IUSY is publishing news highlighting the work from our member organizations. In the article below, learn about how the ANC Youth League in South Africa is participating in the newly-formed Progressive Youth Alliance to create a progressive way to deal with issues affecting youth.

Statement of the Progressive Youth Alliance
5 February 2013

The Progressive Youth Alliance Secretariat held its first meeting for the year 2013 to chart a collective way forward in dealing with issues affecting young people in education, youth unemployment and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

The meeting was attended by the Secretariats of SASCO, COSAS, ANC Youth League and the YCL of South Africa.

On Education

The PYA noted work done by the different structures in creating access to academic institutions and the struggles fought and solutions forged by our structures in campuses and schools throughout the country. The meeting noted the work of COSAS in their Back to School Campaign, YCLSA in the Joe Slovo Right to Learn Campaign and the forthcoming launch this Friday of SASCO`s Right to Learn Campaign.

The PYA further noted the following issues:

• The different times of release of Grade 12 results between Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and Public Schools. Many learners from public schools are disadvantaged by universities because their results are released later than those of private schools. We call for uniformity in the release of all the Grade 12 results;
• The PYA will be working with the Ministry of Higher Education and Training on their Apply Now Campaign to ensure that Grade 12 learners apply now for the 2014 academic year in universities;
• The PYA will be campaigning for uniformity in access requirements in universities as some universities are using the point system to exclude black students. We will also be campaigning for a centralised application system in universities in order to create equal opportunities for all young people;
• The PYA will be campaigning for and participating in the policy discussions by the Department of Basic Education to ensure that Grade 12 results are not published in newspapers;
• The PYA will be encouraging young people to consider registering on FET colleges and study towards apprentices and as artisans, to also take advantage of government`s infrastructure plan and many other opportunities opened by an FET qualification. In this regard, there are other bottle-necks which we will seek audience with the Minister of Higher Education to resolve, such as the high failure and drop-out rates and the prerequisite of registration fees before studying. We also call on all FET institutions to guarantee every student who qualifies an internship so that they study towards their diploma;
• The PYA calls for urgent interventions in relation to Learner and Teacher Support Materials, and that these should be beyond the set norms and standards, and should include school transport, more classrooms, learner desks, more teachers (where there is a shortage). We need to move towards creating equity in school education and bridge the racial disparities that currently exist. In some instances, although there has been significant progress done, however, the black child in particular is still subjected to the same education as was the case;
• The PYA declares the attempts by the DA government to close 22 schools as a crime against the children of this country. We will be supporting efforts by our structures in the Western Cape to reverse this decision;
• The PYA supports unequivocally the appointment of the Transformation Oversight Committee led by Prof. Malegapuru Makgoba and appointed by the Department Higher Education and Training. We strongly object to its unwarranted criticism by neo-liberals in the university community who have done nothing but to maintain the status quo of a racialised higher education.

We will soon engage with government and the ANC to further explore these issues.

On Youth Unemployment

The PYA noted newspaper reports that claim that the ANC Lekgotla which sat over the weekend resolved to implement the DA-sponsored Youth Wage Subsidy. We were part of the Lekgotla and are aware that the ANC will be discussing policy details in relation to the Youth Employment incentives which includes the Job Seekers Grant. The PYA was part of the consultative process of the draft Youth Employment Accord which was presented by government to all stakeholders at NEDLAC. We believe that we are on the verge of an agreement with all the stakeholders at NEDLAC.

We will be watching closely the policy discussions in resolving the crisis of youth unemployment and are confident that the discredited YWS will not be thrown into the process through the back door by our ANC government. We are finalising a PYA discussion document on Jobs for Youth which will be an amalgamation of the different views of PYA structures and young people in general.

The PYA notes and welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Labour in the Sectoral Determination of wages of workers in the agricultural sector, which will lead to a minimum wage of R105.00 or 52% increase. We call on all farm owners to implement this decision as soon as it comes into effect, and should only regard this as a minimum wage. This, in our view, calls on all farm owners to pay workers a decent wage and for trade-unions to push for the possible maximum increase in the bargaining process.

On the National Youth Development Agency

The PYA calls for the acceleration of the process of recommendation of the NYDA Board by the National Council of Provinces.. We have to avert the legal implications of not having an NYDA Board for a prolonged period of time.

The PYA fully support the process of amending the NYDA Act. We believe that there is a need for an empowered NYDA that respond adequately to the issues youth, in particular youth education, skills development and youth unemployment. We have to restore the confidence of young people towards the NYDA, and ensure that there is transparency and consultation in its programmes and how it connects to young people.

On the forthcoming PYA Summit

The PYA will be convening a Summit in March 7-10 in Johannesburg, to be attended by more than 150 delegates from SASCO, COSAS, ANCYL, YCLSA, SUCA, YCS, SASPU and invited civil society. The aim of the summit will be to adopt a common national youth programme that will look into socio-economic transformation, education and health, integrated youth development strategy and our approach as young people towards a total victory by the ANC in the forthcoming General Elections.

We will be working together as PYA structures to unite young people towards a prosperous, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society. Our past differences have polarised youth interests and demands.

The time for Unity is Now!

Issued by the Progressive Youth Alliance

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