Johannesburg -
The Young Communist League (YCL) wants a more radical National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), calling on the agency to work closer with the youth and to be more accessible to young people.
The YCL concluded its fourth national congress at the weekend, where it elected a new leadership to take over the reins from Buti Manamela, who had led the league for the past 11 years.
Manamela is the NYDA’s political head as the deputy minister in the Presidency responsible for youth matters.
Manamela’s successor, Mluleki Dlelanga, said the congress had reaffirmed in its resolutions that the focus must be on youth development.
“We have noticed that there are areas of improvement that require attention in the NYDA.
“For instance, we need an NYDA that will be active on the ground and where the people are.
“That’s why we want to have all the structures from the bottom to the top that will work together and be close to the young people, and address issues that affect them.
“Therefore, we said we are committed to work tirelessly to make sure that the youth of our country receive all the attention they deserve,” Dlelanga said.
He said 40 percent of South Africa’s population was youthful, and “that’s why we call for more focus and a more radical NYDA that will be accessible across the country”.
Dlelanga said they were elated that the congress didn’t end up like the violent one in 2010 in Mahikeng.
“The YCL comes out of this congress united with a common goal of putting together building blocks for socialism.
“We salute comrade Buti Manamela and the collective, who led the YCL diligently since our re-establishment in 2003,” Dlelanga added.
He said the new leadership was going to “hit the ground running”.
NYDA chairman Yershen Pillay, who was also re-elected as the YCL’s chairman, said chief among their resolutions were the local government elections, education, and skills development for young people.
“The YCL resolved that we will continue with our campaign to make education fashionable,” he said.
“As part of that campaign, we will continue with our calls for free, quality and relevant education.
“We will also be intensifying our campaigns for the implementation of community colleges,” Pillay added.
He said the YCL wanted more young people to start “forming and sustaining co-operatives as part of the mainstream”.
“Throughout the commissions, the issue of youth unemployment was raised as the most pressing matter facing young people today,” Pillay said.
The other YCL top five officials are Masello Senne (treasurer), Isaac Luthuli (deputy secretary) and Joyce Tsipa deputy chairwoman.
- The Star