15 June 2015
Abahlali Youth League press statement on June 16

This year we will use the well celebrated youth month to build our own power from below through the University of Abahlali.

Our grand parents have struggled against colonialism and our parents have struggled against apartheid. Our brothers and sisters of 1976 have also struggle against all forms of discrimination and oppression. Today we wish to salute all their determination for real freedom and real democracy. While they were fighting these battles they also had a responsibility to bring us up. We feel that we have to do the same and not watch them when they have to struggle twice. It is our turn as young people to make sure that we have real democracy and real freedom today. The South African youth of 1976 contributed so dearly and paid a high price for the freedom that we continue to struggle for.

We have decided that we will not sit quiet and suffer in silence while our parents have to struggle again against neo-liberal policies and corruption that has turned our comrades into monsters. We have decided that we will not keep quite when our parents are made landless and homeless by the so called ‘”Land Invasion Units”. We have decided that we will not tolerate corruption, exclusion, death threats and the assassination of leaders and comrades who are both parents and comrades to us.

Today we have decided that we will put much more efforts in building this country into a safe home for all. We know that in order to succeed in this our inkani will always be necessary to destroy forces of darkness. The forces of capitalism want private profit and wealth accumulation which save the interest of the few that dominate.

We have seen how the police were used to repress opposition to the corruption and injustices of the old regime and today we see a lot of similarities. Hector Pieterson was killed in the same way as Nqobile Nzuza of Cato Crest. The youth continue to take the struggle for justice forward and the police continue to murder us.

Abahlali Youth League will use the Annual Celebrated June 16 to bring together young people and embark on the shared discussions that make the University of Abahlali. We will use this day to build our own power of knowledge from below. We will learn, reflect and critique our consciousness to a deterioration of Ubuntu. We have realized how much power and knowledge we have and still need to have in order to confront the forces of shame and division. We will be meeting at Denis Hurley Hall from 9:00 to 14:30 p.m. It is situated at the Cnr of Denis Hurley Street and Cathedral.

For more Information please contact :

Scelo Ngidi Abahlali Youth League Organiser 061 2527624
Nandipha Chala 060 310 8170
Mazwi Nzimande 079 0669639