ANCYL raises alarm over Joburg political instability, water crisis and unemployment

February 3, 2026 42

The ANC Youth League has warned that ongoing failures in education and basic service delivery are pushing young South Africans deeper into poverty, as it unveiled an ambitious political and economic agenda for 2026.

The programme includes plans for mass action over access to education, urgent intervention in the country’s deepening water crisis, and a renewed push to stabilise key metropolitan municipalities.

Declaring 2026 the Year of Youth and Economic Emancipation, the organisation on Tuesday announced plans to march to the Department of Higher Education and Training, warning that unemployment, water shortages and political instability are worsening hardship for young people.

– Planned March for Free and Accessible Education –

The organisation also announced plans to march to the Department of Higher Education and Training over access to education, while warning that worsening water shortages and political instability are deepening hardships for young South Africans.

The Youth League confirmed it will mobilise young people nationwide to march to the Department of Higher Education, demanding free and accessible education and increased government support for students from working-class backgrounds.

The organisation says education remains central to economic emancipation, arguing that the current system continues to exclude poor and working-class youth.

Malatji said South Africa’s economic structure remains skewed in favour of a small elite, while millions of young people remain unemployed and landless.

“The current economic structure is a colonial, exclusionary and anti-poor. Today, the richest 10% of the population earns over 60% of the national income and controls more than 96% of the wealth, while millions of young people remain unemployed, landless and economically marginalised.”

The Youth League says the march is intended to pressure government to prioritise funding for youth development, skills training, and student financial aid, insisting that education must not be treated as a privilege for the wealthy.

– Warning Over Deepening Water Crisis –

The Youth League has also called on the ANC-led government to urgently intervene in South Africa’s deepening water crisis, warning that persistent shortages are crippling communities and essential services.

Parts of Johannesburg, including Midrand, have faced repeated outages in recent days, with some areas going without water for nearly a week.

Malatji urged government to move beyond short-term measures and invest in long-term, sustainable water infrastructure.

He raised concerns about the growing reliance on water tankers, describing them as costly, unsustainable, and vulnerable to corruption.

“The NEC called on government to urgently invest in long-term water infrastructure, maintenance, and sustainable water management solutions to ensure that there is water security for all,” Malatji added.

He warned that continued dependence on water tankers risks entrenching a system that benefits a corrupt few, while communities remain without reliable access to clean water.

Communities in Midrand have now endured a sixth consecutive day without water following an electrical failure at a Rand Water facility, prompting frustrated residents to take to the streets last week.

– Political Instability Threatens Youth Jobs in Johannesburg –

The Youth League also warned that political instability in the City of Johannesburg could undermine service delivery and limit economic opportunities for young people.

Malatji defended the ANC’s leadership of the metro, calling on party structures to close ranks amid internal tensions, while criticising opposition plans for the city.

His comments follow confirmation by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that former Western Cape premier, Helen Zille, will be its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg in the 2026 local government elections — a move that has intensified political debate in the metro.

“We must defend the African biggest city called Johannesburg. We can’t afford Johannesburg to be under the leadership of a pensioner called Helen Zille. We’re calling upon the leadership of Johannesburg to urgently unite and close rank and make sure that the ANC is defended and its government so that we deliver the services to our people,” Malatji said.

The ANC Youth League maintains that a stable Johannesburg is critical to restoring confidence in local government and addressing youth unemployment — which it has previously declared a national disaster.