ANC Youth League leader Collen Malatji. Picture: Twitter/@Collen_Malatji3 African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Collen Malatji says unemployment must be declared a national disaster in South Africa. Malatji was speaking at the University of Limpopo, where he delivered his political report at the ANCYL 27thelective conference in Polokwane.
“As much as we applaud the president for declaring gender-based violence a disaster in this country, we are further calling on him to declare unemployment and the further restructuring of the economy a disaster. “We always say, ‘ How do you date when you do not have data?’ We can also say, ‘How do you date when you are unemployed.’ Even in your families, you know they will not even invite you to a family meeting because they know you will not be able to contribute,” he said. He said the ANCYL also demands thatgovernment should create mass job opportunitiesfor young people across different sectors such as agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.
“We demand that on an urgent basis,the economy must industrialiseand local businesses must be protected. “The ANCYL demands a state-led beneficiation of mineral resources to ensure that their value remains within our country. “We demand the introduction of export quotas to prioritise domestic supply chains and to create jobs. “We are saying not more than 70% of our minerals must leave the country; it must be beneficiated in South Africa.” He said the youth league also had several demands regarding reforms to basic and higher education in the country.
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