Lenasia, Gauteng - The ANC's leadership must be renewed at the party's conference in Mangaung at the end of the year, Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile said on Monday.
“We must renew our leadership and make sure when we elect leaders in Mangaung... we bring in the new generation of leaders,” he said at the ANC Youth League's 68th anniversary celebrations in Thembelihle, in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg.
“But we are saying today... we need radical change so that in 18 years or 20 years of democracy our people can look back and say 'we have a better life'.”
He said the ANCYL was hosting it's celebrations in Thembelihle instead of Sandton so that they could “see their people”.
“At the conference we must adopt radical policies. Let us go there and renew the organisation,” he said.
“It 1/8the African National Congress 3/8 must remain rooted among the masses of people.”
He said the future of the country was in the hands of the ANCYL.
“We are saying to our young leaders, it is your responsibility to make sure you bring about change... so that people can have a better life.”
Earlier, Gauteng ANCYL secretary Ayanda Kasa-Ntsobi said the ANC needed “decisive leadership that was not afraid of its people”.
She led the crowd in cries supporting Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, who are both reportedly running for the positions of president and secretary general of the ANC respectively.
The crowd sang songs in favour of Motlanthe, while rolling their hands in a gesture synonymous with that used when calling for a substitution during a soccer match.
Some held up one finger in a gesture representing one term for president Jacob Zuma.
More than 500 people attended the celebrations. - Sapa