STATEMENT OF THE ANC YOUTH LEAGUE NATIONAL TASK TEAM

1. The National Task Team (NTT) met over two days from 7-8 June 2012 in Johannesburg to, amongst other things, consider the report emanating from the provincial and regional fact finding visits conducted countrywide during the month of May 2013. As per our last undertaking to ANCYL membership, the general public as well as members of the media, we have convened this media conference to share the outcome of our assessment as well as actions to be taken moving forward during the rebuilding process.

2. Currently, South Africa is commemorating Youth Month and the 37th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 Soweto uprisings, the centenary anniversary of 1913 Land Act, the 58th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, the 11th anniversary of the passing away of first ANCYL after the unbanning President Peter Mokaba. This media conference takes place as one of the founders of the ANCYL and international renowned freedom fighter Nelson Mandela is admitted to hospital for a recurring lung infection. We join the call made by President Jacob Zuma that we keep uTat' Madiba in our prayers and give the family privacy and a modicum of respect during these trying times.

3. The NTT meeting discussed the political significance of the commemoration of Youth Month in 2013, after 19 years of democracy and freedom, understanding that the challenges facing young people in our country are structural in origin and are a reflection of an untransformed and unequal economy which remains in the hands of white monopoly capital. The commemoration should therefore be about our generational call for economic freedom in our lifetime.

4. The state of disarray of youth development in the country as evidenced by the collapse of the provincial chapters of the NYDA and the long spell before the appointment of the executive board was noted. These factors created a period where issues relating to youth development were left unattended. This state of affairs requires a concerted effort to look at the amendments to the Youth Development Bill, taking into consideration the resolutions from 24th ANCYL National Congress on Youth Development, which also intimated the proposal on the creation of the Youth Ministry.

5. The meeting also noted the imminent state visit by the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama to South Africa. The ANCYL views the USA as representative of imperialism that supports the racist and repressive Israel Government that continues to murder and oppress the people of Palestine. President Obama in his tenure has made many broken promises including amongst others the removal of the economic blockade against Cuba, the release of the Cuban Five, the closure of Guantanamo Bay and so on. As ANCYL we echo the ANC Western Cape call of discouraging President Obama from accepting the honour of the Freedom of City of Cape Town as we view the gesture as cheap political opportunism. If this happens, we will mobilise our forces on the ground to stop this photo session aimed at enhancing a political history of a desperate party.

6. We are happy to announce that after the appointment of National Working Task Team (NWTT) of nine (9) members as announced in our last media briefing, we have further confirmed Cde Khumbudzo Ntshavheni as the ANCYL National Fundraiser who will assume the role of the Treasurer General, Cde Mawethu Rune as National Organiser and Cde Bandile Masuku as the National Spokesperson. All subcommittees are now in place to execute organisational work.

7. As part of June month celebrations, the NTT has adopted a programme with the theme: "Reasserting the Youth League as a driving force for Economic Freedom". The programme consists of a number of activities to be undertaken as part of celebrating Youth Month. Key among these is the Launch of the ANCYL Volunteers Programme, an integral part of our strategy to push the opposition and win back the Western Cape; an inaugural lecture in honour of Wandile Mkhize, where we will unveil certain legacy programmes. We also plan to host a public debate to further interrogate the land question in SA given the new policy direction.

8. The meeting noted the application for liquidation of the ANCYL by Z2 Presentations CC trading as University Events Management to the Johannesburg High Court, which if granted would mean the ANCYL would wind up its activities and cease to exist, losing a 69 year legacy of youth struggle and our heritage. We are working with the ANC to amicably resolve the matter satisfying all the parties involved, as we believe that it is not the University of Free State's intention to want to vanquish the ANCYL or play petty politics. We believe there is no legal basis for this liquidation application.

9. Our approach to organisational work, encompassing the visits to various provinces, was informed by our desire to distinguish between essence and phenomenon, between truth and perception. We considered this approach as the most rational way of appraising ourselves on what kind of organisation we are privileged to preside over as the National Task Team. This was also necessary to eliminate the speculative element as much as possible when talking about the NTT and the task of rebuilding the ANCYL.

10. Consistent with our task of rebuilding the ANCYL, members of the NTT had an opportunity to meet with and engage with provincial, regional and branch structures of the ANC Youth League in all provinces, except the Eastern Cape. We must state the obvious, that almost all ANCYL Provincial Executive Committees (PECs) and Regional Executive Committees (RECs) have been in office for far beyond the required period as determined by the constitution. We have been given various reasons for the current state of the organisation whose merits and demerits we have carefully considered.

