The Revolutionising History of Afric

anNationalCongressYouthLeague
ANCYLPOLITICALEDUCATIONMANUAL

IntroductoryRemarks
The History of the AfricanNationalCongressYouthLeague
isundeniablyarevolutionalisinghistory of SouthAfrica.
The younganddedicatedactivistswhogathered
at the BantuMen'sSocialCentrein1944became the true
anddedicatedrevolutionarieswhochangedSouthAfrica's
politicalatmosphere.
When the foundinggeneration of the ANC YL proclaimed
FREEDOMINOURLIFETIMEin1944,fewpeople
had the hopethattherewasapossibilitythatultimately,
blackpeopleandwomeninSouthAfricawill
gain the freedom,rightsandindependencewecurrently
enjoy.
TheformationoftheANCYLradicallyreshapedthe
methodsofstruggleagainstoppressionandgavenew
energytotheNationalLiberationMovement.

TheideaoftheYouthLeague
InSA,therewasgrowingmilitancyoftheTradeUnionMovement
andtheCommunistPartyofSouthAfrica.
TheYouthfelttheneedtoformamilitantyouthleagueoftheANC.
Theyouththerebychosetotakeastanceoppositetothatoftheir
parentorganisation,whichtheyincreasinglyviewedaspacifistand
liberal.
LionelMxolisiMajombozi,amedicalstudentatWitsUniversity,was
thefirsttomoottheideaofformingtheANCYouthLeaguearguing
thatitbepresentedtothetotheANColdguardasmovetorecruit
youngpeopleandthushidingitsrealintentions,viz.Of
transformingamoribundorganisationintoamilitantagentof
politicalchange.
DuringtheANCAnnualConferencein1942,theemergenceof
militancyamongsttheAfricanyouthgroupswasnoted,andthe
conferenceinstructedtheANCNationalExecutiveCommitteeto
formtheYouthLeagueoftheANC.

Theformativeyears
Therewasnoapparentprogressthroughtheremainderof1943,and
theDecember1943ConferenceoftheANCagaincalledforthe
formationoftheCongressYouthLeague.
ThiscallwasfollowedbytheformationoftheNationalProvisional
CommitteeinMarch1944,whichconsistedofthefollowingleaders:

WilliamNkomo(Chairperson)
LionelMxolisiMajombozi(Secretary)
AntonLambede
OliverTambo
WalterSisulu(JointConvenor)
CongressMbatha(JointConvenor)
DavidBopape
WilsonZConco
D.V.Maqanda
J.Malepe
A.B.Sililo
AndThabethe

The1944Manifesto
TheNPCmandatedWilliamNkomo,AntonLambedeand
NelsonMandelatodrawupthefoundingpolicydocument,
andthiswastobecometheYouthLeaguesManifesto.
TheManifestoserved
asaguidingcompassfortheprogrammesoftheYouthLeague.
AsthefirstdocumenttodefinethegoalsoftheYouthLeague
andgiveititsideologicaldirection.

TheManifestowasissuedanddeclaredthatAFRICAN
PEOPLEELECTEDTODETERMINETHEIROWNFUTUREBY
THEIROWNEFFORTS andstressedtheYLsloyaltytothe
leadershipoftheANCintheNationalRevolution.
Atthisstage,therewasstrongideologicalinclination
towardsAfricanNationalism.

The1944Manifesto
TheManifestoalsoannouncedaProgramme
ofActionwhichintendedtoachievethe
following:
DraftaConstitution
WinovertheYouth
MobiliseFinancialSupportfortheANC
Andmakeastudyofthepoliticalandeconomic
challengesfacingtheliberationmovement.

OfficialLaunchoftheANCYL
TheofficiallaunchoftheANCYLtookplaceonSeptember10,1944
attheBantuMensSocialCentreinJohannesburg.
TheManifestowasunveiledthesameday.
AntonLambedewaselectedPresidentandNelsonMandela/Oliver
TamboelectedSecretary.
TheNationalExecutiveCommitteeelectedintheCongress
included:

WilliamNkomo
WalterSisulu
A.P.Mda
RobertResha
RobertSobukwe
OliverTambo
MxolisiMajombozi
DilizintabaMji

AfricanNationalism
TheANCYLwasformedtosupplement,consolidateand
givenewimpetustothestruggleagainstracialoppression
aschampionedbytheANC.
YetemphasiswasplacedonAfricanNationalism,which
affirmedtheroleofAfricansastheirownliberatorswithin
SAandabroad.
TheAfricanNationalismespousedbytheANCYLdidnot
implyreverseracism,butemphasisedtheemancipationof
Africansastheprimaryfocusofpoliticalengagementsand
programmes.
WhilstaffirmingAfricanLeadership,AfricanNationalism
didnotsuggesttheexclusionofwhitesasinterpretedby
thePACin1959.

