ANC YOUTH WELCOMES COSATU RESOLUTIONS ON NATIONALISATION OF MINES, OTHER STRATEGIC SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY AND RADICAL SHIFT IN ECONOMIC POLICY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
30 June 2011
The African National Congress Youth League welcomes COSATU Central Committee's re-affirmation of the Federation's commitment and resolutions on the Nationalisation of Mines and other strategic sectors of the economy. The ANC Youth League is pleased that COSATU has once again proven to be a reliable ally in the struggle for total economic emancipation of the working class and the poor.
We are particularly pleased that COSATU has raised the bar and begun to identify monopoly industries and other strategic sectors of the economy that should be under State ownership and control.
COSATU's re-affirmation of these key economic transformation issues and call for nationalisation of Mines and other strategic sectors of the economy happens at a time when huge State Owned Mining Companies, such as Transnet and ESKOM are doing well, dismissing the urban myth spread by greedy corporate that the State in inherently incapable of doing big business successfully.
The South African State can and will be able to manage huge Mines and mining activities in South Africa and ensure that the proceeds of mining are redirected to massive community development and local beneficiation/industrialisation of minerals.
COSATU's maturity in approaching the question of State ownership and control should be celebrated because it presents an opportunity for thoroughgoing deliberations on how best the country extracts value for all from the minerals beneath and above the soil.
The maturity also helps to dispel the ventilations, rumours and conspiracies spread by detractors from the right-wing and pseudo-left political spectra. As resolved in the 24th National Congress, the ANC Youth League will continue to fight side by side with the progressive trade union until our economic liberties as expressed in the Freedom Charter are given practical meaning and realised in totality.
The ANC Youth League also respects that COSATU resolved to defer other issues to further engagement, particularly on the land question. We respect this because we, like all progressive forces, believe that we should thoroughly and exhaustively discuss the question of land towards the decision of expropriation without compensation.
The ANC Youth League's scientific, political and ideological conviction is that land should be expropriated without compensation because any other model will not succeed to redress the injustices of the past.
Statement issued by the ANC Youth League, June 30 2011
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