obsessed with removing progressives from power and failed to tackle youth unemployment, which stands at 46% nationally. Ngudle echoed calls for land reform and economic transformation, but the remarks drew backlash from ANC leaders. Mbalula criticised the “unfortunate” comments, leading to an initial apology from the ANCYL, which Malatji later withdrew, highlighting ongoing internal tensions.
Heated Debates Over Congress Preparations
The crisis intensified in the days leading up to 21 November 2025, centring on preparations for the 27th National Congress. Leaked WhatsApp messages from the “26th ANCYL NEC” group revealed bitter arguments over “packages”—believed to be accreditation badges or delegate kits with security features to prevent fraud.
Ngudle accused Deputy Secretary-General Tsakani Shiviti of overstepping by handling the packages without approval. In one message, he said, “Comrade DSG, I indicated to you that you have no Authority over packages, if it’s you who took packages, it means you stole them,” calling it an attempt to “subvert the credibility of the processes.” Shiviti defended her actions, replying, “Can you wait a bit with this custodian gospel you have been preaching everywhere. If you were really a good custodian we would not be having this conversation.” She claimed her role as “Deputy Custodian” allowed her to address office shortcomings and prevent misleading the membership.
Masilela supported Ngudle, stating, “The SG is correct with communication to structures because someone else would have fetched the other set of packages without security features.” He questioned delays in adding security upgrades, asking, “How long does it take for these security features known by you and SG to be included in the packages TG? How long must branches wait until they get their packages?”
The exchange grew personal when Ngudle alleged packages were taken to private homes, frustrating regional and provincial leaders. He wrote, “So SG runs away with packages from the office living frustrated regions and provincial leaders to your house for safe keeping of packages,” adding sarcastic emojis. Masilela admitted storing them at his home, explaining, “Those packages are with me in my house… I paid for them… But that is organisational property not your property,” and dared others to “open a case or come get your organisational property.”
To fix the issue, new packages with enhanced security were printed. Yet, the incident exposed serious administrative gaps and fears that the congress’s integrity could be compromised, threatening fair elections and policy discussions on youth empowerment.
Dueling Meetings and the Path to Suspensions
Tensions boiled over on 19 November 2025, when Ngudle and Malatji issued conflicting calls for urgent National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings. Ngudle, from the Office of the Secretary-General, scheduled an in-person “Urgent and Special NEC Meeting” for 21 November 2025 at 17:00 at The Capital Empire in Sandton, Johannesburg. His invitation emphasised revolutionary greetings and the league’s commitment to economic freedom and social change.
Malatji countered with his own call for an “Urgent NEC Meeting” that evening at 19:00 via Zoom, citing the ANCYL Constitution and his duties as president. He stressed oversight of the National Working Committee (NWC) and NEC, linking the urgency to disruptions in congress preparations as decided at the September NGC. The dueling formats—one virtual and immediate, the other in-person and later—risked splitting the NEC and deepening factions amid reports of boycotts and low engagement.
The standoff peaked after an NEC meeting on 20 November 2025, where Malatji allegedly excluded Ngudle and Masilela. In response, Ngudle issued a suspension letter against Malatji, stating, “The NEC convened on November 20, 2025, and resolved to immediately suspend the president of the ANC Youth League, Collen Malatji, pending an investigation. The suspension is consistent with Schedule A of the constitution of the league. The president unilaterally convened a parallel meeting of the youth league and misled all our structures in terms of the role of the president. Furthermore, the president facilitated the exclusion of the secretary-general and the treasury-general in preparations for the 27th national congress as mandated by the national general council.”
During the suspension, Malatji was barred from representing the organisation publicly. The NEC urged the national disciplinary committee to act swiftly. Malatji retaliated by suspending Ngudle, turning the leadership into a full-blown battleground. Sources revealed that at the core was the congress: Ngudle and Masilela would exceed the age limit of 35, making their positions untenable, while Malatji eyed an uncontested second term. Malatji reportedly refused to allow them to nominate proxies, instead aligning with Deputy President Phumzile Mgcina to promote Shiviti to secretary-general, infuriating the duo and prompting their alliance against him.
Malatji denied the suspension, calling it untrue, while Ngudle accused him of sowing division and undermining the league’s effectiveness. The mutual actions created chaos, with allegations of sabotage and personal ambitions threatening the ANCYL’s unity.
Mbalula’s Intervention: Restoring Order and Confidence
The ANC’s parent body had already flagged concerns at its NEC meeting from 14 to 16 November 2025 at the Ekurhuleni Civic Centre in Gauteng. Discussions included national priorities like G20 talks, with President Cyril Ramaphosa urging cohesion. Youth league members voiced support for Ramaphosa amid broader party debates.
On 21 November 2025, Mbalula met with the ANCYL’s National Executive Committee to address the turmoil. The meeting allowed the youth league to outline its challenges and the steps taken to resolve them internally. In a statement released that day, the ANC applauded the ANCYL’s maturity: “21 November 2025 ANC APPLAUDS ANCYL LEADERSHIP FOR MATURITY, UNITY AND RESOLVING INTERNAL CHALLENGES The African National Congress (ANC) appreciates and welcomes the successful engagement held between the Secretary General, Cde Fikile Mbalula, and the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). The meeting provided an opportunity for the ANCYL to outline the challenges it had recently confronted and the steps it undertook to address them. The ANC commends the ANCYL for demonstrating organisational discipline, maturity and unity of purpose by resolving these matters internally and responsibly. Their conduct reflects a renewed culture of accountability and collective leadership that strengthens both the ANCYL and the broader movement. The ANC expresses full confidence in the ANCYL leadership as they continue to play a decisive role in championing youth development, advancing the struggles of young people, and contributing to the renewal and reconstruction of the movement. The organisation reaffirms its commitment to supporting the ANCYL as it goes to its 27” National Congress, from 14 to 17 December 2025, at the University of Limpopo. We are assured that the ANCYL will continue to mobilise the energy, creativity and activism of young people in the service of social transformation.”
Mbalula’s firm directives helped bridge the gaps, focusing on alignment with the ANC’s agenda for economic inclusion and social change. This intervention echoed his past role as ANCYL president, where he pushed for visible youth activism.
