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Introduction
1. This document is aimed at assessing and
discussion of the challenges facing youth
in South Africa and proposition possible
interventions, with specifc focus on issues
such as Youth unemployment and poverty;
Social security; substance, alcohol and drug
abuse; HV/ADS;; transformation of sports
and opportunities for youth in the 2010
Fifa World Cup; literacy programmes, and
various other areas.
2. The document notes that these issues are
interlinked and appeal to broader society,
often assuming a racial, class, spatial and
gender character.
3. The brief overviews laid on each area
identifed will serve as a basis for further
discussion, resolution and implementation of
the programmes agreed in the intensifcation
of social transformation. The document
should contribute to the redefnition of youth
involvement in the intensifcation of social
transformation in the present conjecture.
4. A thorough understanding and positioning
of youth development and social
transformation in South Africa requires a
proper characterisation of youth in South in
the present conjecture.
5. This should be located within the broader
effort and determination to better the living
conditions of all people. t should always be
emphasised that within the progressive mass
democratic movement as led by the African
National Congress, this is located within and
guided by the National Democratic Revolution
(NDR), whose primary aim is creation of
a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and
united nation through economic and political
emancipation of the black majority and
Africans in particular. This entails amongst
other things, the attainment of the Freedom
Charter visions and aspirations.
6. The African National Congress Youth League
perspective on social transformation should
certainly be located within and guided by the
Freedom Charter visions and aspirations. As
the most correct and concise expression of
the NDR objectives, the Freedom Charter
should remain the torch bearer in the era
of reconstruction and development of our
communities and creation of a just National
Democratic Society.
7. There is no doubt that youth as a sector
remains to be part of the most marginal
benefciaries of the democratic breakthrough.
This does not mean that we are not
appreciative of the gains of democracy,
which young people enjoy. There is no
doubt that young people have had access to
education, economic opportunities and some
developments of democracy, yet majority of
youth remain excluded, unemployed, super-
exploited as casualised and informal workers,
and the most vulnerable to diseases such as
HV/ADS.
8. t is therefore our fundamental responsibility
as the ANC Youth League and the broader
progressive movement to continue the
struggle to realise the aims of the Freedom
Charter.
9. Youth should consistently say that in a
democratic South Africa the people should
govern and share in the country's wealth. We
have to say that the doors of learning and
culture should be opened. We should indeed
call for Land to be distributed amongst those
who live in it.
10. This is the struggle we have to engage
ourselves in, and because of a changed
political environment, build a developmental
state, whose primary objective will be
construction of a society envisioned in the
Freedom Charter. Almost all Developmental
8outh Afr|can Youth
and 8oc|a| Transformat|on
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States that have succeeded in the world (in
South Korea China, Malaysia, Japan, etc)
had a developmental ideology and guideline
and ours should be the Freedom Charter.
Context
11. The main hallmark of South African
society and progressive movement are the
resolutions of the 52
nd
National Conference
of the ANC in December 2007, which has
set as a priority the intensifcation of social
transformation, mainly the provision of
quality healthcare and education for all.
12. These arose primarily from the ANC
national policy conference in June 2007,
which engaged on a variety of issues that
were, amongst others, propositioned by the
ANCYL. The 52
nd
national conference of the
ANC re-affrmed positions of the ANCYL
on most of the issues identifed. The ANC
national Lekgotla in January 2008 produced
a workable and enforceable programmatic
mechanism for the implementation of most
of the issues resolved in the 52
nd
National
Conference.
13. t is always important to note that in South
Africa, youth continue to face the most brutal
of social transformation challenges, such
as high levels of unemployment, poverty,
substance and drug abuse, low success rates
in education, and various other challenges.
This is one diagnosis which will guide us in
fnding the most effective remedies to these
social and socio-economic challenges.
14. Despite the ANC's successful rejection of
a proposed labour regime that sought to
casualise, informalise and unprotect youth
workers at large scale, youth continue
to be the most casualised, informalised
and therefore underpaid and unprotected
workforce in South Africa.
15. There are notable and plausible interventions
and programmes that have been introduced
to address the conditions of youth, and
such should be continuously reviewed,
strengthened and given impetus in the
broader struggle to better the livelihoods of
all.
16. We should also note that the discussion on
social transformation happens within the
context of a frm determination to construct
a developmental state, with capacity to
set developmental objectives and ensure
effective implementation and realisation of
these. A South African developmental State
should have the necessary developmental
capacity, buttressed by a suffciently skilled,
motivated and well-remunerated workforce.
17. The Developmental State machinery
in the policy outlook and coordination
of responsibilities and tasks should be
adequate. t is therefore a responsibility of
youth to attain the skills, knowledge and
expertise in order to play a very critical role
in construction of a developmental state as
youth stand to be its primary benefciaries.
18. We should therefore enhance and harness
the involvement of youth as both benefactors
and benefciaries of development, where
those who are empowered should ensure
that the less empowered beneft from the
knowledge and expertise they have gained
through empowerment and involvement in
socio-economically benefting activities.
19. t is within this context that we should discuss,
understand and advocate for the issues that
affect young people. The discussion on
social transformation should therefore be
located and understood within a context of
a broader commitment and determination to
build a caring society.
20. n broader terms, it should be noted that whilst
well intentioned, the impact of the legislated
and governmental youth institutions and
formations have not succeed in mobilising
the whole of society in the conception and
implementation of an ntegrated Youth
Development Strategy.