11. We must however state unequivocally that the ANCYL is at its weakest state since its unbanning. This tells an important but disturbing story, about the manner in which the organisation has been handled over the past period, more pronounced since 2008. A culture of gate keeping, divisions, patronage, membership manipulation and institutionalised factionalism has deeply entrenched itself. More often than not, it has become a norm rather than an exception for members to circumvent and undermine organisational procedures and constitutional injunctions with impunity. The collective is convinced that it would be deceitful to hide our heads in the sand and behave as though nothing is wrong, in order to evade the possibility of being given this or the other label. Equally, we are ready to accept all support as we are all criticism that will result from what we say regarding the state of the organisation.

12. The meeting appreciated that the ANCYL currently lives in the shadow of its former self. The meeting stated more directly and boldly that by and large, there is in place only semblances of a fading organization, characterised by structures that were elected in congresses a long time ago. Surely our own consciousness as revolutionaries tells us that we can only succeed in this daunting task if and only if we acknowledge and accept our actuality.

13. It is self evident and indisputable that the period pre- and post-Mangaung was characterised by a YL that constituted itself as an independent opposition from within the ANC. Ill discipline, anarchy, factionalism, circumventing of organisational processes was the order of the day as long as there were service to a particular faction then at the helm of the ANCYL. Any dissenting voice was viciously dealt with, structures were dissolved and membership was denied or suspension effected. Many an outcome of organisational processes was determined by whether one supported the dominant factional line or not.

14. In this regard, after thorough assessment emanating from the said visits, the NTT collective has decided to disband the following ANCYL structures:

• Limpopo PEC - together with the Mopani, Peter Mokaba and Waterberg regions. Sekhukhune and Vhembe regions will be investigated further to ascertain all allegations as reported before final decisions are made.
• Free State PEC - together with the Motheo, Xhariep, Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyane regions. Lejweleputswa will be assisted to launch structures including being taken to Congress.
• North West PEC - together with Bojanala, Kenneth Kaunda, Ngaka Modiri Molema, and Dr Ruth Mompati Regions.
• Northern Cape PEC - together with Frances Baard, John Taolo Gaetsewe, Siyanda Regions. Namakwaland and Pixley Ka Seme will be assisted to launch structures and go to its congress.

15. The following structures were reconstituted as they were not constituted in line with prescripts of the ANCYL constitution and are generally weak:

• KwaZulu Natal PTT - together with Emalahleni, Ethekwini, Far North, Abaqulusi Regions are disbanded. Moses Mabhida region will be audited within the next four weeks in preparation for congress. A further investigation will be done in the Lower South Coast region to ascertain the real state of the organisation. Greater KwaDukuza region should prepare for congress in the next two months. Ukhahlamba region should also prepare for congress in two months. Harry Gwala NTT team will go back to listen to branch complaints and Nkosi Bhambatha region will be audited and taken to congress in two months.
• Mpumalanga PTT - together with Bohlabelo, Gert Sibande, Nkangala regions. Both the REC and RTT are dissolved and Ehlanzeni REC and RTT are also dissolved.
• Western Cape PTT - to be constituted and the Dullah Omar region is disbanded. Southern Cape RTT and Boland RTT are to be reconstituted. The NTT still has to visit West Coast, Overberg and Central Karoo regions to make a final assessment and effect the necessary decisions.

16. With regard to the Gauteng ANCYL PEC and Tshwane REC, the NTT has resolved that there should be further engagement to ascertain the real state of the organisation. A detailed report will be processed shortly. The working committee of the NTT will then ascertain the future of these structures. The following regions are disbanded: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng and West Rand Regions.

17. These decisions were communicated to organisational structures and the ANC. We call on our membership to take note of these decisions and rally behind the task teams that will be appointed to lead the process of rebuilding and be part of the ANC Elections Campaign moving forward.

18. The generation of 1944 declared "Freedom in our Lifetime". 50 years later in 1994, indeed we witness this democratic breakthrough. This founding generation of the ANCYL had conceptualised the correct organisational theory, supported by a clear vision and programme of action.

19. As we move closer towards 20 years of freedom, it has become necessary for this generation to conceptualize new organisational theory to further inform the perspective which has been correctly captured as: "Economic Freedom in our Lifetime". Pillars of this new theory will have to be centred on (without limitation): Education, Economy, Empowerment, Employment, and Entrepreneurship. As this generation, we have resolved to formulate a new and relevant programme of action, premised on a clear vision for the next 30 years.

20. It is important to note that 70 years of selfless struggle imply a huge responsibility on this generation for it to take a long-term view towards addressing issues of poverty, unemployment and inequality. Economic freedom is not a narrow short-term programme, nor is it a name and surname of an individual, but rather a broader and sustained generational struggle.

Statement issued by the ANCYL Convenor Cde. Mzwandile Masina on behalf of the ANCYL, June 10 2013

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