YCLSA message on the 41st Anniversary since the establishment of the giant learner movement, COSAS.
YCLSA
Young Communist League of South Africa
Press Statement, 31 May 2020
YCLSA message on the 41st Anniversary since the establishment of the giant learner movement, COSAS.
On this day 41 years ago, a giant student movement was established in Welgespruit, Johannesburg, on the 31st of May 1979. The Young Communist League of South Africa [UFASIMBA] joins all progressive forces in wishing the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) a revolutionary 41st anniversary.
The Congress of South African Students was formed post the banning of the South African Students Movement (SASM) in 1977 after the historic 1976 Students uprising in Soweto. Initially, COSAS was formed a frontline defence detachment of the people’s revolution. At the time of the formation of the Congress of South African Students, the movement was banned by the previous racist – white supremacist regime and already underground. The Communist Part of South of South Africa (CPSA; now the SACP) and the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) were the first to be banned under the Suppression of Communism Act 44 of 1950. COSAS produced frontline cadres who later joined uMkhonto we Sizwe – the people’s liberation army in exile.
COSAS declared its support for the Freedom Charter in the 1980s shortly after its establishment. It is on this basis of its declaration in support of the people’s freedom charter that we understood COSAS had declared its loyalty towards a non-racial, non-sexist, united, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
The unity of the Congress of South African Students is sacrosanct for the unity of the evolved progressive youth alliance composed of young workers, students, the unemployed youth and the young active strata of today’s civil formations. The character of COSAS cannot be limited only to a learner movement but it is directly linked to the working-class struggle and the entire progressive youth movement.
In 1982, COSAS adopted the theme ‘Student-Worker Action’ and called for the formation of the youth congresses to “champion the interest of young workers and the unemployed youth”. COSAS is a frontline detachment in advancing our National Democratic Revolution and not an instrument for factionalism in the daily politics of the congress movement. It is neither an advocacy group for pseudo left rhetoric nor a praise brigade devoid of a class position and ideological direction.
The Unity of the learner movement is sacrosanct – and not for advancing factional battles or self-serving pseudo-left rhetoric at the expense of the people’s struggle. COSAS should be united to best advance the interests of the learner population in our country and the broader National Democratic Revolution. COSAS cadres should not feel indebted of any loyalty towards ANC factions or any individual leaders in the Mass Democratic Movement but should rather be armed with the art of serving learners and teaching the history of struggle.
As allies in the struggle for social and economic emnancipation, the Young Communist League of South Africa commits itself towards the unity of the learner movement against all odds and declares any efforts to divide COSAS as reactionary.
The Young Communist League of South Africa wishes COSAS a revolutionary 41st anniversary and reminds the learner movement of the immediate mandate of the youth as pronounced by Lenin – to learn, learn and learn.
Issued by the Young Communist League of South Africa [UFASIMBA]
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