21. With certain levels of relative progress,
the extent at which the National Youth
Commission and related formations
impacted on, advocated and campaigned
for youth development was not suffciently
responsive to the challenges of young
people. The Umsombomvu Youth Fund has
made minimal interventions to dent youth
unemployment.
22. Despite these challenges, youth remain the
most aspirational section of society, and
thus in continuous need for more knowledge
and information to enhance and harness
their capacity to realise their aspirations.
Politically, youth constitutes the most radical
and militant section of society, and in most
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instances in the forefront of struggles for the
betterment of society through mobilisation
of communities in struggles and advocacy
for the provision of housing, electricity,
sanitation, water and various other basic
services.
23. This characterisation of youth is not an
attempt to homogenise South African youth,
but an acknowledgement that through their
location in society, these characteristics
constitute the primary features of young
people.
24. The characterisation rather notes the
racial, class and gender dimensions of the
challenges facing youth, with blacks, the
working class and female youth facing the
most daunting of challenges as opposed
to their counterparts. Whilst attempted,
efforts to lobby government, business and
civil society to intensify youth development
programmes have not adequately responded
to the major challenges facing youth.
Youth UnempIoyment and Poverty
25. The most immediate and scathing
challenge to young people in South Africa
is unemployment and poverty, which are in
most instances interlinked. Lack of income
for households and individuals continue to
be the major contributor to high levels of
poverty.
26. Subsequent Labour Force Surveys (2005;
2006 and 2007) point to the reality that
almost always, youth constitute more 70%
of the working age population that is need of
jobs and cannot fnd them.
27. This is due to a variety of reasons, prime
being the inability of the South African
economy to absolve the entirety of its
workforce. The continued reliance of the
South African economy on the extraction,
production and exportation of primary
commodities and importation of virtually all
consumer and fnished products worsens the
levels and degree of unemployment.
28. Another major contributor to youth
unemployment is the shortage of skills,
expertise and knowledge amongst young
people to could effectively contribute in the
production, exchange and consumption of
goods and services (economy).
29. The shortage of skills is attributable to a
variety of issues and factors ranging from
minimal capacity of the broader education
system to produce skilled and knowledgeable
individuals with necessary capabilities to fulfl
functions and tasks needed in the economy,
State and society; and the systemic legacy of
apartheid, which consciously underdeveloped
every aspect of black and particularly African
society, including on provision of skills and
education.
30. Part of what should constitute sustainable
intervention in the fght against unemployment
and poverty is effective and sustainable
implementation of an industrial strategy,
whose primary aim will be diversifcation and
development of the South African labour-
absorptive sections of the economy.
31. The ANCYL should advocate for an
industrial strategy which must include
increased investment in the processing of
natural resources such as minerals, metals
and agricultural products, and various
other interventions which will lead to an
independent economy, not totally reliant on
the demand of minerals from international
fnance capital. This could go a great deal
in reversing the dependent features of the
South African economy, and set it on a
more sustainable, labour-absorptive and
developmental growth pattern.
32. The development and implementation of
the industrial strategy should prioritise a
deliberate and conscious strategy for local
production, as an industrial strategy that is
fully reliant on foreign investments might not
be sustainable.
33. This could include a conscious strategy to
stimulate entrepreneurial capacity of young
people, and provision of effective support for
youth enterprises and co-operatives, mainly
around the processing and benefciation
of natural products. The NYDA should be
positioned to lead in ensuring that young
people are involved in productive and
developmental economic activities.
34. The spatial character of an industrial strategy
should be given closer attention as a means
to avoid a reproduction of the migrant labour
system, where almost all young people
will fock to major cities seeking economic
opportunities. ndustrial development should
be decentralised across communities and
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regions of South Africa, and given the
necessary support to thrive.
35. Another effective intervention in the struggle
against unemployment and poverty should
be expansion and strengthening of the public
service. All spheres of the State should
always strive to perform and fulfl its functions
at full employment capacity, at all levels.
36. Emphasis should be placed that consistent
with the effort and determination to construct
a developmental state, training and
employment of public servants in health,
education, social services, safety and
security, administration, justice and various
other sectors should be prioritised. This
could have a signifcant impact in sustainably
addressing high levels of unemployment and
poverty.
37. As an intervention to ameliorate extreme
and abject poverty, the Youth League should
discuss whether the Basic ncome Grant
(BG) cannot be part of the methods to
ensure that extreme poverty is eliminated.
38. The social security and development
machinery has gained plausible augment
from the ANC 52
nd
national conference
resolutions, and such should be insulated
as a means to ensure that extreme levels of
poverty are eradicated.
39. Within this context, there should be
exploration of other viable interventions in
the efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. This
would include provision of food parcels for
families without income, provision of free
sanitary towels for females who cannot afford
them, and intensifcation of the programmes
to provide free education, healthcare, water,
electricity, and low-income housing.
40. Whilst expatiated elsewhere, the need
to develop youth's capacity to effectively
partake in the production and consumption
of goods and services should be expanded.
This should be underpinned by removing all
barriers to access quality education, ranging
from high fees, lack of support, diseases,
etc.
Drug, AIcohoI and Substance Abuse
41. t does not require rocket science to notice
the extent at which the abuse of drugs,
alcohol and substances negatively impacts
on the struggle to politically and economically
emancipate the black majority and Africans in
particular in our construction of a non-racial,
non-sexist, democratic and united South
Africa.
