Ramaphosa: ANCYL is the Parliament of young people - As it happened

ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the ANCYL to become the Parliament of young people in South Africa.

Read on for how his speech unfolded...

“This congress must send clear message... it must say with confidence that this is our time, our time as the youth of the ANC have arrived.

“You must say this is now our time.

“This is your decade. This decade has been handed to you by your fore bearers.

“You have to write a story...”

And with that, Cyril Ramaphosa ends his speech, to much applause from the gathered delegates.

“Those leaders of old were motivated by one thing only: to be servants of our people.

“We should ask ourselves if the leaders we are going to choose will also be the type to say ‘all we want to do is serve our people’.”

“Those leaders of old were motivated by one thing only: to be servants of our people.

“We should ask ourselves if the leaders we are going to choose will also be the type to say ‘all we want to do is serve our people’.”

“Cast your eyes back and remember the calibre of leaders which preceded the leaders you are going to choose today.

“You have had giants of this movement lead the ANCYL in the past.”

“If you do not spend time involving yourself in the political education of our movement, you will not be the type of young person who giants of old have described.

“They must know their history. This history must occupy your thinking.”

Ramaphosa says what was expected from the young people in the 1940s still needs to be the same today.

“Young men and women of high moral integrity. Young men and women who are disciplined... and deeply immersed in the politics of our movement.”

“As we rebuild this ANCYL we would like to see a membership that sets the best example.

“It is in the ANCYL that you will find people who are on their best behaviour. We need warriors.”

“This ANCYL is not cheap,” Ramaphosa declares.

“Tendencies creeping in where money is being used to buy young people must come to an end. We must obliterate them.”

He recalls the oath people take when joining the ANC.

“We persuade people through our argument... that is what the ANCYL has always been good at.

“The ANCYL is a parliament of young people of SA. You are the parliament of the youth of our country.

“Those who believe that aparthied can have a safe haven in these institutions must know it has no place.

“We want a militant ANCYL. That's what the ANC expects.”

“The ANCYL must build alliances with other organisations that have shared values.

Ramaphosa says everthing must be done to make sure that opportunities offered to young people are not be defined by race, ethnicity, gender, class or religion.

Ramaphosa talks about how young black people are being discriminated at universities.

“We must state... that there is no place for racism in institutions of higher learning in SA.”

“The youth league must make itself attractive to young people.

“We must be able to be the light that is shining and attract the moths.

“The ANCYL must be seen as the light to young people in our country.

“It needs to be present in places of learning, factories and farms.

“It must be on the radio, Twitter, Facebook, and 1000s of discussion groups around the country.

“It must be engaged in the battle of ideas.”

“It needs to occupy all spaces in our society," Ramaphosa continues to preach.

“There must be no space left unoccupied by the ANCYL.

“There must be no place where the ANCYL is not present.

“As people turn around a corner they must know that the ANCYL is present just as the ANC is present throughout the country.”

Ramaphosa now quoting Oliver Tambo: “We now live in an era where a lot of untruths are told by all and sundry.

“The ANCYL must make sure untruths are banned from the lexicon of the ANC language.

“It is the responsibility of the youth league to break down barriers of inclusion.”

Ramaphosa says the ANCYL must be a home of young people. A place that is welcoming, warm and filled with comfort.

“That is what the ANCYL must become once again.”

“Young people of this country are hungry for leadership, hungry for leadership.

“There is no other organisation that can provide the youth with hope.”

“Now we need to work together to ensure that these commitments and that young people become active participants in the economy of our country.

“There is great potential. We have this opportunity to harness energy, the creativity, and the vibrancy of young people in pursuit of sustainable economic growth.

“The Youth League needs to mobilise people to take advantage of the training opportunities that are available.

“These are opportunities that the ANCYL must keep on their radar screen.

“To go and study overseas? Yes. To go and contribute to our country. Yes.”

“We look at the youth to lead the struggle we now have to engage in - the economic struggle," says Ramaphosa.

“We look to this congress to provide direction, we look to young people.”

"We are all called upon to enter a new phase of struggle, a struggle for economic emancipation."

Ramaphosa says all resources and energy must be directed at economic freedom.

“The 25th national congress takes place at a crucial moment in our country's history.

“It takes place where unemployment continues to rise, particularly amongst young people.

“It takes place where inequality is increasing.

“It takes place where the whole world is undergoing hard, economic circumstances.”

"If we are to build a stronger more coherent national liberation movement, we need to heed the lessons we have learnt.

"Whenever we see signs of indiscipline in our structure, we are required to act immediately, and not wait.

"Whenever we see deviant behaviour, behaviour that deviates from the values of the ANC, we are required to act immediately, and stop those actions."

"We want to congratulate on your perseverance. You've all indeed faced many obstacles on the way to arriving here.

"There are those that thought this congress would not proceed.

"Court challenges, democratic organisational processes are creeping in, and there is a danger of having the Youth League run by the courts."

"I wish you well, as you hold your congress," Ramaphosa states.

"We applaud the Youth League for undertaking the task of rebuilding and revitalising the ANCYL. It has such a glorious history."

Cyril Ramaphosa has finally gotten up to speak...

"Roar young lions, roar!" he says as delegates bang their fists on the tables.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will address delegates at the ANC Youth League's long-awaited national congress in Midrand on Friday.

The congress is more than two years after its leadership structures were disbanded.

The three-day congress will, among other things, elect new leaders.

The ANCYL has not had a president since its leadership structures were disbanded by the ANC in 2013.

The congress was initially meant to be held in December last year but at the last minute it was converted to a consultative congress leaving many members disappointed.