There is noble precedent for the league's actions - but not for the parent body's reaction, writes Floyd ShivambuAT the risk of transgressing, we feel obliged to put into context some of the issues the ANC Youth League has raised, and which have beenrejected by certain sections of society. This is not an attempt to enter the so-called succession debate - something forbidden by the ANC national executive committee in a statement on Tuesday.
Context will be better provided by referring to former President Nelson Mandela, who all of us agree grew and developed in the ANC to become the world's most celebrated revolutionary and icon of hope. On page 131 of his autobiography Mandela says: "We (Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo in their capacity as leaders of the ANC Youth League) gave Dr Xuma (AB Xuma, then president of the ANC) an ultimatum - we would support him for re-election to the presidency of the ANC provided he supported our proposed programme of action. "If he would not support our programme, we would not support him. Dr Xuma became heated, accusing us of blackmail and laying down the conditions on which we would vote for him. He told us that we were young and arrogant and treating him without respect. We remonstrated with him, but to no avail. He would not go along with our proposal. He unceremoniously showed us out of his house at 11pm and closed the gate behind him." Mandela, Sisulu and Tambo represent the most outstanding generation of freedom fighters across all liberation movements in Africa and the world. These are the leaders who continue to inspire our determination to fight for the total liberation of the oppressed and exploited people of South Africa. In 1948, this generation of freedom fighters adopted a programme of action, a tool to mobilise society and structures of the ANC behind the call for real freedom from colonial oppression and exploitation. This programme was adopted at the 1949 national conference of the ANC in Mangaung, and those who know the evolution of the ANC will appreciate the impact it had in changing its character into a fighting mass movement for all the people of South Africa. The ultimate mobilisation and adoption of the Freedom Charter was a consequence of the 1949 programme of action - which Mandela, Sisulu and Tambo had been unceremoniously shown the way out of Xuma's house for canvassing. The founding principles of South Africa's constitution are derived from the Freedom Charter - save for a few guarantees and assurances which had to be tactically made to secure transition from the racist, murderous apartheid system to political democracy and inclusion. These developments were possible because the leadership of the ANC was not intolerant of the leadership of the ANC Youth League . While they were clearly irritated by the new proposals of the league, the leadership of the ANC never resorted to organisational and political mechanisms to silence the voice of the youth. Imagine what might have happened if Xuma had, after chasing Mandela from his house, called the secretary-general of the ANC, James Calata, to lay charges against him and his comrades? It would have meant that we would not have had a Mandela, a Tambo or a Sisulu. Despite the fact that their political, ideological and organisational brilliance was shaped by the environment they existed in, these leaders had personal attributes from which the national liberation movement will forever benefit. They were never wished away by the leadership of the ANC. This is despite the fact that almost no leaders of the ANC at the time were comfortable with the programme of action proposed and pioneered by the ANC Youth League. Professor ZK Matthews was one of the best leaders of the ANC of his generation and joined Xuma in rejecting the youth league's proposals, yet he never said they should be wished away and exterminated from the national liberation movement. The 1949 Mangaung conference of the ANC not only adopted the programme of action, it failed to re-elect Xuma as president of the ANC, opting for more energetic leadership with courage to confront the enemy. These reflections are necessary because, on more than one occasion, some among the leadership of the ANC have said it was un-ANC for the youth league to mobilise society and the leadership of the ANC behind a policy position. The current generation of youth league leaders and members have not yet given anyone an ultimatum, and have instead chosen to engage all leaders of the ANC behind the vision for economic freedom in our lifetime. The current generation of youth league leaders and members have not diverted from ANC traditions by saying the options for leadership will be determined through a commitment to a programme of action, with which all leaders of the ANC have the liberty to critically engage. We believe that leaders of the ANC were chosen for specific tasks and missions, and how that changes in 2012 escapes our understanding of ANC history, character and traditions. What else should the criteria of leadership selection and preferences be, if not policy ? The ANC's "Through the Eye of the Needle" document says: "An ANC leader should understand ANC policy and be able to apply it under all conditions in which she finds herself. This includes an appreciation, from the (national democratic revolution) standpoint, of the country and the world we live in, of the balance of forces, and of how continually to change this balance in favour of the motive forces of change". This seminal document of the ANC further says: "A leader should lead by example. He should be above reproach in his political and social conduct - as defined by our revolutionary morality." These are some of the issues that guide and inspire the current leadership of the youth league. If there are new rules of engagement and guidelines for how the leadership question should be approached, the youth league will subject itself to them, because we understand that, while we have historically been granted the space and opportunity to propose new policy positions, we have always been both an independent entity and an integral part of the ANC. We derive our existence from the constitution of the ANC, and our role as defenders of the ANC and the revolution will never be neglected - along with the obligation to express honest and forward-looking perspectives and opinions at all times. - Shivambu writes on behalf of the ANC Youth League national executive committee -- 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] . 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