17/09/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANCYL ALFRED NZO REGION WELCOMES THE FINAL CANDIDATE LISTS BUT NOTES
SHORTFALL IN YOUTH REPRESENTATION
The ANCYL in the Alfred Nzo Region welcomes the publication of the final candidate lists for
the 2026 Local Government Elections, including those relating to the Alfred Nzo District
Municipality and the four local municipalities of Ntabankulu, Umzimvubu, Matatiele and
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The ANCYL RTT welcomes and congratulates all young people who have emerged through the candidate-selection process. Their inclusion represents an important opportunity for a new
generation of public representatives to contribute towards improving local government.
The final IEC list however requires serious organisational reflection on the implementation of the ANC's own commitment to generational mix. The ANCYL has consistently maintained that young people must participate in the political life of the ANC not only as volunteers, voters and campaigners, but also as public representatives entrusted with responsibility for shaping the future of their communities- hence our campaign slogan’’ Umntu Omsha Epalini’’.
The ANCYL RTT has therefore undertaken an assessment of the age composition of the final
lists against the ANC 2026 LGE Candidate Selection Rules and Guidelines, as approved by the ANC NEC. The ANC guidelines provide that each candidate list should reflect a mix of youth
and age, with at least 30% comprising young people aged 25–35 and at least 10% comprising persons aged 36–40.
Our assessment of the final lists indicates that the 30% representation threshold for the 25–
35 age category has not been achieved in any of the five municipalities in our region.
Based on the final lists, young people aged 25–35 constitute approximately 15.4% in Ntabankulu, 17.5% in Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, 22.2% in Alfred Nzo District, 22.0% in
Matatiele and 14.8% in Umzimvubu.
The assessment further indicates that Ntabankulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Matatiele and Umzimvubu meet the separate minimum requirement of 10% representation for the 36– 40 age category, while the Alfred Nzo District list does not.
Of further concern is that the challenge extends beyond the numerical shortfall in youth
representation. Our assessment indicates that a number of the young people who have been
included on the final PR lists are positioned relatively low on those lists, which may affect their prospects of ultimately being elected to municipal councils, depending on the number of PR seats secured.
This raises an important question about substantive youth representation. It is not sufficient for young people merely to appear somewhere on a candidate list for purposes of
representation- generational mix should also translate into meaningful opportunities for
young people to serve as public representatives.
The ANCYL Alfred Nzo Region is therefore assessing both dimensions: whether the final lists meet the prescribed youth-representation thresholds and how young candidates are
positioned on the PR lists. For those young people who have emerged as Ward Councillor
Candidates, their emergence must also be understood within the context of the difficult
terrain through which many young candidates had to navigate. Throughout the candidate-
selection process, young ward councillors in various communities encountered significant
resistance to generational change and mix
The experience of the recent candidate-selection process must, therefore, provide an
opportunity for the ANC to examine how its policies on generational mix are translated into
actual representation. With the candidate-selection process reaching its final stages, the ANCYL RTT will continue mobilising young people around the issues that directly affect their lives, including youth unemployment, skills development, entrepreneurship and economic participation.
Our task now is also to ensure that the young candidates are supported to become capable and effective public representatives who understand municipal governance, public finance oversight and the developmental responsibilities of local government.
We congratulate all candidates and call upon them to conduct themselves in a manner that
strengthens public confidence in local government and advances the interests of the
communities they seek to represent.
ISSUED BY: ANCYL ALFRED NZO REGIONAL TASK TEAM.
Cde Sibonelo Tshonga- ANCYL Regional Coordinator
Cde Spambo Songezo – ANCYL Regional Spokesperson
