Youth League has tabled a list of demands placing youth unemployment and economic exclusion at the centre of its agenda.
Unemployment must be declared a national disaster in South Africa, says ANC Youth League (ANCYL) president Collen Malatji.
Malatji was speaking at the University of Limpopo, where he delivered his political report at the ANCYL 27th elective conference in Polokwane.
“As much as we applaud the president for declaring gender-based violence a disaster in this country, we are further calling on him to declare unemployment and the further restructuring of the economy a disaster,” he said.
“It cannot make sense that 20% of people control 80% of the economy, while 80% of the people depend on the 20%, which is a disaster in [the] making.
“We always say, ‘ How do you date when you do not have data?’ We can also say, ‘How do you date when you are unemployed.’ Even in your families, you know they will not even invite you to a family meeting because they know you will not be able to contribute,” he said.
Industrialisation and jobs
He said the ANCYL also demands that the government should create mass job opportunities for young people across different sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
“We demand on an urgent basis that the economy must industrialise and local businesses must be protected.
“The ANCYL demands a state-led beneficiation of mineral resources to ensure that their value remains in our country.
“We demand the introduction of export quotas to prioritise domestic supply chains and to create jobs.
“We are saying not more than 70% of our minerals must leave the country; it must be beneficiated in South Africa.”
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More demands
He said the youth league also had several demands regarding reforms to basic and higher education.
“We demand education and skills, we call for free quality education that is fully funded by the state, we call for the cancellation and the clearing of all student debt owed by graduates to finally access their qualifications.
“The ANCYL calls for an end to all blacklisted students with debt collectors, we call for the expansion of (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) NSFAS to fund postgraduates.
“We call for the strengthening of TVET colleges to ensure that graduates are skilled to respond to the economic demands,” he said.
On health care, he said the ANCYL demands the full implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act.
He also demanded that all unemployed health care workers be employed.
“We demand an end to staff shortages in hospitals and clinics in South Africa, we demand access to mental health services specifically for young people,” he said.
On social welfare, he said the youth league demands increases in all social grants to keep them in line with the rising cost of living.
He also called for the death penalty for those who rape women and kill children.
“We demand funding that will be set aside to fight against drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and support for young mothers.”
‘DA ministers must go’
He said the ANCYL demands the removal of all ministers and deputy ministers who undermine the National Democratic Revolution (NDR).
“We demand the removal of the ministers of the DA… all ministers of the DA must be removed,” he said.
He said the ANCYL also demands that illegal foreign nationals should not own spaza shops and other smaller businesses.
“We demand that all small businesses should be set aside for South Africans,” he said.
Malatji also demanded the inclusion of more young people in leadership roles in government and in the private sector.
Following this speech, Malatji was later reelected ANCYL president for the second time.
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