The ANC Youth League is the political youth organisation of the ANC. It is established from the constitution of the ANC as the youth organ of the ANC, whose main objective is the mobilisation of youth behind the banner and vision (creation of a non racial, non sexist, Democratic and prosperous society) of the African national congress.
Since its inception in 1944 the YL has positioned itself as a political home of the South Africa’s youth. It exists as an autonomous structure within the ANC. This means it is able to develop and implement own programmes, convene congresses and run its administration. This is done within the broad policy direct ion and political leadership of the ANC. Throughout its history the ANC Youth League has always mobilised South Africa’s youth behind the African national congress and its programmes.
Autonomy of the ANC Youth League.
The Constitution of the ANC Youth League says “The ANCYL shall function as an autonomous body within the overall structure of the ANC of which it shall be an integral part. It shall be based on the political and ideological objectives of the ANC”.
The ANC Constitution says, “The Youth League will function as an autonomous body within the overall structure of the ANC, of which it will be an integral part, with its own Constitution, rules and regulations, provided that these shall not be in conflict with the Constitution and policies of the ANC”.
The Constitutions of both the ANC and ANC YL are recited as a form of giving a sense of the autonomous, but not independent relationship between the ANC YL and ANC, yet the relationship is in no way a mere Constitutional relationship. The autonomy of the ANC Youth League is a vital political relationship, which can never be reduced to a Constitutional relationship and sacrificed in the course of the revolution. Autonomy of the ANC Youth League is not a by the way issue, but a revolutionary organisational practice which if ignored, could undermine the impetus and energy that young people should impact in any radical political, economic and social change of society.
The autonomy of the ANC Youth League and generally young people in all revolutions is elementary to a revolution’s progress and success. Revolutions are by their very nature activities of young people, and marginalising young people merely into a preparatory arrangement within revolutionary movements stifles the political and ideological development of such movements. History proves that almost all if not all national liberation and revolutionary movements that do not have autonomous youth formations degenerate into insignificance with the passage of time. So reducing autonomy into a constitutional matter without politics is a political blunder with massive consequences. That is why the autonomy of the ANC YL to formulate novel ideological and political tactics within a broader strategic vision should forever be protected. Autonomy of the Youth League should not just be reduced to organisational autonomy of organising own meetings, but not taking own decisions. It should fundamentally mean the right of the Youth League to formulate independent political, ideological and strategic perspectives in the cause of struggle and independent capacity and ability to robustly advocate for such perspectives.
Addressing this question, the early 1990s ANC Youth League Provisional National Committee said in a perspective that was subsequently adopted by the KwaNdebele re-launching congress in 1991 that, “The youth can only effectively participate in the liberation of our country and get involved in the building of a democratic South Africa on the basis of the totality of knowledge and experience handed over to it by older generations. At the same time young people should not be encouraged merely to copy or assimilate what is handed over to them. They should do that through an investigative and critical approach. Real education in struggle on the part of the youth cannot be separated from their independent political involvement. A profound appreciation by the youth of the democratic ideals we are fighting for is better consolidated if verified by their independent experience in struggle. Autonomy of the League offers the opportunity for the realization of the boundless resources of energy, enterprise, initiative and free application of the creative potential of our youth”.
Those who argued for the formation of the ANC Youth League in the early 1940s, notably former ANC President Joshua T. Gumede, argued that the YOUTH LEAGUE had to be formed because that was the only way to make the ANC live forever. By its very nature the ANC Youth League has to be youthful, re-energize and radicalize the ANC and those who are opposed to its ideals should never be tempted to liquidate the ANC Youth League, nor destroy its leadership. The ANC Youth League is an integral part of the ANC, but an autonomous organisation. It does many things, some of which will not be comfortable with the older generation.
Many generations before this generation defended the autonomy of the ANC Youth League and this generation owes it upon these generations to protect and defend the autonomy of the ANC Youth League. This generation of Youth League owes it upon the generations of Walter Sisulu and subsequently Peter Mokaba to defend the autonomy of the ANC YOUTH LEAGUE. A possible respond to the 1940s ANC Youth League call for defiance of the apartheid system could have been disciplinary action against the Youth League leadership, but its autonomy allowed space for measured discussion which took the ANC forward. When former Presidents Robert Resha and Nelson Mandela called for armed struggle, it was not policy of the ANC, yet they were allowed space to raise why the ANC had to take armed struggle. In all efforts to defend the autonomy, it should be understood that autonomy of the ANC YL is a political matter.
Ancyl’s Twin Tasks
Therefore the twin tasks of the youth league today, is the mobilisation of youth behind ANC vision and programme for the construction of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society. Secondly is to champion (and place central youth development to the nations agenda) youth development both in the ANC and in society. Thirdly is to ensure that the Freedom Charter objectives are realised in totality.
Informed by the above the ANC Youth League tasks are underpinned by the need to deepen democracy, champion youth development and advocate for the realisation of economic freedom. The role of the YL remains that of being a political school for the training and the education of young revolutionary democrats, whose task is to continue with the process of fundamental transformation of South Africa in favour of millions of ordinary people both black and white.
Starting off with petitions to the colonial powers, the ANC over the years developed ever more militant forms of struggle, and finally adopted armed struggle and formed Umkhonto WeSizwe in 1961, a year after its banning. Combined with armed actions, the ANC and other resistance movements used international mobilisation, underground organisation and mass mobilisation to challenge colonialism and its apartheid derivative. In these various terrains of struggle, workers, the rural masses, women, youth, students, the religious community, the intelligentsia, professionals and other sections of society played a critical role. As during the wars of resistance and the anti-slave revolts, they displayed selflessness and heroism that will remain an inspiration to future generations.
As a result of generalised mass revolt, a situation was reached in the late 1980s in which the system of white minority domination could no longer be sustained. Yet at the same time, the liberation struggle at the head of which was the ANC had not as yet amassed sufficient strength to overthrow the apartheid regime.
Elements within the South African ruling class and its international allies started to weigh the implications of continuing popular revolt -and its culmination in the overthrow of the apartheid regime - on their interests within the country and the region. While it had always accepted the human and material cost of protracted struggle, the ANC had, as a matter of abiding principle, sought a more humane resolution of the conflict without compromising the basic objectives of struggle. So the ANC is:
1. Mass National Liberation Movement and governing political Party, which does not only lead government, but the entire society towards the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
2. Multi class/multi-strata movement with a bias or leaning towards the black working class, and the rural and urban poor—as the major motive force for genuine liberation.
3. In the 1969 Strategy & Tactics of the ANC, liberation was understood as follows: “In our country - more than in any other part of the oppressed world - it is inconceivable for liberation to have meaning without a return of the wealth of the land to the people as a whole. It is therefore a fundamental feature of our strategy that victory must embrace more than formal political democracy”.
4. The 2010 National General Council of the ANC re-affirmed the “multi-class character of the ANC, with its bias towards the working class and the poor and that the ANC continues to be the strategic centre of power, the leader of the Alliance, a disciplined force of the left, and a mass movement with an internationalist and an anti-imperialist outlook.