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Johannesburg – The ANC Youth League says it is disappointed with President Cyril Ramaphosa's new Cabinet, because he has left young people behind.
Ramaphosa addressed the nation late on Monday night announcing changes to the national executive, this included the return of former ministers Pravin Gordhan, Nhlanhla Nene and Blade Nzimande.
His deputy in the ANC David "DD" Mabuza will also be sworn in as a Member of Parliament on Tuesday, and will become the deputy president of the country.
READ: Here they are: Ramaphosa's new brooms
Although Ramaphosa got rid of most ministers linked to state capture project – which saw the Gupta family accused of using its undue influence over former president Jacob Zuma to siphon money from South Africa – he retained one former Youth League leader.
Ramaphosa moved Malusi Gigaba [dubbed the architect of state capture by the EFF] from the Treasury back to the Department of Home Affairs, but this has not gone far enough to satisfy the league.
"We are disappointed in the reshuffle, it did not take the future into consideration," said ANCYL secretary general Njabulo Nzuza.
He told News24 that young people needed to be exposed to the challenges of being leaders in the country and that Ramaphosa had denied them that.
The youth 'are not taken seriously'
"Not too long ago, we were celebrating getting into the leadership of the ANC," said Nzuza, explaining that some gains had been made at the ANC's December national elective conference, which saw the likes of Ronald Lamola and the Youth League's president Collen Maine elected onto its national executive committee.
"The interests of the youth remain on the sidelines, they are not taken seriously," complained Nzuza.
He added that the youth needed to unite and fight the ANC on the matter.
When asked if they had spoken to the party's new leadership on the issue before Ramaphosa announced his new Cabinet, Nzuza said the president had attended a Youth League NEC over the weekend.
"We shared our sentiments with the president when he came to our NEC," said Nzuza.
He pointed out that it was an ANC congress resolution to have a 20% youth representation in leadership structures, which he said Zuma had previously adhered to.
"We had it in the lead up to local government elections and have had our former leaders in previous Cabinets, with [Fikile] Mbalula, Malusi Gigaba, Bongani Mkongi and Thandi Mahambehlala," said Nzuza.
He said the league would share its views on the reshuffle with the ANC's top leadership.
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