The1948BasicPolicyDocument
Beforethe1949ANCNationalConference,theANCYLwas
facedwitharesponsibilitytomakeameaningfulimpacton
theANC.
ABasicPolicyDocumentwasthenadoptedbytheANCYL
asaguidelinedocumentonhowtheYouthLeague
leadershipintendedtoshapeandinfluencetheANC.
TheBasicPolicyDocumentwassomewhatarevisionofthe
1944sradicalAfricanNationalismanddemonstrated
progresswithintheANCYLintermsofthequalityof
debatesandoriginalideas.
TheBasicPolicyDocumentamongstotherssaid:The
CongressYouthLeagueholdsthatpoliticaldemocracy
remainsanemptyformwithoutsubstance,unlessitis
properlygroundedonabaseofeconomicand,especially
industrialdemocracy

TheANCYLImpactontheANC
In1948,OliverTamboandWalterSisuluwereelectedto
theANCNationalExecutiveCommittee,andbecamethe
firstYouthLeagueleaderstobeelectedtotheleadership
oftheANC.
Afterthe1949CongressoftheANC,therewasacallfor
moreurgentandradicalmethodsofwagingthestruggle
promptedbydomesticandinternationalrealities.
TheANCYLscallformoreradicalmethodsmarkedthe
LeaguespartingofwayswiththenANCPresidentA.B
Xuma,whopatronisinglyreferredtotheYouthLeague
leaders(Lambede,Mandela&Tambo)asmykindergarten
boys,whentheypressedforanindependentapproach.
Inturn,theYLleadershipaccusedtheANCleadershipof
beingtooconcernedwiththecolonialregimesframework
andprovisionsoftheNativesRepresentativeCouncil,thus
compromisingthestrugglefornationalliberation.

ANCYLfoughtdespitesetbacks
ThefirstPresidentAntonLambedediedundermysterious
circumstancesin1947andDr.MxolisiMajombozidiedinacar
accidentin1949.
Despitetheserealities,theANCYLsuccessfullyintroducedthe
conceptofmilitancyattheANCAnnualConferencein1949.
Fromthattime,theANCputliberalismandpacifismbehinditand
foughtthecolonialoppressionwithdedicationandfocus.
TheANC1949sProgrammeofActionwasanexpressionofyouths
dissatisfactionwithliberalismandmoderatemodelsoffights
repression.
TheProgrammeheraldedanendtodeputationsandpetitionsto
thecolonialMasters,whichwaspartofthemethodsofgaining
freedomfortheAfricanmajority.
In1949,WalterSisuluwaselectedANCSecretaryGeneraland
NelsonMandela,OliverTamboandDumaNokweintotheANC
NEC.

ThesignificanceoftheANC1949
Conference.
DespiteelectingWalterSisuluasSecretaryGeneraland
gettingamoreyouthleagueleadersintotheNEC,the
ANCYLsupportedDr.J.SMorokatobePresidentof
theANC,althoughhehadjustjoinedtheANC.
TheProgrammeofActionadoptedinthe1949ANC
Conferenceprimarilyaimedtodestroy,asamatterof
priority,alldiscriminatoryinstitutionsofgovernance,
includingtheNativesRepresentativesCouncil(NPC).
FormerANCPresidentXumasoughttofightracism
withintheprovisionsoftheNPC,andtheYouthLeague
calledfortheimmediatedismantlingofthisandall
otherracistinstitutionsofgovernance.

