‘Too young to understand alliance traditions’: Mantashe hits back at Malatji over Cosatu walkout

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has hit back at ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji over his criticism of the Cosatu congress exit, saying the youth leader does not understand alliance traditions.

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe has hit back at ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji over his criticism of the decision to leave the Cosatu congress, saying the youth leader is too young to understand the traditions of the tripartite alliance.

Mantashe defended his decision not to address the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) congress after a dispute over the order of speakers, insisting that the African National Congress (ANC) was entitled to protect its dignity and position in the alliance.

Malatji described the incident as irresponsible and said it portrayed the ANC as an arrogant organisation, while calling for older leaders to make way for younger members.

“Collen Malatji is too young to understand the tradition,” Mantashe said during an interview with the SABC.

He said he did not want to engage Malatji publicly on the matter, adding that the alliance had a longstanding culture that should not be changed arbitrarily.

“I don't want to engage with him in public on this matter, because I would imagine that when we formed Cosatu in 1985, in which conference I was a delegate, I'm sure he was very young if he was born,” Mantashe said.

Malatji criticised Mantashe following the incident at the Cosatu congress, where the ANC national chairperson left after disagreeing with the speaking order.

“He went there thinking that he was representing his jacket and his family. He forgot that he went there to address the working class on behalf of the African National Congress.”

Malatji said the ANC could not dictate to Cosatu when it should speak at a congress hosted by the trade union federation.

“The ANC, it is not an arrogant organisation. We can't go to a conference of COSATU and tell COSATU what time we want to speak and when we want to speak, when we are invited at a conference of COSATU,” he said.

He also called for Mantashe to retire, saying younger members should take over the party and correct its course.

“The sooner he retires, with his friends the better, so that we take over the ANC and correct it,” Malatji said.

“And if they don't retire for long, the youth of the African National Congress must rise and remove them out of position and install ourselves.”