Africa-Press – South-Africa. The ANC’s touting of a separate ministerial department to deal solely with youth issues, including unemployment, will not solve the crisis that most of the country’s citizens face.
This was the view of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) when the recommendation was put forward at the party’s policy conference over the weekend.
The country has an unemployment crisis, with most jobless people being young.
But the Youth League do not support the establishment of a separate department.
Currently, youth issues are covered by the Ministry of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (in the Presidency) led by Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
ANCYL convenor Nonceba Mhlauli said a separate department would mean side-lining youth development issues in a “corner”.
She told News24 that the ANCYL had not proposed the idea.
Mhlauli said:
Ahead of the conference, the Youth League pushed for the ANC to mandate that at least 40% of the national executive committee be made up of young people.
In terms of the ANC’s rules, one is defined as “youth” until the age of 35.
To serve in the ANC NEC, one has to have been a member of the party for 10 years.
The Youth League’s calls may require the party to alter this requirement.
In his opening address at the weekend conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke of the importance of addressing the plight of young people.
The ANCYL did not manage to get it’s 40% recommendation passed at the policy conference, but it still has a chance to push for it at the national elective conference in December.
Mhlauli said the Youth League did have some victories at the conference, especially on membership quality, vetting, and branches proving they are in good standing based on their community outreach work.
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