42. Drugs, alcohol and substance abuse are
in essence a counter-revolutionary feature,
which if not curbed in society, could
reverse the gains of our revolution. The
abuse of these intoxicating substances and
alcohol does not only negatively impact the
wellbeing of the individuals consuming them,
but distorts society and leads to other grave
social ills such as crime, rapid spread of
HV/ADS, poor health, low success rates in
education, etc.
43. The society that we are living in experiences
serious social ills; these are mainly
interlinked and attributable to irresponsible
consumption of alcohol and abuse of drugs
and substances. n almost all instances,
the youth and ANCYL branches know who
sells drugs in the communities. We therefore
should come up with a strategy to expose the
people who destroy our society. This should
include mass and effective campaigns
against irresponsible consumption of alcohol
and condemnation of drug abuse.
44. The ANCYL should further advocate and
mobilise for legislative interventions on the
trade and usage of alcohol in communities,
which must consider banning the sale and
trade of alcohol beyond certain hours and
on certain days. The legislative interventions
should expand to regulating times for opening
and closing of the taverns and night clubs. A
more radical legislative intervention could be
banning the advertising of alcohol through
various communication channels, such as
television, radio, print media and bill boards.
These efforts should be located within the
broader efforts and campaigns to dissuade
irresponsible consumption of alcohol and
curbing of drug abuse amongst the youth.
45. The ANC YL should collaborate with all
structures in the Education Alliance and
Progressive Youth Alliance to ensure strong
regulation and monitoring of liquor outlets
within or closer to nstitutions of teaching and
learning. The trade and consumption of liquor
should not hamper the process to provide
quality and sustainable education for all.
46. n instances where young people are
addicted (hooked into) to alcohol, drugs and
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substances, government should build and
increase the capacity of State rehabilitation
centers around localities with the aim of
renewing addicts back to normal society.
The Sin taxes should be directed to the
rehabilitation programmes.
47. We should utilise various sectors and
departments of the State and society,
notably social development, education and
health to train more youth as counselors to
assist in counseling programmes of young
people who irresponsibly consume alcohol
and abuse drugs. This could lead to effective
and sustainable mentorship programmes for
those who might be identifed as substance
abusers, especially from dysfunctional
families. At all levels, structures of the ANC
YL should form a programme to dissuade
abuse of drugs, alcohol and substances,
while placing mechanisms and methods to
rehabilitate those that have been addicted.
48. The most effective strategy in the campaign
against abuse of alcohol, drugs and
substances should be mobilisation of
civil society, mainly Community Based
Organisations (CBOs), Non-governmental
Organisations (NGOs), Trade Unions,
Church Groups and Business. This would
lead to an effective and sustainable
campaign buttressed by a mass support and
involvement of all stakeholders in society.
49. We should particularly support Ke Moja
Campaign of the department of social
services, and ensure that it flters down to
all levels of society, and appeals to a wider
audience.
Sports, Arts and Recreation
50. Overall, the campaign against the abuse
of alcohol should be concurrent to the
campaign for the development and support
of sustainable recreational activities, which
will occupy young people's free time.
51. The introduction of new sporting codes
in particularly poor communities should
be intensifed, whilst emphasis placed on
developing the sporting and creative potential
of all youth. A variety of other programmes
for young people to develop and explore their
creative potential could be realised through
formation of Youth, Poetry and Music Clubs,
Reading/Study Groups, and various other
programmes.
52. State departments, mainly on Sports, Arts
and Culture, and sporting associations
should be engaged to increase more
resources on sports and creative industries
to assist in keeping youth occupied with
recreational and creative activities.
53. This could include a concerted programme to
support the development of Soccer, Netball,
Rugby, Tennis, Cricket and broad recreational
and creative activities in all communities.
This could divert youth from other unhealthy
activities such as drugs, alcohol, crime, etc.
54. Another vital intervention to make will be
decisive intervention on the transformation of
sports to ensure wider inclusivity of majority
of the people in various sporting codes,
including those previously preserved for
certain racial groups.
55. The campaigns for the transformation of
sports should be underpinned by primarily
two factors: 1) political advocacy for
genuine transformation and 2) practical
and programmatic interventions. The frst
component of the campaign should include
campaign for inclusivity of all national groups
in the selection of National and Provincial
teams of previously white sporting codes
such as rugby, cricket, hockey, etc and the
second component should be underpinned
by the campaign for all ANC YL structures
and membership to involve themselves in
various sporting codes.
56. That the ANCYL encourages and promote
OR Tambo games.
57. That school sports should be reintroduced,
SRC`s, SGB`sbe engaged on this program.
Youth and Crime
58. The ANC 52
nd
National Conference political
report noted:
Accordingly, in the past fve years the areas
with the greatest number of violent
crimes were identifed as those that
are poor and economically depressed.
These areas, which account for more
than 50% of violent crime in South
Africa comprise only 169 police station-
areas out of 1 136 police station-areas
in the country. The socio-economic
profle of these areas is similar.
There are few recreational facilities.
Unemployment is high. There are many
dysfunctional families. There are many
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shebeens and other alcohol outlets
and the levels of substance abuse are
very high. Therefore, the objective of
our government's ntegrated Socio-
Economic Development Programme is
also aimed at combating crime.
59. t appears from this observation that the
involvement of communities and youth in
criminal activities is largely a consequence
of various other socio-economic realities.
