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.

April 27 1994 shall always be an important date in our calendar, it is
>a date, that brought promises and hope amongst our people. It is the
>date that presented opportunity for all, the day of our historic
>democratic break-through. Many fallen heroes and heroines did not only
>wish to be part of it, but fought and died for it. The revolutionary
>alliance spent years and years in exile, in prison, underground and
>some even faced death in that long road, which was full of
>difficulties and challenges: the road of freedom.
>
>April 27 1994 saw those previously exclude from voting, franchised. It
>located the newly found “none racial” society in the international
>map. The economic sanction against the country from international
>community was uplifted. It saw the end of Apartheid era hardships.
>All of the above and many other opportunities which were presented by
>democracy took place in the terrain which was not of our choosing. The
>legacy of Apartheid Capitalism was to continue to haunt us as a
>nation. Our economy had experienced long term growth decline partly
>caused by the isolation of our country by the rest of the world. The
>1924 agreement between white workers and business meant that we were
>to inherit a segmented labour market: a minuscule white skilled labour
>against a large unskilled black labour.
>
>The distribution of resource was unequal, while government spending
>was almost 15 times on white education compared to townships and
>villages where blacks were stayed. The levels of unemployment were
>high; health care service on blacks was pathetic to say but the least.
> The distribution of income and wealth was hugely unequal. The single
>capitalist economy had created two nations in one country: that of
>blacks swimming in poverty and the rich whites living in opulence, far
>better that their brothers and sisters back in Europe. The income
>gini-coefficient rate was at 0.7%, making our country to be the
>highest in the world. It must be noted also that while this was a case
>many whites looted from public funds as much as they could so as to
>guarantee themselves a good life forever.
>
>Our story is a long sad one; it cannot be told entirely in this
>limited space, in summary we inherited a dysfunctional economy with
>foreign and domestic debt. All this took place when “victory” of
>capitalism over socialism was declared with the collapse of the USSR.
>Our people hoped that the new democratic government will speed up the
>process of service delivery, little did they know the fiscal
>constrains and many social and political challenges that will face the
>new “rainbow” nation.
>
>Above all this, ours was a negotiated democracy as opposed to violent
>overthrow of the apartheid state. While as YCLSA we are not advocating
>for violent revolution we equally do not support the wholesale
>compromise, filled with “sunsets and sunrise clauses” which
>voluntarily assured land thieves the land Right at the expense of land
>owners who were deprived of their land.
>
>FREEDOM FOR YOUNG WORKERS AND THE UNEMPLOYED
>
>As the YCL, we dedicate this freedom day to our history; to the fallen
>martyrs of our struggle whose blood guaranteed the rights enshrined in
>our constitution; to the traditions of the National Liberation
>Movement which stood firmly against personal accumulation, personality
>cult; self-praise; and to the cadres who sacrificed everything and
>fought for this country in exile, in the underground and some being
>jailed. We dedicate this freedom day to the first ever democratic
>government led by Nelson Mandela which in haste and dedication, build
>the foundations within which the legacy of apartheid will completely
>be overthrown. Through their efforts, we are hopeful that the
>socialist foundations they have laid shall form the basis within which
>our future shall be guaranteed.
>
>But we also dedicate this freedom day to the young workers in the
>factory floors who are daily exploited by labour brokers, denied even
>the basest of rights in the constitution and the labour relations act.
>The youth in the factory floors whom the dream of being part of a
>trade-union, of a decent wage, of normal working hours, of fair labour
>practice, a dream that freedom day was meant to deliver, remain out of
>reach.
>
>We dedicate this freedom day to the unemployed youth failed by the
>capitalist system whose main objective is to generate profit and
>maximise personal wealth. Those young people who stand on long queues
>looking for jobs, who fill in thousands applications with the hope of
>even an interview, those whom the ideal of a better life for all seems
>not to include them; we dedicate it to them. These are young people
>vulnerable to crime, prostitution and drug trafficking in order to get
>the ticket to a better life.
>
>We dedicate this freedom day to hundreds of communities who in the
>last ten years have gone out into the streets to hold their local
>municipalities accountable. To these communities, who refused to
>accept corruption and poor service delivery, we say to them; together
>through action we can do more in ensuring that the ANC and the
>alliance delivers all of these.
>
>FREEDOM DAY FOR FOR ANDRIES TATANE AND STRUGGLE SONGS
>
>A few days ago two incidents which should never be repeated, and which
>reminded us of the apartheid past, are worth mentioning. The brutal
>maiming and killing of Andries Tatane and the high court hearing
>against struggle songs in Johannesburg. These incidents are in
>themselves a serious threat to our democracy, to our history and to
>the confidence our people have restored in the police and judiciary
>system. Both these acts are a threat to national reconciliation, and a
>disgrace to those who fought for a better life for our people. As the
>YCL, we will continue to mobilise the youth to ensure that they are at
>the helm in defence of our democracy and its gains.
>
>ONLY SOCIALISM SHALL REALISE THE DREAM OF MANDELA
>
>Our missiles as we celebrate this freedom day should be directed
>against the ruling class, and the most barbaric, heartless and cruel
>system on earth: capitalism. This is a system that had created wealth
>for few at the expense of the majority of our people. A system common
>to both apartheid and our freedom. The common denominator of our
>poverty, of corruption, of greed, of inequality, of unemployment, of
>HIV/AIDS and of brutality in defense of the wealth of the few.
>
>As we mobilise our people to Vote ANC, we should not take them for
>granted. We must never turn them into uncritical voting cattle. We
>must mobilise our people to be true vanguard of our democracy. They
>must defend, deepen and strengthen our democracy.
>Our people must know that just as we are opposed to white monopoly
>capital we as also opposed to black fat cats who enrich themselves
>through state resources. We are against state parasitic black
>bourgeois even if they may be found in the ANC, COSATU and even worse
>if they can be found in the ranks of SACP and Young Communist League.
>To us a true democracy is that which place the need of the people at
>the centre.
>
>In a true democracy wealth must be shared amongst the people, land
>must be restored to those who work on it, and monopoly industries must
>be under the control of the people. Democracy must mean nothing else
>but bread, clothing, shelter and free basic need for all. All of these
>basic needs can only be realised through socialism, in our lifetime.