The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) said it is excited to see the 26th National ANCYL conference sit after eight years of continuous delays.
The comments come from Cosas regional chairperson in Tshwane, Thabiso Mahlaula, who spoke during the delegation registration process at the Unisa Conference Centre in Ormonde.
“You can even see the mood here that young people are very much happy to renew their mandate. We are going to show South Africa that we are going to fight this thing,” he said.
According to Mahlaula, the leadership that will be elected at the conference will bring about change and stability among the youth.
Video: Kamogelo Moichela
Earlier, conference organisers reported that delays were due to the finalisation of the registration process with about 2970 branches expected to attend.
The conference is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday.
Despite the conference’s delays Mahlaula said the elective conference will revive and renew their mandate as young people.
“We are here to renew our mandate as young people and we are going to face what challenges that the young people are facing in the country,” he said.
Mahlaula also said young people were closely watching the conference with hopes that it will bring something positive for them to come and work together.
“The young people are watching this situation including those in the EFF that we are renewing our mandate as the young people of South Africa,” he said.
He added that ANCYL is the only gigantic movement of young people in South Africa if not Africa.
On the expectations of the sitting conference, he urged the young people to be fearless and decisive in whatever the mother body is trying to tell them.
“They must be decisive and fearless in facing the imperialist,” he emphasised.
Some of the delegates who waited to register told IOL that they were also happy about the conference and said they wanted to see change in the youth league.
IOL Politics