Youth should strive to fght against crime and
ensure that our communities are safe.
60. The ANCYL should particularly be at the
forefront of forming and leading Community
Safety Forums. n his closing address to
the 52
nd
National Conference, President
Jacob Zuma called on all ANC branches to
actively lead, champion and facilitate crime
prevention strategies. He particularly said
that we had street committees before. f
we were able to defeat vigilantism and the
apartheid system, what can stop us from
defeating this ugly factor that has tainted our
democracy?
61. This should certainly guide all young people
in the intensifcation of the struggle and
fght against crime. We should however
emphasise the need to expand our Safety
and Security campaign to advocate for
proper and effective rehabilitation of
prisoners. Correctional services facilities
should be corrective.
62. Prisons should not be turned into
incarceration and solely punitive institutions,
but to rehabilitative and corrective centres
with the necessary capacity to ensure that
those who are on the wrong side of the
law are rehabilitated, mainly those who will
subsequently be re-integrated to society.
We should therefore launch campaigns to
encourage imprisoned youth to study and
attain certain skills as part of the corrective
measures.
2010 Fifa WorId Cup
63. The ANC YL and all progressive youth
formations should ensure that the primary
benefciaries of the 2010 Fifa World Cup
are young people. We should engage all
relevant stakeholders in the preparation
of the World Cup event to prioritise youth
(Youth enterprise and co-operatives) in
issuing of services and goods. This could
include setting strict methods of ensuring
that the printing and publishing of all 2010
Fifa World Cup paraphernalia is reserved
for youth enterprises and co-operatives. This
could set many of youth enterprises and co-
operatives on a sustainable basis and give
them suffcient capacity for reproduction over
time.
64. Despite the economic benefts which South
African youth will attain from the 2010 Fifa
World Cup activities, they should host to
the people who will visit South Africa for the
World Cup activities.
65. Progressive youth formations should be at
the forefront of dispelling fears expressed
about crime levels in South Africa by ensuring
that all visitors are taken great care, safely
entertained and that safety and security
for all is essential. Young people should
be mobilised to ensure that the 2010 Fifa
World Cup is a success and take part in the
provision of services for all the soccer-loving
people who will descend to South Africa for
the Soccer event.
66. ANCYL should encourage youth to learn
foreign languages franchaise,Spanish and
Mandarin.
67. Encourage youth to introduce cheer group
leaders program that will participate in 2010
soccer cups.
Literacy programme
68. Despite the schooling programmes that are
already existent, we should fnd a way to
involve young people in literacy programmes
either as benefactors or benefciaries.
The recently introduced Kharigude (led
by the Department of Education) Literacy
Campaign should be given practical sense
by all ANC YL structures and transformed
into a national programme, which involves
everyone, not government only. We should
particularly emphasise the role certain
sections of youth can play as benefactors of
Literacy Campaign, within the Kharigude and
National Youth Service (NYS) framework.
69. For instance, many Universities operate
students' supported winter and Saturday
school programmes, which reach out to
number of learners, although not all who
need such programmes. Whilst these have
been substantive and plausible, they have
indeed not reached a signifcant number
of learners as compared to those who will
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need the type of assistance learners require
across the country. This is due to a variety of
factors, key being the geographic limitations
and capacity issues that are associated with
the budgetary constraints that characterise
many of these students' structures.
70. The geographical limitations pertains to the
fact that institutions of higher learning cannot
reach out to a larger number of students
due to distance, whilst the funding aspect
limits these structures' capacity to reach
out to a wider and probably most affected
communities.
71. Quite concertedly, Students Representative
Councils and Progressive Youth Alliance
(PYA) formations within institutions of higher
learning should be encouraged to enhance
and make more viable the operations
of charity, volunteer and community
development students' organisations and
winter and Saturday schools programmes,
whilst campuses that do not have such
programmes are encouraged and assisted to
set up such programmes.
72. The PYA formations could further fnd
means to generate funds specifcally for
the enhancement of these programmes
and projects through provision of training
programmes and injection of funds when
and as needed. Another option could be
mobilisation of funds allocated for NYS to
be utilised in the intensifcation of literacy
campaign.
73. A vital programme the Youth League should
campaign for is the Computer Literacy
Campaign. One objective reality is that youth
are presently living in the era of nformation
and Communications Technology (CT),
such that computer illiteracy is almost similar
to illiteracy in general. This should be curbed
through a conscious programme which must
include State and private sector interventions
in the provision of facilities and capacity to
sustainably facilitate and develop youth
usage of CT. This would also contribute in
closing the digital gap and the gap between
poor schools and higher education in South
Africa, therefore guaranteeing improved
success rates of disadvantaged students in
higher education.
74. The literacy programmes should be
expanded to beneft the whole of society on
a variety of fronts and the ANC Youth League
structures should foster and advocate for
increased literacy campaign on the following
areas:
R Mathematics and Numeracy
R Legal studies (Human Rights Aware-
ness Campaign)
R Health issues (Hygiene and preventive
health)
R HV/ADS Awareness
R Basic Financial Management, Accoun-
ting and Marketing
R Business Plans Development
R Computer Literacy.
75. These should be given practical and
programmatic coherence, advocated for and
implemented in our determination and efforts
to build a caring society, whose inhabitants
will enjoy maximum political and economic
emancipation.
76. There should further be efforts to build
a strong Education Alliance at all levels,
comprising of all progressive formations in
education, to intensify the campaign for the
provision of quality education.
