He says government cannot be expected to be the only one empowering young people.
Gert Sibande mayor Muzi Chirwa has used his Youth Day celebrations speech to urge young people to get up and stand up and direct their energies to white monopoly capital.
He said the youth of today will have to emulate the one of 1976 in the fight for political freedom, achieving economic freedom.
Chirwa was speaking at the AJ Swanepoel stadium, Ermelo, last Friday morning.
“Our youth must ensure that we achieve the radical socio-economic transformation now, that the economy is transferred from white minority to the black majority,” the mayor said.
Chirwa recently retained his post as the leader of the ANC in the Gert Sibande region, getting elected unopposed at its 7th elective congress in Badplaas.
He said the youth will have to closely follow behind the government and make sure it delivers on radical economic transformation policies.
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“All forces must direct energy to white monopoly capital,” Chirwa said.
It must not be only government who must toil hard to turn around the situation of this country,” he said.
The mayor reminded the young people who attended the event of how the fight of the 1976 youth delivered the current political freedom, calling on the current youth to do same in realising economic freedom.
“During this day we salute the youth of 1976, their contribution has changed the course of our country and added the necessary energy and fast-tracked the release of our leaders from prisons.
“The struggle of our youth was not in vain, here all of us today are free from Apartheid.
“In the current phase of the struggle, our youth must commit their energy in ensuring that we secure a truly free South Africa, the South Africa characterised by the youth free from poverty, unemployment and inequalities and this task is the task of this youth generation,” he said.
The whole month of June commemorates the Wednesday morning of 16 June 1976 when Apartheid police opened fire, killing pupils who were protesting the teaching of Afrikaans in Soweto.
After his speech the mayor handed out business starter-packs to 25 co-operatives owned by young people in the Gert Sibande region to assist them begin their respective businesses.
(edited by ZK)
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