ANCYL’s Collen Malatji Says Solly Mapaila Should Join MK Party if He’s Unhappy, Sparks Debate Online

• Collen Malatji suggest that Solly Mapaila join the MK Party if he is unhappy with the ANC at the moment
• The ANC Youth League leader also called on the party to not be afraid to deal with ill-disciplined members
• South Africans are divided over Malatji's comments, with some suggesting he is making things worse

WESTERN CAPE - Collen Malatji has had enough people affiliated with the African National Congress (ANC) talking poorly about the party.

The leader of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) has criticised ill-disciplined members and some alliance partners for their recent utterances.

During the party’s visit to the Western Cape for the 113th birthday celebrations, Malatji said that those who don’t respect the ANC's logo and constitution don't belong in the party.

Malatji tells Mapaila to join MK Party

The ANCYL leader first took issue with South African Communist Party (SACP) Secretary-General Solly Mapaila.

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Mapaila has been critical of the ANC’s decision to partner with the Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Mapaila wanted the ANC to work with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party instead.

The SACP is part of the tripartite alliance with the ANC and Congress of the Trade Unions (COSATU).

With the SACP confirming that they will contest the 2026 Local Government Elections on their own, Malatji took issue with Mapaila using the party to voice his grievances.

During a speech on 10 January 2025, Malatji said that the SACP belongs to the mass democratic movement and that Mapaila and his friends should join the MK Party if they weren’t happy.

“When we were at 63%, they were happy with us; when we were at 57%, they were happy with us. When we are under siege, they leave us and join counter-revolution at the expense of our people,” he said.

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“Solly will not go with any SACP; he found it here. If he wants to join the MK Party with Floyd Shivambu, he should leave the SACP,” he added.

Malatji hits out at ill-disciplined members

The ANCYL member president also called on the party to take action against ill-disciplined members, even if it risks losing support.

He made the comments after some raised concerns that the party shouldn’t have Jacob Zuma, as the ANC left support following his departure.

"This organisation called the ANC must instil discipline. If it means we must be left alone and only with those who are disciplined, let us do that. We can’t harbour criminals, thugs and ill-disciplined people because we are scared of losing support,” he said.

He reiterated that those who didn’t respect the party logo or constitution didn’t deserve to be a part of it.

South Africans divided by Malatji’s comments

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Malatji’s statement has divided social media users, with some agreeing and others criticising him.

UnityInSA said:

“The ANC should have nothing to do with the SACP. The SACP needs to form its own party and develop on its own. The ANC must now be only ANC. Cosatu must now be an independent union and start working for the workers, not their own leaders’ careers.”

@bigkoostar added:

“This boy is making things worse. He should have just kept quiet.”

@motombotie stated:

“Mbalula Light does not understand the alliance. The ANC does not own the SACP, and they can vote alone. What is he saying? He needs some crash course on the dynamics of the alliance.”

@MMtshiza said:

“ANCYL may disagree with the SACP, but what Malatji is doing is wrong on so many levels. I hope he has the same energy when it comes to advocating for the needs of the youth, such as unemployment.”

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@Thabo_Sops added:

“Well said comrade Collen✊🏽.”

@smathunjwa5

“Mapaila needs these types of truth to be conveyed to him.”

@Lindi95554314 asked:

“So why Floyd and Solly in the same sentence? Is this boy mad?”

Malatji jokes about inviting EFF to join ANC

In a related article, Malatji joked that the EFF should shut up shop and rejoin the ANC once more.

The ANCYL president made the joke on 9 January 2025 after Mbuyiseni Ndlozi resigned from Parliament.

Briefly News reported that many roasted the decision, saying they were inviting the EFF to a sinking ship.

Source: Briefly News