Youth and Housing
77. Young people in South Africa are dissuaded
from independent ownership of property for a
variety of reasons, which include high costs
of property, the dependency phenomenon
and sentiment established amongst youth
that property ownership is a preserve of
adults.
78. This pattern should be discontinued as we
explore a variety of interventions, including
the resolutions of the ANC 52
nd
National
Conference, in ensuring increased housing
and property ownership by South African
youth.
79. This should happen within the broader
transformation of housing allocation in South
Africa, particularly around the development
of ntegrated Human Settlement Strategy,
which should help in the deracialisation of
communities and blur the resource allocation
and service delivery gap between wealthy
and poor communities.
HIV/AIDS
80. Overall, our target as adopted by the 22
nd
National Conference in 2004 to achieve a 0%
infection rate by 2014 amongst youth should
be maintained. We should particularly expand
the ANCYL HV/ADS Campaign to include
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the broader movement of discouraging multi-
sexual relationships amongst young people.
81. Youth League structures at all levels should
be at the forefront to confront the reality
of promiscuity as a fashionable practice
amongst young people. The Youth League
should openly condemn multi-sexual
relationships amongst its members and
all youth whilst intensifying the broader
campaign for the prevention of HV/ADS.
The Youth movement should equally be
mobilised to advocate for treatment and care
of those infected with HV.
82. Care and support ANCYL to promote
facilitate that are there in the communities,
which deals with those people who are
affected or infected by this pandemic.
83. The homebasecares and hospice facilities
be utilised to assist our societies. The
youth league members be encourage to
participate as lay counsellors, peer groups
and caregivers.
The NationaI Youth Service Programme
(NYSP)
84. The broader conceptual framework on the
National Youth Service Programme (NYSP)
can be traced back to as early as the 50
th
Congress of the African National Congress
in Mafkeng in 1997. Then, the NYSP was
located as an intervention to build patriotism
through greater involvement of youth in the
creation and construction of a new nation.
85. Government launched NYS is August
2004 to engage young South Africans in
community service activities in order to
strengthen service delivery, promote nation-
building, foster social cohesion & to assist
youth to gain occupational skills necessary to
access sustainable livelihood opportunities.
NYS seek to give further meaning to the
Constitutional principle of citizens' rights &
responsibilities. t offers youth an opportunity
to express their civic responsibilities in a
structured manner.
86. n the NYS Green Paper & the draft NYS
White Paper, the following VSON was
articulated: To provide a long term &
effective means of reconstructing the
South African society through physical
rehabilitation, reconstruction of community
resources as well as rebuilding the fabric of
communities. The National Youth Service
will enable young people to promote the spirit
of nation-building by inculcating a sense of
service culture, a common appreciation of
nationhood & ensuring integrated youth
development through service & learning
activities. This has not fnd an effective
and sustainable practical meaning as the
National Youth Commission (NYC), the
Umsombomvu Youth Fund (UYF) and
government department could not establish
a coordinated and integrated programme in
all spheres to ensure that this objective is
realised. t should be emphasised that the
NYS is not a programme for government
department and private sector to utilise
young people as reserves of cheap and free
labour.
87. The under-construction National Youth
Development Agency (NYDA)
1
should
ensure that the primary objectives and scale
of the National Youth Service Programme
is implemented through mobilisation of
all sectors of society behind its vision and
framework. This should happen within the
broader mandate to build a coherent and
united nation, whose youth are aware of
their rights and responsibilities. t is certainly
within this context that the NYSP is given
impetus and realised in the betterment of
society and livelihoods.
BuiIding SociaI Cohesion
88. The efforts to ensure that the objectives and
aims propositioned above are realised reside
in a conscious effort amongst the youth to
build social cohesion, as part of constructing
a single, independent and united nation. Over
the years the lives of all young women and
men have been infuenced by the conditions
and dynamics of apartheid. Many young
men and women suffered as a result of the
denial of basic human rights, sustainable
only through the use of violence and force of
the apartheid system. Apartheid generated a
form of continued structural violence toward
young people through poverty, inferior
education and the denial of basic services.
They fostered these odious phenomena
after dividing the African population to rule
effortlessly.
89. Fundamentally, apartheid as an ideological
outlook rested on the fragmentation of the
black majority and Africans in particular,
into small rival tribal and ethnic groupings,
divisively called nations. So the broader
aim was conscious creation of small nations
27
ANC Y0uTl LEA0uE 2008 C0NFERENCE 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT3
within a broader South African nation, mainly
as a means to demobilise common opposition
and struggle against apartheid oppression,
suppression and super-exploitation. t
therefore becomes the responsibility of the
post democratic breakthrough youth to build
a single, coherent and united nation, which
will overlook reactionary ethnic and racial
particularism.
90. Efforts to demobilise ethnic and racial
mobilisations for political purposes should
constantly be encouraged, whilst all efforts
to build a single nation hoisted, harnessed
and enhanced. The recently proposed recital
of common message (pledge) in all South
African schools and amongst youth could
play a signifcant role in nation building.
The pledge should be recited in almost
all gatherings of young people, including
meetings of the ANCYL.
91. Today young women and men still struggle
with the legacy of apartheid. To obtain a good
education, maintain physical, mental and
spiritual well-being, access health services,
and pursue meaningful employment remains
a fundamental and constant struggle.
