/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The YCLSA National Committee (NC) convened in Johannesburg over the weekend of the 3rd March - 5th March 2017. The National Committee discussed and adopted the political report as presented by the National Secretariat as well as the Organizational and Financial reports of the YCLSA for the last quarter. The political report focused on the current state of the alliance, the state of the youth movement in the country and the tasks and responsibilities of the YCLSA in deepening, advancing and consolidating youth mobilization for Socialism. The National Committee also received a presentation by Cde. Madala Masuku, SACP CC member, on a Marxist-Leninist perspective on youth representation.

The National Committee noted that this year marks the centenary of the 1917 October Socialist Revolution, 150 years since the publication of Das Kapital by Karl Marx, the 14th Congress of the South African Communist Party in July and the 54th National Conference of the ANC towards the end of the year. In celebrating 150 years of Das Kapital by Karl Marx, the YCLSA will be organizing reading clubs in all communities and a special Bua Thursday series in all Institutions of Higher Learning focusing on popularizing and embedding a deeper understanding of Das Kapital amongst the youth.

Higher Education is a common good and not a commodity

As the YCLSA we call for the decommodication of Higher Education in South Africa. To decolonize Higher Education in South Africa will not be enough to transform the sector. As long as education is treated as a commodity in a capitalist society, it will always be the privilege of a few wealthy elites. To realize the call of free education requires an ideological shift from which higher education would be viewed as a common good not a commodity like chicken licken or Nandos.

We reiterate our call of Free Quality and Compulsory Higher Education for the poor and call on the State to find the R28 Billion required to fund the call of free education for the poor. Why was it so easy for government to find R1 trillion to fund the Nuclear Programme yet we are consistently told that there is no money to fund free higher education for the poor. The YCLSA plans to engage the National Treasury and government as a whole to shift its priorities and find the R28 Billion required for Free Higher Education from the R1 trillion that has been made available for the Nuclear Programme.

Molefes appointment to Parliament a sign of the rot in the ANC

The appointment of Brian Molefe to Parliament is an example of the deep rot in the ANC as result of factionalism, gate-keeping, fraud and corruption. The YCLSA questions as to how someone who was forced to resign as a result of wrongdoing at Eskom is now rewarded with a seat in Parliament as a public representative.

Brian Molefe's appointment to Parliament now means that the Guptas are members of parliament. The Guptas have now found expression in the legislature of our country. The YCLSA is concerned that the only capable leadership we have to lead us in Parliament is the ‘Golden Boy’ of the Guptas.

The YCLSA calls for the immediate resignation of Minister Bathabile Dlamini

The National Committee discussed the current crisis at the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) or rather the 'Bathabile Dlamini Security Agency' regarding the administration of social grants and the recent resignation of the Director General, Zane Dangor. The YCLSA calls on the Minister of Social Development to take responsibility for her mess and do the honourable thing by resigning with immediate effect. We also call on Minister Dlamini to offer a formal apology to millions of poor for the SASSA mess she has created.

In 2014, the Constitutional Court declared the extension of the Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) contract as invalid and illegal. The Constitutional Court ordered SASSA to issue a new tender which it did but disqualified every bidder meaning that CPS kept its contract to administer the grants. The Department of Social Department was constitutionally bound to file an application with the Constitutional Court if it chose to continue with the contract of CPS. The Department did not file such an application thus violating a Constitutional court judgment. Minister Dlamini must therefore take responsibility for being in violation of the Constitutional court and her complete disregard for the constitution. It is the poorest of the poor, more especially women and youth, who now have to suffer as a result of poor leadership from Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

We also call on the new Public Protector to investigate the relationship between CPS and Minister Dlamini. The Department has gone to the extremes to ensure that CPS maintains its contract even receiving additional payments of more than R360 million under the former CEO of SASSA. How is it possible that one company is allowed to have a monopoly over our social grant system?

The YCLSA calls for the immediate recapitalization of the Post Bank to administer the social grant system on behalf of the state. The delivery of state services cannot be subjected to the whims of white monopoly capital in cahoots with black monopoly capital. It is the state itself that must develop its own capacity to administer social grants to the masses of our people.

Violence against foreign Nationals a consequence of Capitalism

As the YCLSA we condemn in the strongest possible terms the attack on foreign nationals. The attacks are nothing else but a manifestation of the working class struggle based on the exploitation of an oppressive capitalist system that thrives on sowing divisions amongst the working class. The unity of the oppressed class is a threat to the ruling class, therefore tensions and conflicts amongst the working class of different nationalities serves nothing else to but to strengthen the foothold of capitalism in society.

