The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has called on its mother-body to go beyond talk and improve the living conditions of young people in honour of late struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Speaking at the unveiling of the Madikizela-Mandela Tribute Wall outside Luthuli House in Johannesburg on Monday, ANCYL general secretary Njabulo Nzuza says young people were always close to Mama Winnie’s heart.
The tribute wall will be used as an interactive platform by ordinary South Africans to honour and celebrate Mama Winnie’s iconic life of selflessness, courage and patriotism.
It is part of the on-going 10 day mourning period for the anti-apartheid struggle veteran. Unveiling the Remembrance Wall, ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule says they are humbled by messages from all sections of the society.
”We appreciate what all South Africans are doing all over the country from all walks of life. It’s highly appreciated. I think this is uniting South Africans and I am definitely sure that’s what Mandela and mam Winnie Mandela fought for, a non-racial, non-sexist, united and democratic South Africa is what we envisaged going forward and I am sure we will further the unity and renewal of the ANC,” he says.
A Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela tribute wall has been put up outside ANC HEADQUARTERS.
LONG LIVE !! pic.twitter.com/TusuafhWbq
— ANC Elections Head ( Chief ) (@MbalulaFikile) April 9, 2018
Njabulo Nzuza says the ANC and government should stop paying lip service to the suffering of young people but do what Mam Winnie would have wanted – a better life for young people.
“We hope that the ANC will prioritise young people just like uMama Winne emphasised on the priority of young people and identified problems faced by young people as a ticking time bomb. We hope that we are not just going to celebrate Mama Winnie by talking and addressing lectures but by taking steps that will result in benefits that will build a society that she tirelessly fought for,” says Nzuza.
The ANC Women’s League secretary-general Matuba Meokgo says the struggle for women emancipation that Mama Winnie led will continue.
”We must always remember what mama fought for and we must know that the struggle continues. It is time to celebrate the life that is well lived.”
Meanwhile, at least six provinces held memorial services for the late struggle icon and on Tuesday, the ANC will have a national memorial service in Mbizana in the Eastern Cape, the hometown and province where Mama Winnie hails from.
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