92. Young people in the post democratic
breakthrough are still seen as a threat
to society and its values, but they are
themselves threatened. They are the people
or generation which should improve inter-
racial and inter-ethnic relations in the South
African society in general.
93. Nation building should primarily be the main
objective of all youth formations, partly as a
means to squash any possible ethnic or racial
tensions and conficts, which characterised
almost all post colonial multi-ethnic African
societies and States.
94. The ANCYL should envisage a future for
all young women and men in South Africa
which is free from racial, tribal and gender
discrimination in promoting a democratic,
united, peaceful and prosperous society
where young women and men can enjoy
a full and abundant life enabling them to
become active participants in activities which
fulfl their potential, hopes, dreams and
ambitions and are able to participate fully in
economic, social, cultural and spiritual life.
The League should in this instance strive for
interrelationships and interdependence of all
realms and kindred in our community.
NationaI Youth DeveIopment Agency
95. Whilst expanded on a separated document, it
is vital to highlight that despite the politics that
few and swung around the establishment of a
National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)
and the noticeable and regrettable schism
that existed between certain government
departments and South Africa's youth, the
NYDA should be given practical coherence
and established to lead and guide youth
development.
96. The establishment of the NYDA was frst
resolved by the ANCYL 22
nd
National
Congress in 2004, affrmed by the ANC
NGC in 2005, endorsed and affrmed by
the National Youth Convention and YCL 2
nd
National Congress in 2006, recommended
for resolution by the ANC National Policy
Conference in June 2007 and eventually
resolved by the ANC National Conference
in December 2007. Parliament has set as
one of its priority programmes in 2008, the
legislation of the NYDA.
97. Whilst substantive expatiation has not been
given on the character the NYDA should
structurally and programmatically assume,
there is a broad understanding that it should
lead to the merger of the legislated National
Youth Commission (NYC) and Umsobomvu
Youth Fund.
98. Another aspect that emerges out of the
understanding of the NYDA is that it should
be autonomous from any direct infuence
or micro-management by government,
whilst addressing all issues concerning
youth development in an effective, effcient
and integrated manner, whilst rallying and
advocating support for the implementation of
an integrated youth development strategy.
99. These are certainly plausible principles of
a youth development structure, mainly the
fact that it should be underpinned by relative
autonomy, effectiveness and effciency in
driving an integrated youth development
programme.
100. Whilst a substantive, clearer and concrete
expatiation of the roles, responsibilities and
tasks should be given serious attention, the
below should underpin the NYDA's existence
and sustenance:
R Monitor, lead, guide and facilitate
Youth policies in all spheres of society
(inclusive of government (at all levels),
28
ANC Y0uTl LEA0uE 2008 C0NFERENCE 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT3
judiciary, business and corporate sector,
parliament, etc.
R Conceptualise and contextualise youth
development programmes government
and the NYDA should implement.
R Constructively engage with government
policies and programmes to ensure
their responsiveness to the needs and
aspirations of youth.
R Set up and maintain Youth Advisory and
nformation Centres (YACs) in all Local
Municipalities.
R To spearhead, facilitate and monitor the
implementation of the National Youth
Service Programme.
R To coordinate and lead the nter-
governmental and inter-departmental
Committees on Youth Affairs.
R Research, develop and publish
an annual Status of the Youth
report, detailing the challenges and
opportunities young people in all
sectors of South African society.
R Provide Development Finance to youth
entrepreneurs and co-operatives. This
should include provision of training,
development and support of youth
entrepreneurs and co-operatives.
R To grant funds to Civil Society
Organisations for the purpose of
meeting the developmental needs of
poor communities;
R To strengthen the institutional capacity
of Civil Society Organisations and
structures for long term sustainability;
R Facilitate and promote job creation and
skills development among the youth of
South Africa, including issuing of loans
to Co-operatives and SMMEs.
R Mobilise funds and resources (including
through investment) and support for
youth development initiatives and
activities in SA.
R Coordinate Youth Commemoration and
Celebration Activities.
101. n its fulflment of these functions, the NYDA
should indeed ensure seamless integration
of youth development and not allow space
for parallel and uncoordinated concurrent
functions of federal structures in Provinces.
This could avoid a situation of multiple
responses to the common challenges facing
youth across provinces.
102. Essentially, the new structures should not
be located within the Presidency, Premiers'
Offces or certain departments in government,
but should be structurally and operationally
independent. A desirable phenomenon
would be a NYDA that holds its provincial
governments and other stakeholders in
youth development accountable and vice
versa and avoiding a situation of concurrent
uncoordinated functions. Youth development
should neither be federalised, nor ghettoised
in various provinces and municipalities, but
integrated, deriving a common mandate and
programme from the NYDA.
ConcIusion
103. The intensifcation of social transformation
lies in the essence of building sustainable
livelihoods for young people and society
at large. This happens through conscious
programmes and advocacy by all youth
formations. t should be the priority of the
ANCYL and all progressive formations to
ensure that young people and the rest of
society beneft form the collective efforts and
determination of social transformation. This
should not divert us from the determination
and effort to create a non-racial, non-sexist,
democratic, independent and united nation
whose primary principle shall be human
solidarity and collective social advancement.
Footnotes
1
The details and proposed functions of the NYDA are
detailed in a separate document.
