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1. INTRODUCTION

The ANCYL has been engaging the media bi-weekly on several issues that affect the country and in particular young people. We can now with confidence convey that the ANCYL remains the trusted champion of young people’s interest and that it is firmly on track with its organizational rebuilding and in mobilizing youth people to register and vote for the ANC.

2. HERE ARE THE ISSUES WE WISH TO ADDRESS;

2.1 High Court Ruling on the Liquidation
2.2 NEC Decisions on the ANCYL Gauteng & Eastern Cape Appeal
2.3 Progress on Rebuilding
2.4 Voter Registration Programme

2.1   ON PROVISIONAL LIQUIDATION OF ANCYL

The ANCYL has noted the judgment delivered by Acting Judge A R G Mundell of theGauteng High Court on 28th October 2013 on placing ANCYL under provisional liquidation.

While the ANCYL respects the decision of the concerned court, we are however of the firm view that the Honourable Judge erred both in law and substance by granting a provisional winding - up of a voluntary association which is a political home of young radical and visionary minds and a preparatory school of the ANC.

The ANCYL is of the view that this judgment is flawed on the basis that such a decision (to wind up an entity) can only be applicable to a corporate body and not a voluntary political association.

ANCYL is a political home to majority youth in SA, it continues to be the body ofopinion within the ruling party. The generation of 1944 declared freedom intheir lifetime and 50 years later delivered freedom to the people of South Africa. The names of Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu are part and parcel of a democratic South Africa so attempt to liquidate the ANCYL can only achieve a political ploy that seek to erase these names from the book of history.

Thisjudgment if not overturned has far reaching dire political implications of curtailing the future of democracy and voluntary association in this country in general and that of the ANC in particular.

In the immediate, it will shutter political activism and the sharpening of many young people in this country who continue to identify with the well recorded history of the ANCYL and its continuance to be the only reliable and trusted vehicle to pursue, realize and champion interests and aspirations of young people in this country.

We believe that progressive minds in this country, both young and old, will flatly refuse that we return to the dark days wherein that body of political opinion with 69 years of activism will be winded up by a court of law.

We therefore support the ANC   (as the 1st respondent) in this regard to go to court on the 27th January 2014 to show cause that this provisional liquidation cannot be made final.

On that day, our structures and all democracy-loving people are called upon tocome to the Gauteng High Court and in their numbers show case that the richhistory of the ANCYL cannot be nullified under our democratic dispensation.  

The ANCYL is not and will never be a corporate body but is rather a voluntary association which is in the form of a political body. The fact is ANCYL didacknowledge debt in 2008, we call upon progressive people to make financialcontribution towards this debt so as we save the ANCYL of Nelson Mandela from being liquidated. Dishonest former leaders who milked the organisation and left it dry have now created new self-enriching schemes in a form of new political parties and our responsibility as the NTT is to clean the mess and ensure the organisation remain intact for future generation.

2.2  ON ANCYL PEC OF GAUTENG AND EASTERN CAPE DISSOLUTION

After extensive political engagements on the appeals preferred by both ANCYL PEC of Gauteng and Eastern Cape to ANC, the ANC NEC through its NWC and Officials affirmed the correctness of the ANCYL National Task Team’s decision to disband these PECs.

These disbandment’s were resolved on after we undertook a careful process of assessing the state of the organization in those provinces.

This goes a long way in affirming that the NTT in all its observations and decisions is driven by a great desire to rebuild a militant and radical body of opinion within the ANC which is discipline. The NTT is now confident that this chapter is closed and that the process of rebuilding will proceed uninterrupted. We are confident that all individual leaders within the dissolved structures will continue to participate in the life of the ANCYL and our mother body the ANC.

The NTT will, in due course, announce the appointment of  PTT’s after finalization of our consultative processes.


2.3  VOTER REGISTRATION WEEKEND

On the 9-10 November 2013, South Africans are expected to come out in numbers especially first time voters, to register to vote in the upcoming 2014 General and Provincial Elections.

We launched a 21 days of youth action, since then across the country we have hosted many successful rallies in Provinces like Mpumalanga, Northern Cape,Gauteng and the Western Cape where thousands of young people came out in numbers to support their organisation. We believe the work we have been doing and continue to do in the WC is showing positive signs. Indeed it’s now possible that the ANC will return to power, whilst madam Zille ponders withracial politics in her mini party.

2014 General Elections coincides with South Africa’s celebration of 20 years of democracy and freedom. Recent independent 20-year review by Goldman Sachs International confirms that South Africa is indeed a better country than it was in 1994.  

This is a result of consistent and progressive policies of the ANC, which has led South Africa to be a politically stable country.  

We call upon young people to insure their future by registering to vote. Therehave been governments before in this country who caused mayhem and committed crimes against humanity. The inhuman legacy that the ANC has fundamentally dented in this country was not God-ordained but was engineered by the then illegitimate governments.

Therefore we can continue to enjoy and consolidate these freedoms we enjoy today if we do our part as youth and continue to affirm democracy by registering and voting for progress. Indeed South Africa is by far a better place to live in today and the ANC has a good story to tell. Economic freedom is guaranteed under the leadership of ANC during the second phase of the transition as declared by the Mangaung Conference.


2.4  ANC YOUTH LEAGUE REBUILDING PROCESS

In all earnest the rebuilding process is firmly on course, we have successfully held two Regional Congresses in Greater Kwa Dukuza and Bohlabelo on the weekends of the 2nd November 2013. These Regional Congresses came and went with little or no attention of media owing to decorum and the comradely spirit in which these Congresses were held.

The Auditing process is ongoing in some Provinces like Northern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga and all other provinces and regions are fully functional.

We call on all young people to join the ANCYL in their respective branches andswell the ranks in advancing a radical economic transformation.


3. CONCLUSION

Wehave made progress thus far, no challenges are insurmountable when there iscollective will. All young people are called upon register and vote, take part in the life of the democracy, insure your future, guarantee your better future.