Issue 1, Vol 7: 20 April 2009 * *
*In this issue:* · *Be Like Chris Hani-Vote ANC* *Be Like Chris Hani – VOTE African National Congress [ANC]!* Dear Comrades and Compatriots, The 22nd April 2009 marks a moment for the youth of South Africa to make their mark for democracy, better life and enjoyment of freedom. It is a call for the majority of our youth who are on the voters roll to go to the polls and vote for the ANC and for Jacob Zuma. It is for the youth to remake 1994 and come to the defense of the democracy whose tree was nourished by the blood of Solomon Mahlangu. It is a moment for the youth of our country to “Be Like Chris Hani” and place their vote next to the ever charming face of Jacob Zuma. Over the last few months we have travelled the length and breadth of our country; we have been to the furthest corners that some never knew existed; we have met the young and the old; we have met Black, White, Indian and Coloured South African under the theme “Youth Vote ANC” and “Working Together with the Youth we can do more”. All of this work that members and cadres of the Young Communist League together with our partners in the Progressive Youth Alliance engaged into comes down to what South Africans will decide when they receive their ballot. It has been a long and strenuous campaign. But it was not only a campaign for a vote; it was also an eye opener on the reality that we still need to do more to change the lives of ordinary South Africans. It was a campaign that was fought out in campuses, townships, villages, suburbs, night clubs, shebeens, churches and everywhere else where we could fin d young people. The response that we revived from the many young people who came to our campaign rallies, or to those who opened their doors for us, or to those we visited in hospitals and workplaces was a positive and kind one. The hospitality of our people, despite the measure of their poverty, is amazing. I visited a home in De Aar where the family has been staying there for more than 20 years. The site they have erected their shack on still did not belong to them. The condition of the shack itself was not worthy of human dwelling. Dire poverty was written all over the faces of the husband and wife who had ironically not lost any hope that change will come from the ANC-led Alliance government. Hardly a week after having raised the concern with the Mayor and the Counsellor about their conditions of living, they were issued with a title deed that confirmed them as the owners of the land and that the municipality has began with processes to build a house. Another area that I visited in the North West was around Brits, where farm workers were being evicted by farm owners. This is apparently the norm each time we move towards elections. But the people, irrespective of their terrible living conditions, declared their continued love for the ANC and its leadership and believe that working together we can do more. This has been a very exciting campaign. It was flooded with creativity and energy by us as the youth. We introduced new phenomena and were pushed to no limit in developing ideas that are more acceptable to our own culture. The youth of this country, everywhere, have changed the face of political campaigning and were attracted to the political movement which we started a long while ago when we said Jacob Zuma will be president of the Republic. There were many websites which were built on the success of the Friends of Jacob Zuma, including the iloveanc website. There were thousands of Facebook sites of many cadres of the movement who used it as an opportunity to send a message that their souls are forever tied to the ANC led Alliance. There was the YCL Graffiti Session which was an almost new innovation were we used it to remember Chris Hani and call on the youth to Vote for the ANC. There were fashion parades, beauty parades, new styled t-shirts that were sexy and stunning, motor parades, picnics which complemented old style posturing, blitz, loud-hailing and mass rallies. The youth were at the centre of these as they declared their love for the ANC-led Alliance leadership. This was inspired more by the good leadership that the ANC-led Alliance was presenting through a democratic internal ANC process. It is a leadership that the youth expressed its trust and love towards because they believed it has a track record in the struggle. They saw the commitment of this leadership, and its dedication towards changing the lives of the people. But it was also the resoluteness of the ANC –led Alliance leadership to maintain the Polokwane resolution that Jacob Zuma will be the face of the ANC election campaign that inspired young people to go out of traditional bounds in campaigning for the ANC. This was indeed an exciting campaign which also inspired a beautiful musical play that was shown in universities to a loud response and acceptance by the youth. The ANC led Alliance Election Manifesto was also a consultative process that covered every one through the My Vision, My ANC, My Future Campaign. Young people felt that they matter most and that their demands are being taken into account. All of this creativity, energy and zeal are boiling down to a massive electoral victory of the ANC on the 22nd April 2009. We are confident that when the voting stations open on that morning to allow us to go and make our mark, we will have a historic voter turnout ever recorded in the history of South Africa. Forget about the so-called sponsored public intellectuals whose main preoccupation is to criticize Jacob Zuma. Forget about the weak opposition parties who offer nothing to the people except lies, lies and more lies. Remember that this will be your moment as a young person and that you will need to walk out of that ballot booth a proud and zealous youth. The road thus far has been long and not without up-hills and difficulties. The road has in the process claimed the souls of many individuals, organizations and institution who had it not been of certain decisions taken within the state, they would still be intact. But on Wednesday, we will show that although the odds were against the ANC-led Alliance and its Jacob Zuma, the people shall reinstate him and the ANC-led Alliance to the Union Buildings and Tuiynhuis. For the first time voters, make sure that you do it proper. As a young person there are many things that you may have done and sometimes it is only the first time that will determine whether you will continue doing those things. Your first time cannot be with political leaders who do not inspire you in any way about the future of your country. Your first time should be invested in the ever-charming (fact) President of the ANC, Jacob Zuma. Sleep early on the 21st of April, wake up early, help the elderly to go and vote. After you have cast your vote, take your umbrella, camping chair, cooler bag and wait as the IEC counts the ANC into victory. Let’s go and Vote for an even bigger majority. The future is in our votes, lets vote ANC! That’s the Bottomline, Cos the YCL said so! *BUTI MANAMELA* *National Secretary, Young Communist League* --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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