TheDefianceCampaign
TheANCledDefianceCampaigngrewfromtherisingmilitancyofthe
increasinglyagitatedandradicalisedyouth.
NelsonMandelawasVolunteerinChiefoftheDefianceCampaign
(laterelectedPresidentoftheTransvaalANC)andmobilisedasmany
peopletojoinindefyingapartheidlaws.
FromtheDefianceCampaignemergedaprogrammaticalliance
betweentheANC,SouthAfricanIndianCongress,AfricanPeoples
Organisation(Colouredmembers),andtheCommunistPartyofSouth
Africa.
Together,thesealliescalledajointstrikeonthe1st ofMay1950,
whichwaswidelysupported.
Onthe26th ofJune1950,theANCcalledandparticipatedinthestrike
againsttheSuppressionofCommunismAct.
26JunewasthenconsideredasSouthAfricanFreedomDay.
Duringthisperiod,theANCbegantoappreciatetherealitythat the
repression,imprisonmentanddeathwerepartofthestruggleagainst
racism.

TheradicalisationoftheANC
TheradicalisationoftheANCalsohaditsrootsintheworkers
strugglesofthetimeandtheCommunistPartyofSouthAfrica,
whichwasbyandlargearadicalorganisationinitsownright.
TheactivitiesoftheANCYLduringdefiancecampaign,andthe
crisisyearsoftheearly1950shadaconsiderableontheANCitself.
YouthLeagueleaderswerefocusedonamissionwhichthey
perceivedtobeconsolidationofradicalviewsandthepromotion of
militantactionoftheANC.
ThisledtoarrestsofmanyleadersoftheANC,includingANC
PresidentJ.SMorokawhoafterthearrest,distancedhimselffrom
theANCduringthetrial,andwasrepresentedbyaseparate
Lawyer.
ThisalienatedthemassesandledtotheelectionofCheifAlbert
LuthuliasPresidentoftheANCinthe1952AnnualConference.
PresidentLuthuliledtheANCduringandtowardsthemobilisation
fortheFreedomCharter.

TheFreedomCharter
ProposedbyProfessorZ.KMatthewsattheCape
AnnualConferencein1953,aftertheDefiance
Campaignandmilitantactionsofthetime.
ResolvedintheANC42nd NationalConferencein1953,
andreaffirmedinthe43rd Conference1954.
Adoptedaftermassivemobilisationacrossthecountry
inKliptownonthe26th (SouthAfricanFreedomDay)
ofJune1955.
Fromthereforth,leadersoftheANCYLwereatthe
helmoftheANCatNationallevelandvariousregions
ofSouthAfrica.
TheconstituteacropthatledtheANCinexile,prison
andundergroundandthefirstleadersofademocratic
SouthAfrica.

FromFreedomCharter,toArreststo
Militarystruggles:

DuringthepostFreedomCharteryears,theracistState
continuedwithsuppressionandinMarch21,1960massacred
69ProtestorsinSharpeville.
Inthesameyear,theANCwasbannedundertheSuppression
ofCommunismAct,andNelsonMandelawasaskedbythe
regimetoresignfromtheANCbeforeitwasbanned.
NelsonMandelainitiatedtheprocessthatledtotheformation
ofUmkhontoWeSizwe,militarywingoftheANC.
OnDecember16,1961,UmkhontoWeSizwe(MK)carriedout
itsfirstactofmilitarysabotage,andthearmedstrugglebegan.
ANCYLmilitantswerebehindtheformationofMK.
NelsonMandelasaidatthetime:ITWOULDBEWRONGAND
UNREALISTICFORAFRICANLEADERSTOCONTINUE
PREACHINGPEACEANDNONVIOLENCEATATIMEWHEN
THEGOVERNMENTMETOURDEMANDSWITHVIOLENCE.

Youngpeoplekeptthefiresburning
Inpracticalterms,theANCYLhadceasedtoexistasamass
basedorganisationwhenthebanningwasimplementedin
1960.
Despitethese,youngpeopleinsidethecountryandinexile
wereattheforefrontofintroducingnewmethodsof
struggleagainstapartheidrepression.
TheconveningofthefirstNationalConsultativeConference
inMorogoroin1969wasadirectresultoftheimpatienceof
theYoungmilitarycadets(includingChrisHani)inexilewho
draftedamemorandumfortheattentionofleadership.
MostbattlesinsideSouthAfricawereledbyYoungpeople,
andthisincludesthestrugglesofNUSAS,SASO,SASM,the
1976generation,COSAS,SAYCOandotheryouthformations.