29
ANC Y0uTl LEA0uE 2008 C0NFERENCE 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT3
Introduction
1. Flowing from the discussions at the 52
nd
national conference and the January 8
statement on the occasion of the 96
th
Anniversary of the ANC; Education and
Health have been put back at the centre of the
agenda for social transformation. These are
critical in ensuring that we continue to grow
the economy and fght poverty in whatever
former it manifest itself. Furthermore, it is
critical in realizing the goal of a "Better Life
for AII".
Context
2. nformed by the above challenges as the
ANCYL, we have to ensure that decisions
on the transformation of our society are
implemented. This is important in as far
ensuring that we realize the goals of the
National Democratic Revolution (NDR),
that of building a non-racial, non-sexist,
democratic and prosperous society. This is
our conviction because we are custodians of
the aspirations of the youth of South Africa.
Education
3. [Therefore] Education and Health in main
constitutes what we have come to accept
as key drivers of social transformation.
Young people as the future must receive
quality Education that is free, dynamic and
compulsory. The realization of this noble
goal is informed by what is enshrined in the
Freedom Charter that, says; The Doors of
Learning and Culture shall be opened. The
ANCYL therefore welcomes the decisions of
the taken at the 52
nd
National Conference on
Education which says;
4. Transformation of Higher Education, with
mergers having taken place four years ago,
we are still faced by challenges of equity
and redress. Black and African students (in
particular) are still excluded from accessing
higher education, which remain our greatest
challenge as the ANC YL. t is an uncontested
fact that Historically Black nstitutions (HBs)
are still faced with challenges of survival
whilst those Historically White nstitution
(HWs) are growing fast particularly after
they have engulfed tiny little black institutions
to oblivion, to enhance their transformation
grand standing.
5. Education is the greatest investment that
a nation can make to its young people, as
we are the future. Funding remains a key
stumbling block in attaining an educated
and skilled nation. As it relates to subsidies
to schools and institutions; bursaries for
students and remuneration for teachers.
6. An old discussions on the legislative
provision about nstitutional autonomy and
Academic Freedom in institutions of Higher
Learning remains relevant in this day and
age, it is these provisions that have allowed
universities' managements to our universities
like fefdoms and personal playground..
7. The Transformation of curriculum in our
universities still needs to happen. We have
said in the past that the country needs a
curriculum that is responsive to both the
economic imperatives and community
development demands.
8. We need to work towards the establishment
of ANC Education and Health Desks at
all levels and actively participate in such
structures, which will include initiating
and participating in ANC led community
Education Forums; part of our programs
would be ran through them, which will involve
participation of the community.
PeopIes' education for peopIes' power
9. We need to develop an awareness campaign
on the NO FEES SCHOOLS and play a role
in identifying some of the schools that also
need to part of the program. Encourage
our members and ANC members who
have kids attending in public schools to be
part of school governing bodies, to ensure
that our schools are running properly and
effciently; and that government policies are
0RAFT 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT 0N
Educat|on and hea|th 6ampa|gns
30
ANC Y0uTl LEA0uE 2008 C0NFERENCE 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT3
implemented without fail. We really need to
begin to realize our vision of participating and
strengthening organs of peoples' power.
10. ANCYL and COSAS need to build a strong
partnership with SADTU; a partnership
for peoples education, which will agree
on a contract for Intensive Learning
and Teaching campaign. As part of the
campaign, we need to re-adopt the code
of conducts of SADTU and COSAS for
the purpose of enforcing discipline in our
schools. t is our responsibility to make sure
that the non-negotiable as pronounced in
the January 8 Statement, which are to be
in school, in class, on time, teaching, no
abuse of learners and no neglect of duty are
implemented. And they also apply to learners
to be in class, in time and learn.
11. The partnership should develop a NationaI
Life SkiIIs and Career Guidance program,
where learners shall receive much needed
life skills and career guidance and support
from experts, which will include ANCYL
members.
12. ANCYL needs to establish a massive
NationaI Mentorship Program that shall
play a role in mentoring and motivating
learners. t shall also play a role in NationaI
Life SkiIIs and Career Guidance Program
as the spine and its anchor.
13. We need to encourage the formation of
Alumni Associations for all our township
and rural schools, to offer fnancial support
to schools and also to strengthen the
mentorship program and further deepen the
intensive learning and teaching campaign.
14. Jointly with COSAS, launch the campaign
of making history and political education a
compulsory subject in our schools; that will
assist in producing a patriotic citizenry.
15. Jointly with COSAS spearhead the re-
launching of schools sports in all our
township and rural schools. This should
involve coaching skills to enhance a
professional approach to schools sports. t is
our belief that schools sports my play a role
in developing new talent in all sporting codes
for the country.
16. Jointly with COSAS, campaign for the
building of school halls, libraries and sports
grounds in all our township and rural schools.
The communities may also use these
facilities over weekends and public holidays.
17. Jointly with COSAS, initiate a campaign on
civil education, as it relates to voter education
and our rights and obligations as citizens of
the country.
From ivory towers to peoples universities
18. Jointly with SASCO campaign for the Right
to Learn for the underprivileged students,
campaign for more funds to be availed to
NFSAS, as central body to fund students. We
need to lobby private sector, banking sector
and government department to avail to the
central body and coordinated by NFSAS.
We need to also lobby for a strong ANC YL
and student movement representation on the
NFSAS board, to have a direct infuence on
the policy direction of the NFSAS. Whilst we
lobby the department of education to agree
and implement a capping of fee increments.
