Mayor urges youth to be militant
The Youth League must be hard on issues, raise them robustly and roar like young lions
THIS country needs young people who will be militant like the late Nelson Mandela was, but in so doing they must guard against becoming ill disciplined.
This was the message of the City of uMhlathuze Mayor Cllr Mdu Mhlongo. Mhlongo was delivering the Nelson Mandela Lecture held last week at Hlanganani Hall in eSikhaleni.
The lecture was organised by the ANC Youth League Mandela Branch as part of remembering the former state president.
Mhlongo said while Madiba was an outspoken youth leader, he and his collective would not hold the ANC to ransom.
‘We don’t want a Youth League that will bring an element of anarchy into whatever they do. That’s why the Malema led Youth League was shown the door in the ANC, because they lacked discipline. Similarly we don’t want the sweetheart Youth League that will be soft on issues. The Youth League must be hard on issues, raise them robustly and roar like young lions.
‘There is no better preparatory school for ANC leaders than the Youth League. You have every right to demand your representation in all the three spheres of government.
‘As we are heading for the Local Government Elections many of our candidates are young people, who will become councillors. We want these councillors to prove why they deserve to be there. They must make their presence felt. They must be responsible.
‘I’m also happy to announce that in the City we have dedicated 40% of our budget towards youth owned businesses. We are a City that takes care of its youth,’ he said.
Regional Youth League Chairperson, Khulekani Xulu said they will continue pushing the agenda of economic transformation.
‘We want the 40% deployment of young people to all spheres of government, as South Africa is becoming a country of young people. We want to be considered for senior positions in municipalities, including positions of municipal managers,’ added Xulu who praised the City of uMhlathuze for leading the way in putting the youth first.
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