The1982ANCYouthLeague
Conference
The 1982Congress of the ANC YL wasorganizedbywhat
cametobeknownas the YouthSection of the ANC,and
wasaddressedbyPresidentOliverTambo.
The 1982 ANC YL wasledbyComradesHeadman
Makhonco,LizweNene,ZakesDube,SiphoMajomboziand
NelsonDumasi,andtheseleadersbegantoparticipatein
internationalforumsandorganisationssuchas the World
Federation of DemocraticYouth(WFDY)and the World
Festival of YouthandStudents.
Otherleaders of the ANC YouthSectionwereMaxSisulu,
EddieFunde,TebohoMafole,JackieSelebi,Manala
Manzini,SiphiweNyandaandMandlaMsimang.

THE YOUNGLIONS
During the 1980s,PresidentOliverTambo
urged the progressiveforcesinSouthAfricato
make the countryungovernable.
Because of the bravery of youngactivists
in the face of constantharassmentandrepression,
PresidentOliverTamboreferredtothe youth
activists of the 1980sas the "YoungLions".
The YoungLionskept the militancy of the 1944
foundinggenerationandearly1960syouth
when the MKwasformed.Theyweredisciplined,
fearless,anddedicatedtodefeat the minorityracist
regime.

SAYCO
InJune1986,aprovisionalcommitteetoreviveorganizedyouth
activismwithin the Congressmovementwasformedtopreparefor
aCongress of whatlaterbecame the SouthAfricanYouthCongress
(SAYCO).
The CommitteemembersincludedDeaconMathe,Aleck
Nchabeleng,StanzaBopape,PeterMokaba,ObedBapela,Dan
Montsintsi,DavidAbrahamse,RoseSonto,FransMohlalaand
CasselMathale.
SAYCOwaslaunchedsecretlyin1987andPeterMokabawas
electedPresidentandRapulaneMolekaneelectedasSecretary
General.SAYCObecamepart of the UDFforcesthatmobilizedall
SouthAfricansagainstapartheidrepression.
With the unbanning of politicalpartiesin1990,bothUDFand
SAYCOweredisbandedtogivewayto the ANC and ANC YL.

Theunbanningofpoliticalpartiesand
relaunchoftheANCYL
InKwaNdebelein1991, the ANC YL heldits
17th NationalCongressandelectedPeterMokaba
andRapuMolekaneasPresidentandSecretary
Generalrespectively.
The Congresswasaddressedbythen ANC Deputy
PresidentWalterSisuluin thepresence of former
PresidentOliverTamboandotherNational
ExecutiveCommitteemembers,including
PresidentJacobZuma.

KwaNdebeleANCYLCongress

TheothermemberselectedtotheleadershipoftheANCYLinKwa Ndebele
includethefollowingleaders:

LuluJohsonasDeputyPresident
MphoLekgoroasDeputySecretaryGeneral
IgbatiusJacobsasTreasurerGeneral
NyamiBooi
KhaogeloLekgoro
AndrewDipela
ThaboMasebe
ThabangMakwetla
ParksMakhahlana
JerryNdou
DerekMasoek
FebePotgieter
MzwandileMhlanzi

TheCongressextensivelydebatedthecharacteroftheANCYLand itsrelation
totheANC,andtheorganisationalreportsaid,theANCYLisanorganisational
mobilisationandmasspoliticalorganoftheANC.

PRESIDENTSOFTHEANCYL
1944T02008

AntonLambede(1944to1947
Bornin1914,andelectedfirstPresidentoftheANCYLin
1944,Lembedewasregardedasadaringthinkerand
articulateleader.
Ofpeasantorigin,andobtainedaBAdegreethrough
correspondencewithUNISA,andagainthroughself
education,obtainedanLLBdegree.
Lembedeisknownforbeingmilitantlynationalisticwith
verystrongviewsontheAfricannessofthestruggle.
Hehadprofoundinfluenceonthe1944Manifestoofthe
ANCYL.
Wasinvolvedineffortstobuildapartnershipwiththe
NatalIndianCongressandthecolouredAfricanPeoples
Organisation.
Hediedin1947attheageof33.