To stop the violence against foreign nationals requires us to end Capitalism and destroy the exploitative class system. It is the exploitation of workers by the capitalist system that leads to such violence. The violence against foreign nationals will end when Capitalism is brought to an end and we embrace a more humane and responsive socialist society. The YCLSA calls on the workers of Africa to unite against the ills of Capitalism. Let's fight the system and not each other1

An end to violence and abuse against young women on International Women's Day

As we celebrate International Women's Day on the 8th March 2017, the YCLSA calls for an end to violence and abuse against women and young women in particular. The YCLSA is deeply concerned about the rise in violence and abuse against women in general and young women in particular. The YCLSA will be mobilizing and organizing more young women into its ranks and intensifying the struggle against patriarchy. The YCLSA remembers the internationalist communist women who have led our struggle with distinction such as Dora Tamana. The YCLSA will celebrate the life and times of Comrade Dora Tamana as a role model for young women during International Women's Day.

On State Power

The National Committee further elaborated on its congress resolution that the SACP should contest state power through the ballot. This should translate into the SACP registering as an independent political party at the National General Elections in 2019. The YCLSA believes that the SACP should not go it alone but should rather lead a new front for change that seeks to unite the working class whilst deliberately isolating and out-maneuvering white monopoly capital, black monopoly capital and the Imperialist forces that underpin them. This new front for people's power should be led by the SACP as an organ for advancing the national democratic revolution and intensfiying the socialist revolution. The advancement of the national democratic revolution does not mean the suspension of the Socialist Revolution. The current movement led by the ANC is incapable and not willing to take the NDR to its logical conclusion which is Socialism and ultimately Communism.

The YCLSA has developed a perspective on the need for "A New Front for Socialism" that will be tabled at the 14th Congress of the SACP in which we will lobby our motherbody the SACP to contest the National General elections in 2019 as the leader of this new front for Socialism.

On the readmission of Morocco into the AU

Morocco's readmission into the AU signals a setback for the African Union and its own authority to make independent decisions. It is a failure of the Nkosazana Zuma administration that this readmission of Morocco takes place at a time when South Africa holds the Chairpersonship of the African Union Commission. Clearly we have no international relations strategy or foreign relations policy to guide our efforts on the continent. An official of the SA government was quoted as saying that SA is, "not opposed to Morocco rejoining the AU." - Is the policy of the ANC to support French Imperialism on the continent or perhaps deployees to government are not able to make such strategic decisions?

The readmission of Morocco into the AU further signals a setback to the struggles of Western Sahara. The Republic of the Western Sahara was annexed by Morocco in 1975 who claimed that it was part of the territory of Morocco. As the YCLSA, we will intensify our support for the Polisario Front and condemn all forms of Colonialism and Imperialism on the continent.

The recent military withdrawal of Morocco from UN buffer zones as a result of international pressure does signal a willingness to negotiate on the part of Morocco. However, the military withdrawal must further translate into a full referendum whereby the Saharawi people are allowed to express their will on self-determination.

On the 13th International Israeli Apartheid Week

The YCLSA as part of its commitment to internationalism will be participating in the 13th international #IsraeliApartheidWeek campaign with our National Secretary Comrade Mluleki Dlelanga speaking at a public discussion with the SACP 2nd Deputy General Secretary on Monday 6th March at COSATU house. All our structures, at all levels, will also be arranging other Palestine solidarity programs, activities and events during this week. The YCLSA notes that Israel's Apartheid policies and oppression against the Palestinian people has intensified meaning that we as young people must intensify our opposition to that criminal regime. It would seem that Israel has been emboldened by the rise of the right-wing and our fear is that Israel’s racism against Palestinians and Africans will only get worse. Israel has already displayed this arrogance by its increased building of illegal settlements. Such impunity is unacceptable and the South African Government must review its relations with Israel starting with the downgrading of the South African Embassy in Tel Aviv. The time for statements is over.

On the Land Question

The YCLSA condemns the current grand standing and palace politics on the issue of land and agrarian reform. As the YCLSA we will be organizing a Land Symposium for Youth where young people are able to express themselves on the practical and concrete steps that need to be taken for the acceleration of land and agrarian transformation.

The logic of capitalism requires the transformation of land into a commodity. To drive a meaningful programme for the radical transformation of land requires an ideological shift that views land as a common good and not a commodity. The YCLSA calls for the nationalization of agricultural land as part of our radical agrarian reform programme. By agricultural land we mean land that is considered arable for food production. If we nationalize agricultural land, farmers must work the land but they cannot own it. The state must own all agricultural land. By the nationalization of agricultural land, we mean the implementation of the principle that agricultural land is not a commodity but a common good. As a common good, it must be converted into the property of the state represented by rural families engaged in petty production for consumption not exchange. It cannot be privatized.

The Nationalization of Agricultural Land must be a key pillar of our Rural Development Strategy. The YCLSA further calls for the land tax for unused agricultural land to be used to skill our own people to own agricultural land. We further call upon land under kings and chiefs to be put under the control of the state for people’s benefit. Land must benefit those who work it. This is the only way to restore the dignity of the socially and economically disenfranchised.

Issued by the YCLSA National Committee