28/05/2026
For immediate release:
Thursday, 28 May 2026
STATEMENT BY THE ANCYL NELSON MANDELA REGIONAL TASK TEAM (RTT) ON THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE ANCYL EASTERN CAPE LEKGOTLA
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team (RTT) fully supports and welcomes the resolutions adopted during the ANCYL Eastern Cape PEC Lekgotla held on 22 – 24 May 2026.
These resolutions come at a critical period where communities across Nelson Mandela Region continue to face serious socio-economic challenges, including rising youth unemployment, crime, poverty, inequality, and ongoing service delivery challenges.
As the economic hub of the Eastern Cape, Nelson Mandela carries a strategic responsibility in driving economic growth, industrial development, investment and job creation not only for the communities of the Region but the province and the country at large. However, despite the economic potential of the metro, many young people continue to be excluded from meaningful economic participation, employment opportunities, and access to development programmes.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela RTT believes that young people must become central beneficiaries and drivers
of economic development within the metro. The private sector, government institutions, SOEs and industries operating within the Region must actively invest in youth development, skills transfer, entrepreneurship support and sustainable job creation.
The Region further notes with concern the governance and service delivery challenges confronting the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), which continues to negatively affect communities across the metro.
Residents continue to raise concerns relating to water interruptions, deteriorating infrastructure, electricity challenges, crime, poor road conditions, and slow service delivery responses.
As young people, we believe municipalities must return to their core responsibility of delivering quality services efficiently and restoring the dignity of communities. Public resources must serve communities and not personal interests. We therefore support calls for accountability, ethical leadership, and consequence management against corruption, maladministration, and incompetence wherever it exists.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela RTT further commits itself to rebuilding, stabilising, and strengthening the organisation throughout the region. The RTT carries the responsibility of uniting branches, restoring organisational confidence, strengthening political work on the ground, and ensuring that the ANCYL remains rooted within the daily struggles of young people and communities.
In line with the resolutions of the Provincial Lekgotla, the ANCYL Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team commits itself to intensifying civic education programmes, youth mobilisation campaigns and voter registration initiatives ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections. Young people must become active participants in democratic processes and governance.
The Region further supports the call for meaningful youth representation within centres of power and decision making. Young people must not only participate during elections but must also be deployed into strategic leadership and governance positions within municipality and government institutions.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team therefore supports the demand for youth representation in positions such as MMCs, Municipal Public Accounts Committees, Troika leadership collectives, Portfolio Head positions, senior administrative and governance structures, PR Councillor positions and Ward Councillor positions, we also note with grave concern the vacant position of the office of Youth Coordinator and/or Youth Manager within the municipality and we call for the immediate intervention as this office serves as a strategic responsibility that seeks to advance the youth of Nelson Mandela. Young people must influence policy direction, governance and service delivery in practical and meaningful ways.
As part of advancing generational renewal and community-based leadership, the ANCYL Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team calls upon all capable, disciplined and community-grounded young people to avail themselves for leadership responsibilities and contest Branch General Meetings (BGMs) as Ward Councillor candidates under the call of “Umntu Omtsha Epalini.” Communities deserve energetic, ethical and people centred young leaders who understand the daily struggles of the people and are prepared to champion service delivery, accountability and development at local government level.
We firmly support the call for a minimum of 30% youth representation in PR Councillor lists ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections and encourage young people to emerge boldly into leadership spaces across all wards within Nelson Mandela Region.
The Regional Task Team further notes growing concerns within communities relating to illegal immigration, pressure on public services, unemployment, criminal activities and non-compliance with the laws of the Republic.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Region maintains that immigration matters must be addressed firmly, lawfully and within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
We reject criminality, lawlessness and undocumented immigration that undermines social stability, economic opportunities and the safety of communities. At the same time, we reaffirm that all actions undertaken by the state must remain constitutional, humane and consistent with the rule of law. We therefore call upon relevant authorities to strengthen border management systems, improve immigration enforcement, ensure proper documentation processes and decisively deal with illegal activities without promoting vigilantism, xenophobia or attacks on foreign nationals.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Region fully supports the resolution of the Lekgotla on undocumented foreign nationals. We believe that South Africa’s response must be guided by the Constitution, upholding both the rule of law and human dignity. Strengthening border management, improving documentation processes, and ensuring compliance with the rule of law, are critical to protecting public services and maintaining social cohesion.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Region calls on all relevant authorities to act decisively and
responsibly in implementing these measures.
The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team further reaffirms its uncompromising stance against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), crime and substance abuse which continue to destroy the
future of many young people and families within our communities.
As the ANCYL Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team, we remain committed to organisational renewal, strengthening branches on the ground, advancing political education and building a militant youth movement that responds directly to the lived realities and aspirations of young people.
The Youth League will continue to work with communities, progressive formations, and society at large in advancing accountable governance, ethical leadership, and a youth-centred developmental agenda for Nelson Mandela Region and the broader Eastern Cape.
Issued by:
African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) Nelson Mandela Regional Task Team (RTT)
Comrade Ntsika Mnyimba
Regional Coordinator
+27 82 671 3090
For enquiries
Comrade Abongile Phezisa
Regional Spokesperson
+27 73 939 7425
![[PICTURES]Final day of the Florence Matomela Netball Tournament at the Lillian Ngoyi Sports Centre earlier today.](https://img5.govern1.com/297/837/1292996532978379.jpg)
![[In Pictures]The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Region successfully convened a Cadres Forum today, 05 June 2026, at the City Hall....](https://img3.govern1.com/648/740/1291239566487409.jpg)
![[Delayed]The ANC Youth League Nelson Mandela Region led a Sectoral Engagement on Youth, and Business Formation, attended...](https://img3.govern1.com/999/968/1289450139999685.jpg)
