The ANC Youth League of the Cacadu region gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the Soweto student uprising. Strong messages of discipline and fighting social evils such as crime and drugs were expressed by the guests.
The ANC Youth League of the Cacadu region gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the Soweto student uprising. Strong messages of discipline and fighting social evils such as crime and drugs were expressed by the guests.
Despite the chilly Grahamstown weather, youth from the Makana and Cacadu areas gathered at the Indoor
Sports Centre in Extension 6 to celebrate Youth Day.
Attendance embraced the tripartite alliance between the ANC, Cosatu and SACP and included Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana; ANC Councillor Nomhle Gaga; Makana Director of Corporate Services and SACP member Thabiso Klaas; leadership of the ANC’s Cacadu region and its youth league as well as Cosatu and South African Students Congress representatives.
Deputy Chairperson of the Cacadu region, Lungile Mxube asked everyone to acknowledge the sad passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela’s great grand-daughter Zenani and the recent death of the queen of maskanda, Busi Mhlongo.
A moment of silence was observed to honour their memory. Echoing Zuma’s National speech earlier that day, Mxube said that it was important to integrate the Youth Development programme and find the space for the youth’s role in prioritising issues such as crime, accessing quality education and health services as well as promoting land development and reform to ensure that young people benefit from our democracy.
The chairperson of the Cacadu region, Gugile Nkwinti, who is also the Rural Development and Land Reform Minister, briefly thanked the youth who sacrificed watching World Cup matches to be present at the event.
He reminded them that 16 June was also day of sacrifice for the class of ’76. “The youth did not sleep peacefully and wake up the next day and decide to take to the streets.
They were disciplined people and there were plans in place that resulted in that calculated decision,” he said.
He reminded the youth league of the importance in following that tradition of discipline and expressed that they wanted ANC leaders from the youth league to walk in the steps of the likes of ANC anti-apartheid politician, Oliver Tambo.
Nkwinti announced that there will be a rally in the Cacadu region on Monday, 9 August in preparation for forming a women’s youth league.
“If there isn’t one, he said, then the ANC is not complete,” adding that it is essential to create a balance within the party.
Cacadu region ANCYL Chairperson Mabhuti Matyumza said, “As we celebrate June 16 we must be very happy to have a platform.
Back then, they were fighting for change in particular to education and they did not get a chance to celebrate that victory.”
He said that the ANCYL is not happy that they have not experienced enough political power in terms of development within the region.
“We are not in control over most youth matters, maybe the problem is the people whom we deploy who are unable to articulate the position of the ANC according to the National Conference Resolutions.
Practically we need to see the development of this,” he said. He added that the youth must not be undermined as “we are the product to deliver progressive development.
“It is our responsibility that the ANC leads and lives!” He said that every municipality must have a ANCYL representative to address youth development issues.
“We need to make sure we are mobilising each other, we will not achieve [this]until we join hands, we must defend the freedom,” he said concluding his speech.
Mxube then introduced Provincial Executive Committee member and member of Parliament Lindelwa Dunjwa as an honoured guest.
She said she was one of the leaders under Tambo who was keeping Chris Hani safe during the time when the ANC was banned.
“The youth fell, without the guarantee that they will get jobs or these fancy titles that we have today such as a Municipal Manager,” she said.
She added that Solomon Mahlangu, a student living under apartheid, was hanged at Pretoria Central prison and never got the chance to visit a voting station. “But he was hanged so we can all have that chance,” she concluded.
