ANCYL STATEMENT ON FREE EDUCATION

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) reiterates its unapologetic demands for a free education and demands that to be implemented in January 2018. The 52nd ANC conference resolved on free education and the 53rd ANC conference has put in place timelines for the implementation of the resolution.

The ANCYL has noted allegations that the Heher Commission has recommended that government must provide bank guarantee loans to the students. The ANCYL rejects any attempts to sentence children of the poor and the working class to lifelong debts with banks in particular white owned untransformed banks that some were involved in the manipulation of the currency.

Education remains the only tool for the child of the poor and working class to break the cycle of poverty perpetuated by colonialism and apartheid. We rejects threats by the agents of anti-transformation who claims that if the country pronounce on free education, the rating agencies will downgrade the country. Their interest is nothing else but to have high level of illiteracy in South Africa in particular on black race. Youth unemployment and poverty can only be defeated through youth skills revolution and government must provide free education. Free education is feasible in South Africa and must be implemented in 2018.

Statement issued by Mlondi Mkhize, ANCYL national spokesperson, 10 November 2017