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Polity
Published: 15 Dec 2009
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| ANCYL: Malema: Speaking notes of the ANCYL leader, National Press Club (15/12/2009) | |
| Date: 15/12/2009 Source: African National Congress Youth League Title: ANCYL: Malema: Speaking notes of the ANCYL leader, National Press Club We have decided to use this platform to highlight some of the key and central decisions we took in our National Executive Committee meeting, which happened on the 5th of December 2009 in KwaZulu Natal. We could not have a Media briefing immediately after the National Executive Committee meeting because the following day we visited a family of a late comrade to handover a house that was built by the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC YL in KwaZulu Natal. On the days after the handover of the house, we addressed the National Congress of SASCO in Pinetown, KwaZulu Natal, addressed the Provincial Congress of the ANC Youth League in Springbok, Northern Cape, and had to rush to Limpopo to attend the 2nd National Special Congress of the Communist Party, which happened in Polokwane over the last weekend. Despite all that has happened over the past week, we still carry the mandate of the National Executive Committee to communicate some of its key decisions so that we inform our members and engage society on our ideas. *CELEBRATING THE YEAR 2009* The National Executive Committee is of the view that the year 2009 will definitely go in history as one of the most important years in the struggle to consolidate the political power and freedom South Africa gained in 1994. The ANC went into one of the most challenging democratic elections and defeated a splinter group called COPE signalling the fact that all breakaway factions from the ANC will be thrown into the dustbin of history. The year 2009 also signifies the official launch of the National Youth Development Agency, which is a direct result of young people's influence and advocacy. The NYDA, which should be given money by the Minister of Finance to function, will go a long in practically changing the lives of many young South Africans. For the first time since the democratic dispensation, the ANC government also adopted a National Youth Policy in 2009, which guides government on its youth development programmes. In 2009, the ANC YL touched many lives of many ordinary South Africans. We have changed the lives of ordinary workers, students, unemployed youth, troubled households, disabled children, orphans and victims of racism. We defended the ANC at all times and always emphasised the principle that in the process of transferring wealth to the ownership of the people as a whole, the black majority and Africans in particular should be emancipated from social and economic bondage. * * *On the Department of Public Enterprises: * The ANC YL is concerned with the leadership or lack thereof in the Department of Public Enterprises, particularly with regards to its strategic leadership of ESKOM and TRANSNET and other strategic sectors of the economy. The ANC YL is strongly concerned with the fact that the Management processes in ESKOM and TRANSNET were not given proper and strategic leadership by the Ministry of Public Enterprises. TRANSNET still has an acting CEO, more than a year after Maria Ramos resigned and ESKOM was left to undermine and victimise Jacob Maroga. The ANC YL is concerned about these realities and strongly convinced that the incumbent Minister is not doing enough to decisively address the transformational programme which these SOEs should carry out. We will engage with the leadership of the ANC about the leadership of Public Enterprises and make concrete proposals on what should happen, because we are not convinced that the incumbent leadership is fulfilling the ANC mandate of building a developmental state. *On the introduction of a New Scholarship for students* The National Executive Committee of the ANC Youth League resolved to engage our ANC government, particularly the Presidency on the introduction and establishment of a Student Scholarship in the Presidency. The scholarship will be used to fund the training and education of young South African students in the best Universities across the world. The scholarship should be used to fund South African students studying outside the country and should take care of all their needs, including transport, accommodation, tuition fees, food and a monthly stipend. Our considered view is that every year, President Zuma should send not less than 10 000 students to the best Universities across the world to get the best education and skills on important areas such as medicine, engineering, accounting, technology, and science. We believe that such a model would greatly contribute to the production of skills in South Africa because the reality is that our education system cannot produce as many graduates as possible. The scholarship we are proposing is not an opposition and not a contradiction to the National Students' Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and will not reduce the amount of money and resources allocated to the NSFAS. The ANC YL will continue with campaigns for the transformation of Higher Education in South Africa and for increased funding for particularly disadvantaged students, yet convinced that additional measures are needed to produce as many skills as possible in South Africa. *On support for Bafana Bafana* The ANC YL is contrary to make soccer commentators convinced that the South African National Soccer team will do very well in the 2010 Soccer World Cup. We call on all patriotic South Africans to support Bafana Bafana and show the necessary confidence in our soccer team. The ANC Youth League leadership will soon request audience with the National Soccer team to give them additional inspiration towards the 2010 Soccer World Cup. *On Nationalisation of Mines * The ANC YL will officially release the discussion document on Nationalisation in our Lekgotla in January 2010. The discussion document will be clearly stating a framework on how Nationalisation of Mines will happen in South Africa. Our perspective on Nationalisation will be a product of intensive engagement with all interested stakeholders in South Africa, particularly COSATU, which has expressed interest to influence and input in the discussion document. We call on other interested stakeholders who are interested in thorough debate to make contributions into our perspective as we want the perspective to be a commonly shared vision on how the people benefit from Nationalised Mines and other strategic sectors of the economy. The ANC YL will further conduct study tours to countries that have greater State participation in the management of their economies and how this impacts in the development of their communities. We will specifically visit countries such as China, Botswana, Zambia, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Namibia to study and learn how these countries have either succeeded or failed in the management and control of strategic sectors of their respective economies. We believe that understanding the weakness and strengths of these countries will enrich our perspective of how Mines will be nationalised in South Africa. *ON THE FESTIVE SEASON* The ANC Youth League wishes all South Africans a joyful, peaceful and productive festive season. We hope that all South Africans will enjoy a Merry Christmas and Happy New year. We once again call on South Africans who are better off to adopt poor families and households and make sure that they do not run out of food and basic necessities during the festive season. The ANC YL will consistent with what we did during the 2008 festive season, continue with the assistance of poorer families and ensure that they enjoy a merry Christmas, despite the little resources at our disposal. All South Africans are called upon to stop the abuse of alcohol, drugs and substances. Those who have sex should do so with protection and those who drive cars should not drive under the influence of alcohol. Speed kills and all South Africans should drive awake. *THE NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE ON THE SACP CONGRESS EVENTS:* The National Working Committee of the ANC YL convened a Special meeting on the 14th of December 2009 to formulate a response to what happened at the Special Congress of the SACP. The Statement is in the public domain and the leadership of the Youth League present here will respond to some of the questions. |
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