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The South African Communist Party (SACP) takes this opportunity to congratulate the entire membership of the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) for their successful 5th National Congress held from 6 to 9 December 2018 at the University of Fort Hare, Alice Campus, Eastern Cape Province.

The SACP applauds the former leadership of the YCLSA for their contribution to the revolution in their respective capacities and ensuring a peaceful and progressive congress.

We also congratulate the newly elected leadership of the YCLSA, as led by its National Secretary, Comrade Tinyiko Ntini.

The task of the newly elected leadership is to ensure that the aspirations of the youth, especially the working class youth, are championed without compromise. This falls on their twin task of mobilising young people under the banner of socialism and championing their aspirations. The never ending task of the youth, as Vladimir Lenin said, is to learn, learn and learn! The YCLSA must ensure that young people put education as a priority and that in whatever sphere they find themselves they aspire to grow through acquiring knowledge.

As part of the task of continuous process of learning, the first programme that the newly elected YCLSA leadership must in earnest take charge of is the Joe Slovo Right to Learn Campaign (JSRLC). Not only must they highlight challenges in higher education institutions, especially universities, they must also intensify their focus on basic education and Technical, Vocational and Education Training (TVET) Colleges. Indeed there is no time to rest for the newly elected YCLSA leadership!

The task of building and strengthening of unity in the YCLSA cannot be over emphasised, as this forms part of the continuous work that every revolutionary organisation needs to undertake. Capitalism and imperialism are constantly trying ways to divide the revolutionary forces, either by breakaways or disunity within these forces. It is therefore important that the YCLSA conducts a thorough concrete analysis of concrete conditions in order to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the stage of development of society, and in this case the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The YCLSA must never abandon the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA). Even amidst challenges, the YCLSA must be the glue that unites all the components of the PYA. It is this unity that will ensure victory against the right-wingers, the parasitic bourgeoisie and imperialism. It is also through the unity of the PYA that a broad patriotic youth front can be built towards socialism.

The SACP reiterates the importance of strategic consistency, analytical alertness and tactical flexibility at all times, as General Secretary Comrade Blade Nzimande stated in his address to the YCLSA 5th National Congress on behalf of the SACP 14th Congress Central Committee. Therefore, at all times the YCLSA, and all of us as a collective, must be practical revolutionaries.

The SACP strongly encourages the YCLSA to carefully and seriously note the messages from all the international delegates in order to be well equipped in the continuing fight against imperialism and neoliberalism, and ensuring that internationalism continues to be an integral pillar of the socialist struggle. Wherever there are oppressed people, the YCLSA must always be there and make its voice and strength felt!

There is not time to rest! The work must begin yesterday!

Issued by The South African Communist Party