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The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) recently marked its 78th birthday and its Eastern Cape, Bizana, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela sub-region decided to celebrate on 18 September 2022.
The league was founded on 10 September 1944. The Winnie Madikizela-Mandela sub-region held the celebration that was attended by Siyanda Moya from the mother body (ANC), Deputy secretary of the sub-region, SASCO leadership from Sithetho, Comrade Mtsolo who is a former sub-regional chairperson of Winnie Madikizela Mandela sub-region and other former members of ANC Youth League.
“Times are changing and the most important thing is that we should be as inclusive as possible. for the youth league to be prepared to lead in the strategic positions, it is very important that there is guidance from old people, who have been in the struggle for a long time, we need that guidance and experience because we are still young even though we are no longer in the youth league, we still consult and ask when we want to understand so that we don’t fall into the trap that says we don’t need old people, we are ready to takeover. But what I want to support is that there are young people who show that they are capable.” said Siyanda Moya who is the Convenor of sub-regional task team of the ANC in Winnie Madikizela Mandela.
He said is happy with the way the youth league is going because they know what they want and they should be allowed space to voice out what they want. What he would like to do is to encourage the young people of Winnie Madikizela Mandela to be active, go to branches, mobilize, talk to everyone and be acceptive of everyone regardless of generation and be able to say they need the experience , they want to learn from people with experience.
“It is the ANC Youth League that influenced the ANC to be militant enough to overthrow or reach an agreement that we should have political freedom in SA. The 50/50 gender balance policy is a child of the ANCYL,”
“ANC youth league has achieved a lot, for example we have football fields like this one here in Bizana, it is the ANC youth league together with SAFA that met with the leadership of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela local municipality to say that young people of Bizana love football. We saw it through the intervention of Mr Memela from Mhlanga who initiated the world cup which takes place in December.” said said Lihle Chalo, ANC Youth League Secretary in Winnie Madikizela Mandela sub-region
He went on to say he believes that ANC Youth League is the only movement that has young people’s interests at heart hence they were celebrating.
