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The ANC Youth League celebrates the Anniversary of the release of Former ANC Youth League, ANC and RSA President Nelson Mandela after 27 years for being a political prisoner of the colonial-cum-apartheid, repressive, racist regime. Comrade Nelson Mandela a leader of the ANC fought against the ruthless oppression of the black majority of South Africa and is an icon of the people's suffering who sought to organise the masses of our people in the armed struggle for liberation.

Comrade Nelson Mandela was certainly not an observer of the processes of the Freedom Charter but a volunteer in chief in its adoption and hence an advocate for the Nationalisation of Mines as a means of ensuring that the mineral wealth of country belongs to the people. In his first public address after release from prison, former President Nelson Mandela said, "nationalisation of the mines, banks and monopoly industry is the policy of the ANC and a change or modification of our view in this regard is inconceivable". The ANC Youth League is aware that there are deliberate attempts to forget this outstanding observation by President Nelson Mandela and will stop nowhere to ensure that his vision is ultimately realised.

Comrade Nelson Mandela called for Freedom in his lifetime when he led the ANCYL and such freedom beyond the achievements of struggle for liberation against the racist in inhumane regime. Nelson Mandela fought for and lived to realise political freedom in his lifetime. Inspired by his courage, commitment and dedication, our generation of the Youth League is calling for Economic Freedom in Our lifetime and that will happen in our lifetime. Economic Freedom means the attainment of the all clauses of the Freedom Charter, with no additions, no substitutions and no liberal interpretations.

The ANC YL reaffirms the absolute truth that Nelson Mandela was never released by F.W. De Klerk; he was released by the people of South Africa. We reject the notion that F.W. De Klerk was solely responsible for the release of political prisoners and should because of that be celebrated. F.W. De Klerk's address to Parliament 20 years ago was never a result of his individual brilliance, but a capitulation to the revolutionary forces in and outside South Africa, who had exposed apartheid's murderous, immoral and repressive practices of the black majority and Africans in particular. The address by De Klerk was a demonstration of the reality that no unjust system can rule over people forever.

As we mark the 20 years of Nelson Mandela's release we call upon all young people of South Africa to honour the heroes of our struggle that served the ANC in exile and sacrificed their lives and families for the democracy we enjoy. We call upon our young people to serve the nation and the ANCYL at all times as defenders of the revolution on guard. The road ahead of us is too long and might be difficult, but all young people are called upon to honour Nelson Mandela through defence of the ANC and its vision of building a truly non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.