From Martin Legassick in South Africa
14 June 2013
14 June 2013
Abahlali
BaseMjondolo Movement Youth League Press Statement
AbM Youth
League: Building Tomorrow's Leaders Today
On June 16
South Africa will be commemorating the youth of 1976 who lost their lives in
Soweto struggling for Justice, Freedom and Democracy. Today's youth will be
told to obey today's leaders in order that we should show proper respect to
those who lost their lives in 1976. But the reality is that what the youth of
1976 struggled for has not been implemented as they have wished.
The beauty
of Freedom and Democracy was supposed to be everyone.
Today it is
for the rich. Rich people are getting the multi-racial education and the poor still
have the third-rate education which back then was known as Bantu Education.
Rich people get jobs. They have cars. They have nice houses. They can get
married and move on with their lives. They are safe.
This is
Freedom to them.
The poor
have to survive as we can. We go in circles and not forward.
We live in
shacks. We live in shit and fire. We are evicted. We have no safe
and easy
transport. The police treat us as criminals. They beat us if we try
to
organise. If you are young and poor you are treated as a threat to society
and not as
the future of society. Hector Peterson, Chris Hani, Steve Biko and other
comrades who died for our Freedom and Democracy did not die for this. We do not
respect their sacrifice by accepting that this is Freedom.
For many of
the youth it is too painful to face reality. Some people just
enjoy the
night clubs and watching movies. For some of the youth night clubs and moves
are Freedom. Others are using drugs to cope with the pain of their lives. Some
of us have given ourselves the courage to stand together by being together in
struggle. With this strength we can see clearly.
The reality
is that for us as the youth of the shack dwellers, the youth of
South
Africa, the youth who sees beyond the Night Clubs and movies, there is no
Democracy and Freedom other than the Democracy and Freedom we create for ourselves
in struggle. Freedom and Democracy is not just about voting. It is not about
being in nice fancy places. It is about being able to think, and do things for
yourself. It is where there is nothing for you without you. It means being able
to take responsibility for your own life and your own future. It means building
a society in which everyone counts. It means sharing land, wealth and power.
We are the
youth of today. We want to continue where Hector Peterson and
others have
left from. This is how we should respect their sacrifice Tomorrow is ours so
therefore we need to brighten it today. The struggle continues.
As the
Abahlali baseMjondolo Youth League we will be having our Annual General Meeting
in our Movement Head Quarters on 16 June 1976. This will be the time for the
youth to choose its own leaders for another year. On June 17 we will be having
our Soccer Tournament.
We are
Building Tomorrow's Leaders Today!!!
For more
information please contact:
Bangeni
Gumede: Abahlali baseMjondolo Youth League (079 977 1723)
Bandile
Mdlalose: Abahlali baseMjondolo General Secretary (071 424 2815)
Mazwi
Nzimande: Abahlali bseMjondolo Youth League President (031 304 6420)
Sekwanele!
No House!
No Land! No Vote!
Everyone
Counts
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