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African National Congress Youth League
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African National Congress Youth League
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) is the youth wing of the African National Congress (ANC). As set out in its constitution, the ANC Youth League is led by a National Executive Committee (NEC) and a National Working Committee (NWC).
The idea of the formation of the ANC youth league started in 1943, in Orlando, Soweto at Walter Sisulu's house by Anton Lembede, A.P. Mda, Jordan Ngubane, Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. Its founders felt that ANC was dominated by conservative and older generation who cannot relate to the youth. This "older generation" had used deputations and delegations to try to get the Union government to grant equal rights to all but it became increasingly clear that this tactic was ineffective. Since the formation of the ANC in 1912, the disenfranchisement of black people had taken place and expanded through laws such as land acts, the introduction of workplace colour bar and urban and influx control between 1913 and 1926. Once the discussions of forming a youth league were concluded, the young leaders approached ANC president Dr. Alfred Bitini Xuma and made a proposal to form a youth league. Dr. Xuma had reservations about this league formation due to its militancy but allowed the issue to be debated at the 1943 ANC conference, which resolved to establish a youth league.
The first conference of the youth league was in March 1944 and it was attended by 200 people. The ANC had deployed Selope Thema, activist and former South African Native National Congress secretary, to open the congress. Albertina Sisulu, the wife of Walter Sisulu, was the only female present. The conference elected Anton Lembede as president, Victor Mbodo was elected vice president, Walter Sisulu as treasurer, and Oliver Tambo as secretary. A.P. Mda, A.Nxamala, David Bopape, Peter Burman, and Joseph Mokoena were elected to the executive together with many others.
Its foundation in 1944 by A. P. Mda, Anton Lembede, Mxolisi Majombozi, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo marked the rise of a new generation of leaders. The first President of the league was Anton Lembede who shaped its militancy. Mandela wrote that Lembede had a "magnetic personality who thought in original and often startling ways" and "Like Lembede I came to see the antidote as militant African nationalism." Lembede died in 1947.
By the end of the 1940s, the Youth League had gained control of the African National Congress. It called for civil disobedience and strikes in protest at the hundreds of laws associated with the new apartheid system. These protests were often met with force by the South African Government. In 1950, 18 blacks were killed during a walkout, while protesters, including Mandela, were jailed and beaten for their opposition to the government.
Thabo Mbeki became active in the Youth League in 1956 and was expelled from high school in 1959 as a result of participation in a strike. In 1959 many ANCYL members broke away to form the rival Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). In 1960, the PAC, ANC and its associated organisations had been banned. Mbeki organised a stay-at-home in protest at the South African Government's decision to leave the Commonwealth of Nations before leaving South Africa at the suggestion of the ANC.
The Youth League continued its activities underground during the remainder of the apartheid years. In 1990, F. W. de Klerk legalised the ANC and its associated organisations including the Youth League, and Peter Mokaba led the newly unbanned Youth League.
In 2005, Fikile Mbalula became president of the league. Mbalula succeeded the student activist Malusi Gigaba, who went on to become deputy minister of home affairs. Mbalula had served as secretary general of the ANCYL under Gigaba's leadership. It was under Mbalula's leadership that the ANCYL took on a more visible role in defending Jacob Zuma, and publicly lobbying for his election as ANC president.
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African National Congress Youth League
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) is the youth wing of the African National Congress (ANC). As set out in its constitution, the ANC Youth League is led by a National Executive Committee (NEC) and a National Working Committee (NWC).
The idea of the formation of the ANC youth league started in 1943, in Orlando, Soweto at Walter Sisulu's house by Anton Lembede, A.P. Mda, Jordan Ngubane, Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. Its founders felt that ANC was dominated by conservative and older generation who cannot relate to the youth. This "older generation" had used deputations and delegations to try to get the Union government to grant equal rights to all but it became increasingly clear that this tactic was ineffective. Since the formation of the ANC in 1912, the disenfranchisement of black people had taken place and expanded through laws such as land acts, the introduction of workplace colour bar and urban and influx control between 1913 and 1926. Once the discussions of forming a youth league were concluded, the young leaders approached ANC president Dr. Alfred Bitini Xuma and made a proposal to form a youth league. Dr. Xuma had reservations about this league formation due to its militancy but allowed the issue to be debated at the 1943 ANC conference, which resolved to establish a youth league.
The first conference of the youth league was in March 1944 and it was attended by 200 people. The ANC had deployed Selope Thema, activist and former South African Native National Congress secretary, to open the congress. Albertina Sisulu, the wife of Walter Sisulu, was the only female present. The conference elected Anton Lembede as president, Victor Mbodo was elected vice president, Walter Sisulu as treasurer, and Oliver Tambo as secretary. A.P. Mda, A.Nxamala, David Bopape, Peter Burman, and Joseph Mokoena were elected to the executive together with many others.
Its foundation in 1944 by A. P. Mda, Anton Lembede, Mxolisi Majombozi, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo marked the rise of a new generation of leaders. The first President of the league was Anton Lembede who shaped its militancy. Mandela wrote that Lembede had a "magnetic personality who thought in original and often startling ways" and "Like Lembede I came to see the antidote as militant African nationalism." Lembede died in 1947.
By the end of the 1940s, the Youth League had gained control of the African National Congress. It called for civil disobedience and strikes in protest at the hundreds of laws associated with the new apartheid system. These protests were often met with force by the South African Government. In 1950, 18 blacks were killed during a walkout, while protesters, including Mandela, were jailed and beaten for their opposition to the government.
Thabo Mbeki became active in the Youth League in 1956 and was expelled from high school in 1959 as a result of participation in a strike. In 1959 many ANCYL members broke away to form the rival Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). In 1960, the PAC, ANC and its associated organisations had been banned. Mbeki organised a stay-at-home in protest at the South African Government's decision to leave the Commonwealth of Nations before leaving South Africa at the suggestion of the ANC.
The Youth League continued its activities underground during the remainder of the apartheid years. In 1990, F. W. de Klerk legalised the ANC and its associated organisations including the Youth League, and Peter Mokaba led the newly unbanned Youth League.
In 2005, Fikile Mbalula became president of the league. Mbalula succeeded the student activist Malusi Gigaba, who went on to become deputy minister of home affairs. Mbalula had served as secretary general of the ANCYL under Gigaba's leadership. It was under Mbalula's leadership that the ANCYL took on a more visible role in defending Jacob Zuma, and publicly lobbying for his election as ANC president.