Young people no longer want to be “used” by the ruling African National Congress (ANC), fiery FeesMustFall leader Fatima Hassan said at memorial service for the late anti-apartheid stalwart Ahmed Kathrada in Cape Town.

Speaking in a packed St. George’s Cathedral, Hassan compared the leaders of the ruling party to Ahmed Kathrada whom she said joined protests for free education, and instead of scolding her, he would listen.

This, she said, was sorely missing in the current ANC movement.

“We are indeed at an epoch as this country. The bitter truth of the matter is that we failed our people long time ago. We became a left-talking but right-walking ruling party,” she said to loud cheers and shouts of “yes” from memorial attendees.

She said the ANC had become a party of “nepotism” and corruption, and that young people would not allow themselves to be used during factional battles within in the ruling party.