Newly-elected African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday said President Cyril Ramaphosa should appoint a youthful cabinet that inspires confidence in the electorate ahead of national elections set for 2024.Briefing reporters at party’s headquarters in Johannesburg late Tuesday, the firebrand politician said it was time that Ramaphosa surrounded himself with “people who are going to do the work”. 

“What we do not want are people who are not going to deliver. We do not want incompetence — that is non-negotiable,” Mbalula said. 

He added: “We want a gender-sensitive government, a government that is youthful, that is running.”

According to Mbalula, Ramaphosa would have a difficult time convincing his colleagues in the new ANC executive which no longer wanted to see “people sleeping on the job”. 

“If the president is going to come with sleepers, he must forget (about) our support. We are not going to agree there.”

He said Ramaphosa was busy making consultations after which he would make an announcement concerning the “youthful” cabinet.

Mbalula said the ANC was now focused on organising a successful second leg of the 55th national elective conference which continues on Thursday and Friday in a hybrid manner.