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The ANC Youth League has noted a booklet published by right-wing quasi-intellectuals aimed at diverting and rebutting some of the valid facts raised by the ANC Youth League on the Nationalisation of Mines debate. The pro-capitalist, right-wing Free Market Foundation has gathered together a group of intellectually weak and dim-witted individuals to reflect on the Nationalisation of Mines debate, and grounded their arguments on misinformation.

Common about the group that is debating Nationalisation of Mines for the Free Market Foundation is the reality that all of them have not read the ANC Youth League’s perspective document on Nationalisation of Mines, which clarifies in great detail some of the concerns they raise in their booklet. To parade their political bankruptcy and intellectual laziness some members of the right wing group try to revise a tired argument that the Freedom Charter does not call for Nationalisation of Mines. This is despite the fact that the ANC Youth League dedicated adequate time to this question and clarifying beyond any doubt that the ANC and entire National Liberation Movement’s interpretation of the Freedom Charter is consistent with what the ANC resolved in the 3rd National General Council in 2010, i.e. greater consensus on nationalisation of Mines and other strategic sectors of the economy.

The ANC Youth League is not against further contributions and robust discussions on the nationalisation of Mines, we actually encourage it. We however are disgusted by right-wing groups who engage from a premise of misinformation and spreading of lies. The ANC’s research on Nationalisation of Mines is investigating how best the State takes control and ownership of Mines and other strategic sectors of the economy. Right wing and capitalist scholars should condition themselves for the inevitable, because Nationalisation of Mines is articulated in the Freedom Charter and will be given practical meaning by the ANC Policy and National Conferences in 2012. Our solemn appeal to those who want to debate nationalisation of mines is that they must do a simple thing—READ AND DO RESEARCH.