20TH ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE YOUTH BRIGADE


R E S O L U T I O N S

ULUNDI : SEPTEMBER 20, 1998

RESOLUTION 1

We, the Inkatha Freedom Party Youth Brigade gathered at this historic 20th Annual General Conference are grateful to the Almighty God for providing us with the outstanding leadership of His Excellency Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who has steadfastly led us from oppression to freedom during the past two decades.

We therefore resolve to:

  1. Work hard under the astute leadership of His Excellency the President with a view to strengthening  South Africa's hard-earned fledgling democracy.

RESOLUTION 2

Appreciating the vital role that the IFP Youth Brigade has to play in ensuring that the Party wins the 1999 general elections, we therefore resolve to:

  1. immediately embark on a vigorous Identity Document registration campaign aimed at ensuring that as many IFP members and potential supporters as possible have bar coded ID books;
  2. ensure that all those members and supporters who have the correct ID books are registered to vote;
  3. ensure that the IFP is represented at all times at Party Liaison Committee meetings by participating in the delimitation process; and
  4. ensure that the IFP always has motivated and empowered volunteers at its disposal.

RESOLUTION 3

Realising the unacceptably high levels of crime and lawlessness in our country, and the fact that the State is either unwilling and/or incapable of effectively combatting those societal ills,

therefore resolve to:

  1. charge every branch of the Youth Brigade with the responsibility of driving the campaign aimed at securing signatures of no less than one million South Africans calling on the government to hold a referendum on the death penalty;
  2. call on all youth organisations and South African youth to support and vigorously campaign for a referendum on the death penalty;
  3. call on the South African government to speed up the process of reviewing the criminal justice system with a view to ascertaining that all criminals are taught once and for all that "crime does not pay."

RESOLUTION 4

Noting that while there has been a lot of talk about incidents of HIV/AIDS infection escalating at an alarming rate, we therefore resolve to:

  1. call on every branch of the Youth Brigade to embark on a practical programme of action to ensure that the scourge of AIDS is exposed to all young people;
  2. call on every leader of the Youth Brigade at all levels to continue alerting youth about the dangers of trivialising the seriousness of this killer disease in all their speeches; and
  3. call on the Youth Brigade National Executive Committee to launch a massive national AIDS awareness campaign.

RESOLUTION 5

Noting the chaotic state to which education is subjected in this country and the inevitable repercussions which manifest themselves in the apathy and disillusionment of educators, learners and parents, we therefore resolve to:

  1. implore all teachers to rededicate themselves to their noble profession by putting conscientious efforts towards the education of their learners;
  2. challenge the National Minister of Education to convene a National Education Indaba which will involve all stakeholders in searching for a holistic approach towards tackling the education crisis; and
  3. instruct the Youth Brigade NEC to initiate a practical programme of action which will be aimed at the restoration of the culture of ubuntu-botho and the inculcation of the revolution of goodwill in all schools and institutions of higher learning.

RESOLUTION 6

Noting that political liberation in South Africa has not conquered the real enemies of the people which are ignorance, poverty and disease, the IFP believes in self-reliance and self- help. We therefore resolve to:

  1. call upon all the youth to participate in self-help projects;
  2. call upon all NGOs, business communities, government and other stakeholders to come up with policies for creating job opportunities on a short, medium and long-term basis;
  3. encourage the people of South Africa and the youth in particular to concentrate their energies and efforts on finding ways and means of bringing the country closer to the threshold of economic prosperity and social stability; and
  4. call upon the forthcoming Presidential Job Summit to come up with practical solutions to the problems of youth unemployment.

RESOLUTION 7

The IFP has propagated the revival of ubuntu and respect for life. Throughout its existence the IFP Youth Brigade has always rejected violence and intimidation as methods of political action. We therefore resolve:

  1. to call upon our youth to refuse to be provoked and never to answer violence with violence; and
  2. to promote the spirit of ubuntu and respect for adults.

RESOLUTION 8

Acknowledging the significant role which is being played by the National Youth Commission, we would, however, appreciate this organisation being strengthened to address the challenges facing the youth of South Africa. We therefore resolve to:

  1. task the Youth Brigade National Executive Committee to seek ways and means of ensuring that the NYC and the provincial commissions have implementing powers relative to youth projects; and
  2. in line with Party policy, charge the NEC with the responsibility of vigorously campaigning for the appointment of a Youth Minister within the office of the country's President.

RESOLUTION 9

Noting with concern the inefficient manner in which the South African Youth Council (SAYC) is being run and the fact that it lacks accountability and transparency, we therefore resolve to:

  1. instruct the NEC to review the participation of the Youth Brigade in the SAYC.

RESOLUTION 10

Angered and disappointed by the escalation of abuse against women and children, which continues unabated, we resolve to:

  1. condemn in the strongest possible terms the abuse of women and children;
  2. instruct the NEC to initiate a national programme aimed at reviving family values and combatting all forms of abuse against women and children; and
  3. urge the national government to be tough against the perpetration of such crimes by ensuring that serious sentences are imposed and bail applications are denied in this regard.

 

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