YCLSA Gauteng Province Press Statement
November 23, 2012
On trivial utterances attributed to ANCYL Provincial Chairperson
The YCLSA [uFasimba] in the province of Gauteng has noted some trivial utterances attributed to Lebogang Maile, ANCYL Gauteng provincial chairperson. Media reports (e.g. The New Age Online, 22 November 2012) cite Maile as saying since the ANC provincial executive committee recently pronounced its preferred candidates there had been a barrage of attacks directed at its leadership.
According to the reports, Maile said most attacks came from the SACP and the Young Communist League. Maile is quoted as saying "They" - the ANCYL - "want these organisations to...concentrate on building their weak structures" (see here). We have noted similar and further utterances about Cosatu and the SACP attributed to Maile in the Star (22 November 2012).
We have contacted Maile following a special plenary session of our provincial executive committee held in Sharpeville last night, Thursday, 22 November 2012 to confirm whether the utterances attributed to him were indeed expressed. He has assured us that he was misquoted and that these utterances were not part of the statement released by the ANCYL Gauteng on Wednesday, 21 November 2012.
To the extent there is a need to respond to these utterances, only if they were indeed expressed, we would first and foremost follow an appropriate manner to do so as guided by the principles established between the YCLSA and the ANCYL in the province. As the truest vanguard of all revolutionary youth, we have founded it to be our duty to build and strengthen rather than slide into petty squabbles that will only serve to destroy the progressive youth alliance.
At present we are preoccupied with our programme as led by the SACP to take increased responsibility for the national democratic revolution and advance the struggle for socialism. As part of this, we are defending our movement from being captured by tenderpreneurs. So far we are completely convinced that we are getting successful. We are primarily involved in the struggles of our people on the ground.
We are busy working with our people in Lenasia against the bulldozing of their houses, while we are firmly opposed to corruption. We have led young people as part of the SACP marches to Johannesburg, Midvaal and Tshwane municipalities, advancing a fight against corruption, poor service delivery and selective distribution of resources. As part of the SACP, we launched the ‘Know your Neighbourhood Campaign' in Midvaal, where we donated over 200 blankets and food parcels to our people.
We have led young people to participate in an SACP-led march against biased reporting by the SABC, against its hollowing out through outsourcing to enrich a few and against victimisation of workers.
We held political education sessions through lectures on ANC centenary and SACP 91st anniversary as well as YCLSA Bua Thursday, focusing on various topics relating to the challenges and opportunities facing the youth. Through this programme we have been in institutions of learning, Wits University (thrice this year), University of Johannesburg both in Soweto and Auckland Park, and Tshwane University of Technology. The programme has been in townships, Katlehong, Soweto, Mamelodi, Bronkhorstspruit and Sharpeville.
We have been active in advancing the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign as part of our standing Joe Slovo Right to Learn Campaign.
We have gone to our provincial congress. Our provincial executive committee is in good standing. Our organisation has not turned into a lobby group utilised by tenderpreneurs to advance their private economic interests in an economic structure that inhibits transformation.
In Gauteng there is a few, if any youth organisations that compare with us in taking forward the revolutionary interests of young people, particularly following Marxist-Leninist science.
We therefore have no time to glorify reports in the media that could distract us if not handled carefully. As Marxist-Leninist scholars we always utilise the science to determine and arrive at the truth. Once that it done we take the most appropriate action at the most appropriate time.
Statement issued by Alex Mashilo, YCL Gauteng provincial chairperson, November 23 2012
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