*Media statement * 24 May 2011
*The YCLSA celebrate 89th anniversary* *We salute our forefathers * The Young Communist League of South Africa [uFasimba] On the occasion of it 89th anniversary, invite the working class to celebrate as we salutes the forefathers of our organisation, those who lay the foundation upon which we are building on today. We salute our members who participating and guiding the 1922 Rand revolt and fought racist tendencies during and after the strike together with the Communist Party of South Africa. Those who formed strike Prisoners committee, distributed leaflets, organised meetings and carried propaganda work during the strike. YCLers who championed the ‘chalking and sticker’ campaign to mobilise the working class against the Apartheid government*.* We salutes those who were the first to call on young workers to refuse to be part of the Defence Force responsible for shooting to death workers during the strike. Many young communist who were responsible for propaganda work of the CPSA, and those who helped built a trade union movement. *The historic launch of YCLSA*** The 25th of May 1922 is the date registered on history books as date upon which the Young Communist League of South Africa [UFASIMBA as it is known today] was officially launched. It must however be noted that the Young Communist League activism in South Africa started as early as in 1921 in towns like Johannesburg and Cape town. This launch on YCLSA in 1922 was a significant development in our history a date which led to the implementation of all aforesaid activities. *YCLSA and the current struggle* Today as we celebrate 89th years of the Young Communist League of South Africa it is important that we look into the achievements and loopholes of our democratic breakthrough. For this reason, we note with seriousness that while the 1994 democratic breakthrough has presented many opportunities for our people, with the democratic government progressively improving the lives of our people, the sad reality is that our economy continues be poor: with blacks living in poverty and white people’s live improving. In other words, notwithstanding some inroads as a result of the 1994 democratic space but ours remains characteristic of, what the author of “23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism” Ha-Joon Chang calls, a *“cappuccino society”*. A “cappuccino society” because there is a mass of poor black people at the bottom, a thin layer of white froth above it and a sprinkling of cocoa (BEE elite) at the helm. Admittedly, the ANC- alliance led government has made a number of advances, we have seen increases in the provision of clean water, expanded social grants, millions of housings, gradual introduction of free education, improvements in health care and creation of people organs for people’s poor i.e. street committees, wards committee, CPFs, school government bodies act. As an organisation we supported and at time fought for all these developments, it is what in our own view comrade Ruth First, Duma Nokwa and many other leaders of YCLSA had lived and died for, and which communists in governments and in all other site of power have also helped to bring about. As the Young Communist League of South Africa we shall continue to fight for the betterment of our people. We shall continue to fight against greediness and corruption. Top to our programme shall be our Youth for Jobs campaign, we shall increase volume in our call for free sanitary towel for rural women and those in impoverished areas,we fight for free education for al sons and daughters of the working class, fight HIV and AIDS and demand the decomodification of basic needs. Happy birthday YCLSA Issued by YCLSA 3rd Floor COSATU House 1-5 Leyds Street, Braamfontein Contact Mafika Mndebele (National Spokesperson) Landline: (011) 339 3621 Cellphone: 073 574 5953 Cellphone: 082 567 3557 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ycl.org.za -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Press Releases" group. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Subscribe to the YCL's e-newsletter "The Bottom Line" at http://www.unwembi.co.za/sacp/subscribe.html -- Venceremos -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
