Cape Town - Ahead of the local government elections, the ANC National Youth Task Team (NYTT) said they will work tirelessly in campaigning for the governing party.
During the NYTT’s first meeting, which was held from Friday, April 9 to Sunday, April 11, various issues were discussed including the effects of Covid-19, infighting within the ANC, racism and gender-based violence.
ANCYL NYTT spokesperson Sizophila Mkhize said they also called on the ruling to get to work and ensure that services as well as economic opportunities reach citizens.
“The times of door to door, where our volunteers have no answers to the economic plight of young people, are over. We must give hope and inspire confidence that the challenges faced by the youth will be addressed. The ANCYL commits itself to working day and night to ensure that we win back our metros so that the people’s party can change the lives of the majority. We are sure that the ANC will secure a decisive victory but we shall no longer give the ANC a blank cheque in this regard.”
Mkhize also said the rebuilding of the youth organisation was not an overnight process but a continuous process which requires all hands on deck. “It is therefore important to draw tangible lessons from the past while charting a new way forward for the future. The rebuilding process must be participatory and youth from all sectors and constituencies must be central to the process.”
The NYTT also emphasised that they would not watch as elders tear the “glorious movement” apart.
Mkhize said the disturbing recording of the last ANC NEC meeting that circulated on social media was a clear indication that the movement is in trouble.
In the meeting, the NYTT declared itself the “unifying structure” during a time of “political dynamics“ with the governing party.
“We are happy that the ANC president agreed with the ANCYL suggestion that all NEC members, including the national officials, must go back to political school and that Comrade Enoch Godongwana and Comrade Toni Yengeni must be taken to the disciplinary committee of the ANC for their ill-disciplined and appalling conduct. We urge all members and leaders of the ANC at all levels to place the well-being and transformation of the lives of the disenfranchised people of South Africa above their own personal interests.”
The NYTT also noted concerns about the economic effect Covid-19 has had on youth.
Mkhize said the social disorientation and psychosocial effectd has hit young people hard and the ANCYL wishes to urge young people and society at large to continue to comply with the regulations.
“We are concerned, however, at the economic effect this pandemic has had on the youth as they have had to face an abrupt increase in massive retrenchments, a surge in unemployment and economic exclusion. The NYTT noted with grave concern the rampant corruption that prevailed during this pandemic where crooks lined their pockets while our people were dying. We want to see the swift arrests of persons who embezzled funds meant to aid the young of South Africa.”
The unemployment rate of those between15-30 years is now over 65% and Mkhize said this trend continues unabated with no clear and concise solution in sight. “To the contrary, government redirected the lion’s share of the Covid-19 relief funds to monopoly industries at the detriment of small and medium enterprises.”
Among other issues discussed during the meeting were the NYTT’s disappointment in Parliament having not appointed a board for the National Youth Development Agency.
Political Bureau