19. ncluded in the Right to Learn, are demands
for a conducive environment to study, clean
and safe halls of residence; cafeteria with
affordable nutritious meals; well equipped
libraries and laboratories; well running
student development departments, assisting
with tutorials and extra classes to curb
high failure rate and all other psychosocial
problems faced by students. Campaign for
alternative student services to offer affordable
services like second hand bookshops.
20. Lobby the department of education for more
subsidies for our universities in particular
essential black universities like your
University of Limpopo, University of Forte
Hare, Unizulu, Walter Sisulu University,
UniVenda, which have produced a lot of our
progressive and successful professionals.
Our interest as the ANC YL is the continuous
production of a strong black intelligentsia,
who shall advance and defend the revolution
for years to come.
21. We still need to campaign for the
transformation of all universities, so as
the student and staff outlook refect the
demographics of our country and to meet
equity and redress targets. We need to also
lobby for the reintroduction of the NationaI
Admission Ofce, to assist the state to
infuence the admission patterns in our
universities.
22. We need a developmental state that will
31
ANC Y0uTl LEA0uE 2008 C0NFERENCE 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT3
be able to direct transformation of Higher
Education not leaving the task to vice
chancellors of Universities and University
councils. Ministers' appointees must be held
accountable to the ANC. We also need to
lobby for our members with expertise to be in
University Councils.
HeaIth for AII
23. The second important issues, is that of
Health, as the ANCYL we believe that a
healthy nation will lead to a productive
nation. The provision therefore of health
services in our country must be in such a
way that we realize this noble goal; wherein
primary health is prioritized. The manner
in which education and health services is
delivered has an impact in the development
of our society and most importantly the Youth.
There is an outrage about matric results
every year, escalating number of teenage
pregnancy, growing number of students who
drop-out from higher education institutions
without attaining qualifcations, increasing
number of new HV/ADS infections.
24. The HV/ADS Pandemic remains a
big problem for us as the ANC YL and
broadly as the country. Young people are
continuously infected and affected by the
HV/ADS pandemic, it is thus imperative
that we undertake a huge campaign to
raise awareness, using strong messages
and real-time awareness tactics like touring
hospital wards where those infected are
lying. Our target audience shouId mainIy
be teenagers as young as thirteen.
25. Combined with HIV/AIDS Awareness
campaign, should be sexual education, which
shall include education about contraception
and sexual transmitted diseases. The
mentorship program must also play a role in
this campaign. Coin a campaign around the
condom, popularize its use and ensure it is
widely distributed and are easily accessible
at all times in public places. A one Round
one Condom Campaign.
26. Jointly with CBO's, initiate and/or support
existing home-based care for the bed ridden
and terminal ill patients with HV/ADS. And
initiate and /or support existing support
groups.
27. Jointly with CBOs support a campaign to
highlight the plight of children led households
and also assist them to access all the basic
services like social grants, psychological
support, health and education.
28. Jointly with CBOs campaign for ARVs to be
made available to all those who need them
and encourage those infected with low CD
4
, to
use them. As they have been found to reduce
the morbidity of HV/ADS tremendously. And
also promote all foodstuffs that have been
found to boost the immune system as part
of a comprehensive strategy to deal with the
disease.
29. Strive for de-stigmatize HV/ADS by
encouraging young people to test and
disclose with leaders of the ANCYL at all
levels volunteering to test and disclose their
status.
30. All these campaign must be part of the
ongoing National Awareness campaign,
which will include media bIitz (posters, t-
shirts, stickers, condoms).
Youth friendly health services
31. We need to lead a campaign against
substance abuse; part of the campaign
should include calling for restriction in terms
of the trading hours in particular a ban on
selling liquor on Sundays. We also need to
campaign for the ban of advertising alcohol.
A broad awareness campaign on the effects
of alcohol and drugs. Also expose those who
are involved in drug traffcking and those who
are selling drugs.
32. Encourage youth representation on hospital
and clinic boards, to enable young people
to raise their issues as it relates to health
services to young people in that particularly
clinic or hospital.
33. Jointly with the health department, initiate a
National Campaign on Contraception as part
of the broader strategy to deal with HV/ADS
AND
34. n the view of many backstreet abortions that
also lead to serious morbidity and mortality,
the ANCYL needs to popularize the free
government service for Termination of
Pregnancy and also encourage that this
service be widely available (public-private
partnership might be an option), be friendly
with enough counseling and encouragement
for usage of condom and/or contraception.
Expose all the illegal institutions performing
this type of service. The Termination of
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ANC Y0uTl LEA0uE 2008 C0NFERENCE 0l3Cu33l0N 00CuVENT3
Pregnancy ACT of 1996 and its amendment
of 2007 were passed to make this service
available for free to everyone.
35. Also campaign and raise awareness
about heaIth IifestyIes, about dangers of
cigarettes and alcohol, the importance of
annual medical check ups, keeping ft with
regular physical exercises and training. Also
assist health department to educate young
people about lifestyle diseases and diseases
that are inherited such as hypertension,
diabetes, cervical cancer, prostate cancer.
36. Promote a campaign for all young women to
have a pap smear done as early as possible
when they are sexual active. And support
all campaigns that are raising awareness
of all diseases that affect our South African
society.
ConcIusions
The purpose of this document is to spark a debate
on the programmatic approach to the above
priorities. We need to emphasize our strong
message of going beyond rhetoric and responding
a call to unity in action.