African National Congress Youth League president Collen Malatji has described Zimbabwe as “home” during a preparatory visit ahead of next month’s Africa Youth Congress Summit in Harare.

Upon arrival at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Malatji addressed supporters who had gathered to welcome his delegation.

“We are here in our home, Zimbabwe is our home, and we are saying the fight must continue,” Malatji told the crowd. “South Africa and Zimbabwe, we are going to work together for a beneficiation programme of making sure that we take back our land, to benefit our people.”

Malatji dismissed reports of protests in Zimbabwe, claiming they were “driven by Western media.” He advocated for African nations to retain their natural resources rather than exporting raw materials.

“Our minerals must benefit our people. If there is poverty, it is poverty we are ready to go through. We are not prepared to suffer at the expense of countries that have no minerals and have no land,” he stated.

During his visit, Malatji met with Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF secretary for youth affairs Tino Machakaire, sharing pictures of these engagements on social media.

The visit was previously announced by ZANU PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa, who welcomed the communion between the youth leagues of both ruling parties.

“We are from SADC, born of the frontline states. We shared the trenches with our fellow liberation movements. I have said it time and time again, in SADC we are neighbours, we are sisters, we are brothers,” Mutsvangwa told journalists last week.

The Africa Youth Congress Summit will take place in Harare next month, bringing together youth leaders from across the continent.