About Bayanda Mzoneli
Bayanda Mzoneli is a public servant. He writes in his personal capacity.
One of the twin tasks of the ANCYL is to champion youth interests in the ANC. I am aware of the lot of work the NTT is doing in rebuilding the organisation.
In addition to all that work, as a member of the ANCYL, I will feel more led if also the NTT took the 24th National Congress resolutions to the ANC Manifesto process. I know that the NTT is already doing this, but I suspect it will be more effective if it was done effectively in the open in order to take us, the membership, with them in the process.
When those issues make it to the ANC Manifesto, it will give the NTT credit to claim victory in championing youth interests and make the ANCYL contribution in the national election campaign even more interesting. If those issues do not make it, I will find comfort in that my leaders tried and were defeated by other motive forces in the multi-class ANC.
Most people are not aware how wide ranging the resolutions of the ANCYL 24th National Congress are. Media reports usually limit the resolutions to one section around economic transformation.
There is also an illusion that the issues raised by the ANCYL at the ANC NGC and at the ANC 53rd National Conference were not adopted by the ANC. However, the careful reading of the ANCYL 24th National Congress resolutions and the ANC 53rd National Conference resolutions reveal a different story. More than 90% of the ANCYL resolutions were adopted by the ANC Conference. Hence there is no reason for the ANCYL NTT to be shy to publicly own the ANCYL 24th National Congress resolutions and ensure that they find expression in the ANC Manifesto for 2014 elections.
I have taken the time to illustrate how the ANC Conference adopted the ANCYL resolutions. In the table below, is a side-by-side comparison of resolutions of both organisations plus a column with my opinion of how the NTT could phrase its input to the ANC Manifesto. These excerpts of resolutions of both gatherings have been cut and pasted here as they are, without any amendments whatsoever.
ANCYL 24th National Congress Resolution | ANC 53rd National Conference Resolution | Proposed ANCYL input to ANC Manifesto 2014 |
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The ANC government will capture a share of mineral resources equity in strategic resources. | |
Demand that no less than 60% of all minerals extracted within the country be beneficiated within the borders of South Africa with a clear and deliberate bias to surrounding mining communities | State intervention with a focus on beneficiation for industrialisation is urgently required. Instruments are required to support beneficiation and competitive pricing of these strategic resources include the use of targeted management of exports of minerals. In addition, SA’s share of some resources offers possible producer power which could be used to facilitate backward and forward mineral economic linkages. | The ANC government will increase focus on beneficiation for industrialisation of at least 60% of the mining output over the next 5 years. |
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The ANC government will introduce free education up to the under-graduate degree (in fields of study needed for the future economy) | |
Lobby government to remove minimum experience requirements for entry level positions in the public sector | There are far too many young people who are out of work, and this is a growing problem. Urgent and extra-ordinary measures are required to address youth unemployment. | The ANC government will implement extra-ordinary measures to absorb inexperienced youth job seekers. |
It should build capacity to be able to perform its own functions and tasks, and limit by all means possible, the tendering and contracting of State programmes and activities | Government should increase its own capacity to deliver on its core obligations, including the provision of social infrastructure, where appropriate. This will require eliminating an over-reliance on tenders where this is consistent with the delivery of effective services. Tenders must be issued in an open and transparent manner that 1does not compromise our objectives in respect of service delivery and economic transformation. | The ANC government will strengthen to state’s capacity to deliver without over-reliance on tenders and consultants |
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The ANC resolves that the foreign policy of the ANC-led government should incorporate the challenges of human trafficking and migration, and worker rights as part of its human rights focus. | The ANC government will protect the rights of all immigrants, particularly their labour rights |
A Youth Ministry must be established. The Youth Ministry must be responsible for policy formulation and mainstreaming youth development whilst the NYDA shall be an implementing agency of such Ministry | The strengthening of youth service programmes and the introduction of programmes that facilitate access to life-skills training and entrepreneurship training. | The ANC government will establish a Youth Ministry in order to elevate the issues of youth development to a higher level and facilitate better monitoring of the implementation of youth policies |
Government must be compelled to implement large scale National Youth Service and Skills Development Programs for the youth. Such programs must be credit bearing and have clear and sustainable exit strategies | We must implement an optional national youth service for two year service which includes sporting, recreational, military and vocational training, with an intention to build a socially inclusive society | The ANC government will implement a massive National Youth Service programme to absorb the youth into productivity and will have sustainable exit routes. |
The process that has started of transforming Radio 2000 into a national youth radio station catering for both urban and rural youth should be accelerated | There is an urgent need for the establishment of a dedicated Youth Radio Station. | The ANC government will ensure that a dedicated national youth radio station is established through the public broadcaster that will have specific focus on youth. |
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The ANC government will ensure affordable high speed internet connectivity over the next 5 years covering 90% of the country, including rural areas. | |
The call for the banning of the advertising of alcohol by government departments must be implemented through the enactment of legislation making such advertising illegal | Pass law to abolish marketing of alcohol products by 2013. | The ANC government will enact legislation banning the advertising of alcohol in order to roll back substance abuse and its harmful effects on families and society. |
The immediate amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution to correct the inequalities perpetuated by the principle of willing buyer willing seller | Replace willing buyer willing seller with the “Just and equitable” principle in the Constitution immediately where the state is acquiring land for land reform purposes. | The ANC government will accelerate land reform more decisively given that it has been 20 years of freedom and previous methods have not achieved much. |
Sources: ANCYL 24th National Congress resolutions (www.ancyl.org.za) and ANC 53rd National Conference resolutions (www.anc.org.za)
I have all the confidence in the ANCYL NTT collective to do the above better than I have done it here. I look forward to their continued excellent leadership in rebuilding our organisation and championing the interest of the youth.
In case you read in the paper that land reform and the state mining company have nothing to do with youth interest, be mindful that the youth will inherit this country from the current generation of freedom fighters. It is therefore in the interest of the youth to inherit a country that has significantly altered property relations compared to what they were during apartheid, particularly because when the moment of this generation of youth comes, some will frown at an attempt to blame apartheid for property relations that will be prevailing then. As such the interest of youth will include youth development issues and other issues of national socio-economic significance.
I have deliberately omitted to mention the National Development Plan in this text because I am hoping it won’t be part of the ANC Manifesto for reasons that I will share in future. I have also not mentioned new political parties because I believe if we occupy our rightful space enough, we have no need to try and wrestle for our resolutions with anyone.
Viva ANCYL!