AshbyPeter(A.P)Mda(1947to1949)

FoundingmemberoftheANCYL,andhighlyrespectedpoliticalorganiserand
theoretician,A.PMdawaselectedPresidentafterthedeathofAnton
Lembede.
ObtainedaBAdegreethroughUNISA,andwasonceateacherinthecatholic
elementaryschoolinOrlandoTownship.
AtthetimeofLemebedesdeath,MdawasadeputyspeakeroftheANCin
TransvaalandexofficiointheANCNationalExecutiveCommittee.
Underhisleadership,theANCYLexpandedtoNatalandsomeareasofthe
Cape,mostnotablyFortHarewherethefirstYLbranchwaslaunchedin1948.
Mdawasoneoftheprincipalauthorsofthe1948ANCYLBasicPolicy
Document.
Althoughhefavouredsocialisteconomicprinciples,hewashostiletothe
influenceofcommunistsintheANCashebelievedthattheiragenda
underminedAfricannationalism.
HeopposedtheAfricanistsbreakaway,butagreedtoaddressthePAC
NationalExecutiveCommitteeinSeptember1959.
InApril1963,hewasexiledtoBasotholandandlaterestablishedaLaw
practice.

GodfreyMokgonanaePitjie(1949to1951)
Bornin1917intheNorthernTransvaal,andobtained
anadvancedBAdegreeinanthropologyfromFort
Hareamidstdifficulties.
WasrecruitedbyA.PMdain1948,andbecamea
memberoftheANCNECduetohisPresidencyofthe
ANCYL.
HesteppeddownfromthepositionofPresidentin
1951topursueacareerinteaching.
Inthelate1950s,hededicatedattentioninLawand
servedarticleswithMandela&TamboLawfirm.
Hewasavictimofstatesponsoredprohibitionson
practicinglaw.

NelsonMandela(1951to1953)
MandelabecamePresidentoftheANCYLinthemost
difficultperiodofthetime,andwasdescribedby
OliverTamboasabornmassleader.
HegraduatedfromHealtdownwithhisclosefriend,
andlater,partnerincrime,MxolisiMajomboziand
theywenttogethertoFortHareUniversity.
ElectedtotheANCNECin1949,andwasPresidentof
theTransvaaldivisionin1952.
VolunteerinChiefinthe1952DefianceCampaign,and
aTreasonandRivoniaTrialist.
FounderofMKandspent27yearsinRobenIslandasa
politicalPrisoner.
Releasedin1990andelectedfirstpresidentofSouth
Africa.

JoeMatthews(1953to1954)
Bornin1929,andattendedSt.PetersCollegein
Rossentenville,andwasencouragedbyhisteacherOliver
TambotojointheANCYL.
StudiedinFortHarefrom1948andbecameSecretaryof
theYLthere.Graduatedin1950andmovedtoJHBtostudy
LawatWitsUniversity.
Abandonedstudiesin1952toparticipateinthedefiance
campaign,andbythisstagehewasnationalsecretaryof
theANCYL.
Wassentencedtoninemonthssuspendedsentencefor
participatinginthedefiancecampaign.
From1953,theapartheidgovernmentbannedMatthews
fromcontinuingmembershipintheANC.

RobertResha(1954to1955)
RobertReshaactedasPresidentafterJoeMatthews
wasbannedbytheapartheidregime.
Aggressive,shrewdandpowerfulpublicspeaker,Resha
wascooptedtotheNationalExecutiveCommittee.
In1956,Reshagaveaspeechwherehesaidthatthe
ANCVolunteersmustadjusttotheconceptofmurder,
ifcalledupontodoso,andthisbecameaprizeexhibit
inthetreasontrial.
HediedinLondonin1973,wherehehadjoinedOliver
Tamboinmobilisingsupportagainsttheapartheid
regime.

PatrickMolaoa(1955to1960)
PresidentMolaoawasthelastPresidentof
theANCYLbeforethebanningofthe
liberationmovementinSouthAfrica.
Heisalsothefirsttodieasaguerrillafighter
intheSpolileCampaignin1968.
HegrewupinAlexandraandwaspartofthe
PioneersoftheAzikhwelwa busboycott.

Participantsarerequiredtogive
informationaboutthesePresidents:

PeterMokaba(1991to1994)
MlungisiJohnson(1994to1996)
MalusiGigaba(1996to2004)
FikileMbalula(2004to2008)
JuliusMalema(2008)

BuildandConsolidateYouthPower
TheANCLives!TheANCLeads!

Amandla!

32