ANC Youth League Western Cape encourages communities to raise service delivery concerns  

The ANC Youth League in the Western Cape commends communities, especially those in informal settlements for protesting and standing up for dignified service delivery and access to land. All communities, even those outside of informal settlements must stand up for their rights. 

It can't be right for any politician to refuse to listen to our peoples' concerns and not to meaningfully engage people thereon.

It is peoples' constitutional and democratic right to protest. Our people who choose to mobilise their communities under non-party-political structures must not be denied their right to protest because of one incident in the CBD on 30 October 2013 where criminal elements even robbed peaceful protesters.

We cannot allow our democratic spaces to be closed down when people raise legitimate demands for dignified service delivery, housing and access to land to uncaring politicians across the party-political spectrum.    

It is the brave and fearless stance by our communities over the past few months that have highlighted the plight faced by the poor and vulnerable. These struggles have resulted in Chapter Nine institutions, religious leaders and civil society formations recognising that there is indeed a serious problem that Government must address as a matter of urgency. President Jacob Zuma's announcement of the Youth Sanitation Brigade is a step in the right direction. We applaud our President for showing decisive leadership.

Deriving from the ANC's responsibility to lead all motive forces of change, the ANC Youth League in the Western Cape will continue to encourage its members, supporters and volunteers to play a leading role in civil society sites of struggle on the ground.

The ANC's 2012 National Conference resolved that the character and strength of the ANC must continue to reside in and derive from it mass base. It is our mass base that is subjected to inferior services and who stands up against this injustice through peaceful protest.

Statement issued by Mbulelo Memani, ANC Youth League Western Cape Provincial Task Team (PTT) Coordinator, December 2 2013

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