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As SASCO, COSAS and the YCLSA we condemn in the strongest way possible the booing of the YCLSA National Secretary by a section of delegates from Limpopo at the ANC Youth League NGC last night. We believe that the booing was orchestrated and planned, and is an unfortunate occurrence and a wrong culture in our movement. In the same manner that the collective condemned the booing of Julius Malema at the SACP Special Congress, we equally condemn what happened last night.
We are certain that what happened last night was designed to avenge the unfortunate December incident, and thus unfortunate as those who did this last night are the same elements who are putting the name of the ANC Youth League into disrepute and seek to divide the PYA. We hope that it will take more than a half-hearted, insincere and sarcastic apology from Julius Malema to deal with this tendency within the ANC Youth League.

It is also unfortunate that even the Deputy Secretary General of the ANC was booed when trying to call order and preside over the NGC.
It is also unfortunate that there are talks of such booing planned for the ANC NGC next month targeted at certain leaders who are also leaders of the SACP and Cosatu. If this happens, it will be unfortunate, and requires the attention of the ANC leadership.

We believe that in as much as we differ on issues of leadership or policies, the YCLSA, ANC Youth League, SASCO and COSAS, constitute the core of the Progressive Youth Alliance and requires visionary leadership and maturity to defend this alliance.

Young people throughout the country expected the NGC of the ANC Youth League to discuss issues that interest them, to look into issues of unemployment, poverty and HIV/AIDS and how it will go about in putting into practice the nationalisation of mines, fighting corruption and tenderpreneurship, defeating anti-communism and preparing for the local government elections.

We went there, as invited, to strengthen this message and ensure that we engage with our ally on how all of these should be done. Unfortunately, the leadership of the ANC YL gave way to a small group of delegates who are not interested in engaging with the ideas, but who prefer to howl and boo. This, in our view, was also a lost opportunity to ensure that we build a strong PYA.

We are more determined and focused to fight corruption, dealing with unemployment, fighting tenderpreneurship, dealing with divisive elements within our organisations and alliance, and ensuring that we provide true and dedicated youth leadership. These are the things which the PYA represents, and if we are to be booed for saying them, then let it be- but we believe that there are many in society who share these views.

The PYA is stronger than individuals. The PYA will outlive us as its current leadership. A strong PYA can only be build from below, and thus, we will engage with all structures of the Youth League in order to build this unity. Our course is more just, more resolute and more clearer. The voices of the students and youth in our country will ultimately prevail over those who seek to divide us.