African National Congress President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated the ANC Youth League for "making history" by electing the first formal structure of the ANCYL in the last eight years.
“The ANCYL must resume it's place as a strong component of the movement. You must define yourself on what it means to be a vibrant, strong, autonomous, militant and disciplined youth league,” Ramaphosa said on Sunday.
“Young people have not had a voice in quite a long time, you are now the voice of the young people.”
He further congratulated the delegates on electing the first woman as the ANCYL deputy president and the first woman as second deputy secretary general.
He encouraged the party's youth structure to take charge of reviving the ANC.
"You stand on the shoulders of giants in liberation movement,“ Ramaphosa said.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa encourages the young lions to own their space, make their mark in history and leave a lasting legacy by making a difference. VIDEO: Kailene Pillay /IOL
While acknowledging that it has indeed been "a long and arduous journey", Ramaphosa said it was the resilience and dedication of many young people who have brought the structure to a successful congress.
He highlighted that there were key tasks ahead of the ANC Youth League that they must execute.
Ramaphosa said the ANCYL must be a disciplined organisation and must mobilise young people for social change and come up with strategies on how to best achieve economic emancipation.
"Be modernised, completely renewed and attractive to young people in South Africa. The young people must see you as an organisation they want to belong to," Ramaphosa said.