Durban - Young people now have greater representation in newly inaugurated councils, with many being elected to leadership positions in KwaZulu-Natal municipalities.
Both the ANC and the IFP have entrusted their youth wing members with posts such as mayors, deputy mayors, speakers and members of executive committees (Exco).
The leagues of the organisations said this was an improvement compared to previous terms.
The ANC Youth League counted about 50 of its members, aged under 35, who were elected to leadership positions in various municipalities across the province.
This included their deputy secretary, Sibongile Khathi, 33, who was elected mayor in Umdoni Municipality, and Zama Ncalane, 34, as deputy mayor in Maphumulo Municipality last week.
There are two ANC youth leaders who are mayors, in addition to six former youth leaders holding the same post while eight others are speakers and 44 are Exco members.
This is thanks to the 40% the league has been campaigning for, but the ruling party acceded to 20% youth to the proportion of all councillors.
The IFP Youth Brigade revealed that one of its youth leaders, Sboniso Mbatha, was a mayor in Endumeni, and several others served on Excos in councils their mother body controlled.
Speaking to the Daily News on Sunday, ANCYL secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo said the future looked bright and the ANC was being revived.
“Our members being deployed in senior positions means the ANC has invested a lot of trust given that its support is perceived to be on the decline.
“The ANC has realised that revival is necessary and this is the start as our people continue to want better services,” Sabelo said.
“You will have innovative voice in young people to benefit the ANC in the long run. It means youths will be at the centre stage of government planning,” he added.
Sabelo said the greater representation of young people in municipalties would also mean skill development and transfer to youths.
“There must be 35% in procurement set aside for young people. There must be incubators set up for youth in business by different municipalities.”
He also said municipalities should provide bursaries for their youths so that they could study further.
Sabelo said the league was setting its eyes firmly on ensuring greater youth representation in other spheres of government after the next next general elections.
“We are to look at ensuring cabinet is getting younger. We want to see younger people. “
But, for the ANC young people in councils, Sabelo said, they should acquire post-matric qualifications.
“They must further their studies to get relevant skills in local government. They must use the resources - their salaries and other benefits - to ensure they better their knowledge,” he said.
Although IFP Youth Brigade chairman Mkhuleko Hlengwa did not have the exact number of youth leaders in council positions, he said: “We have quite a lot of them.”
“We are satisfied with the representation of young people in key decision-making positions in municipalities,” Hlengwa said.
“We are encouraged by the large number the party managed to get and deploy in positions of responsibility. It is an indication that we take youth representation seriously in the party.”
He also said the party was to launch a youth forum for councillors where they would share ideas and experiences about performing their council duties.
Political analyst, Thabani Khumalo, said the selection of youths in leadership positions was a good move in light of there being more young people than the elderly.
“Most of the people affected by socio-economic and political challenges are young people.”
But Thabani questioned if the move was done by party bigwigs in line with wishes of the communities or merely to reward some youths.
Daily News