OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT GENERAL
Re: Media briefing
Introduction
Let me take this opportunity to greet members of the different media houses present here today. It is organizational cultures that every time we feel strongly about issues and want to lobby certain entities in society we would use media to express those views and pronounce on these.
On the 18th - 20th of March we held our National Working Committee in Booysens hotel and discussed a range of issues and attempted to respond to many questions that confront our glorious Student movement...
On HIV testing
It is public knowledge that we don't support this programme as COSAS and this is informed by the fact that stigma is still attached to the HIV testing and society and has not taught its members to respect the privacy of those that go for testing.
It is public knowledge that there are people who still commit suicide after testing positive for the HI virus so up until South Africa grows up and admits the above and many others, up until Counselling proves to actually save lives, up until programmes of this nature are implemented in workplaces and prove to be effective and not suicidal we will continue to be anti it and lobby all progressive forces in society to pull together with the student movement.
What should guide those who are confused is the fact that for students the future is not in the distant horizon but it is what we make today and such programmes which are exploitive in their very nature and do not consider the character and the environment under which we (students) study under.
On Corporal punishment
We remain un-apologetic with our call to all students to fight back and defend themselves against abusive elements in schools for the schools act does not allow for such barbaric behaviour in our schools and when dealing with students ought to be decisive and radical.
We have always said and raised this particular issue with authorities and they have been liberal in response and some have in actual fact been romantic and the time has actually come for us to fight this for we have learned from our mothers and fathers and we are sons and daughters of fighters we refuse to be the generation of cowards.
We've noted with disgust that these people who hit students are officials and some are "leaders" in their organizations and they are in actual fact aware of the implications around corporal punishment but it is because of ego mixed with ignorance and arrogance that actual leads them to be this cruel.
We call on all parents to defend their children against all odds and assist us in defeating this new trend of hitting vulnerable children, we further wish to remind our parents that they are the ones that fought and defeated this a number of years ago and we urge them to stick with us and help defeat this.
Society must be honest enough to admit that students and teachers have been hitting one another way before we made the call, and in the hands of those corporally punished fighting back is an immediate response to such an unlawful act by those who are suppose to know better.
On local government elections
Let it go on record that all students who qualify to vote and have registered will be voting for the African National Congress on the basis that it remains the only beacon of hope for the liberation of our people. It [anc] has over the years proven to be the most honest and well serving organization of our people. We will be visiting the Western Cape Province to seek to win back our people and convince to vote right and vote anc.
On Youth league dynamics
Members of the media let me start off by reminding you that over the years COSAS has always made its view in the many politics of the ANCYL and there has been nobody who can rewrite that history to suite his individual interests.
We are equally guided by the fact that we {students} are members of the society before we are students... we are members of the Youth league and we are alive. The ANCYL is a preparatory school of the ANC which is a leader of government today and a strategic centre of power and that has been what has informed all our perspectives in relation to the ANCYL.
It is this kind of actions that have delivered many victories the youth all of sudden independently enjoys. The NWC noted with shame that the character of the Y.L is under serious threat, it is the first time in the history of all our struggles that we find the ANCYL dividing the ANC leadership and ultimately undermining those that stand firm for the truth and are consistent in resolutions taken in ANC structures.
Meetings of our organization (The ancyl) today are ran by guns and people whom we don't even know in the ANCYL come heavily armed and some "leaders" carry fire arms to meetings, showing clearly that they ignore organizational culture and practise and this we must say-some in leadership knows off all these elements but on the basis that it suite their own selfish and narrow interest they remain mum on the matter.
And we call on the NEC of the ANC to fully monitor the preparations of the upcoming ANCYL national Conference for some in the current leadership of in the ANCYL leadership history has taught us that at least two students die when it is time for them to release power and by the looks of things they have not changed.
Its un acceptable today in the Youth league under Malema to raise a descending view to that of Malema and alikes you are most likely to go and join the long list of comrades like L. Masoga, S. Ndabeni and many others, and we cannot stand aside and watch whilst the organization is being turned in to a friends like these and a pronouncing agency for those that want to be Presidents and Secretary Generals of the ANC come 2012.
Because we love our ANC we will now work towards exposing those that want to remove the ANC President (J Zuma) and Cde'Gwede and we know that they are plotting our leaders' day in and out. We strongly believe that the time to reclaim the soul of the ancyl has come, the time to liberate our organization from the bondage of political commercialisation, the time has come for the unity of our movement and alliance, its high time we consolidate the polokwane gains and defend our principle of collective leadership open debate and respect of our organizational traditions.
Gallagher estates on the 16th of June will be the centre of liberation and we are convinced that Cde' Lebogang Maile will lead the ANCYL as president and there is no amount of intimidation that will deter us from correcting political succession of leadership.
Statement issued by Cosas president Bongani Mani, March 24 2011
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