South Africa we are listening, Africa we are sorry - ANCYL

ANCYL Statement, 30 May 2008

South Africa we are listening, Africa we are sorry!

The ANC Youth League, AZAYO, IFPYB, DA Youth, other Faith-Based Youth
Organisations, Personalities and the Business Sector today launched a
Youth Front Against Xenophobia through a campaign dubbed "South Africa
We are listening, Africa we are sorry".

The recent attacks on non-South African Nationals are a worrying development in the light of South Africa preparing for its 15yrs of Democratic Rule. The history of South Africa speaks volumes to the notion of one people irrespective of nationality, ethnicity or religious affiliation. That is why the recent attacks cannot be tolerated or left uncontrolled.

The Youth in its endeavor to bring about change to this situation has brought together a Front of youth practioners in the following areas:

• Politics
• Entertainment
• Business
• Sports

The front will seek to engage in the following activities as part of its contribution to ending the spade of violence in our communities:

DIALOGUE

The focus in this area will be to open up dialogue between residences of the affected communities. The dialogue will seek to involve young personalities who will share their experiences of traveling abroad and how it has impacted on their personalities.

The dialogue will seek to bring to the fore the real issues that are affecting residence in the areas affected by the violence. This is aimed at doing away with the notion that the concern is only for the non-South African Nationalities, but rather to address the concern of the communities as a whole.

The dialogue will seek to promote integration with in these communities with out creating the elusive wall of division.

PETITION

The petition will focus on public education of the South African Laws pertaining to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. This will be achieved by petitioning the Speaker of Parliament to dedicate a special week of debate in parliament on the above-mentioned process.

The petition will be distributed by the front of progressive youth in the affected communities. Thereafter, the Front will select a delegation to parliament to deliver the petition.

BENEFIT TO THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

The benefit will be focusing on edutainment on the effects of Xenophobia. It will also assist the affected communities to deal with the loss of soft goods as part of the violence.

The benefit will be a tool for continued engagement in the South African Communities.

CONCLUSION

The focus of this campaign is to encourage open dialogue amongst young people in South Africa irrespective of their country of origin. The future generations will charge us on how we have been able to resolve the conflict imposed on is by our colonial past.

Last but not least "It's not yet Uhuru", take a moment to think about your national anthem "Nkosi Sikeleli Africa".

Issued by: The Youth Front Against Xenophobia

For more information contact the ANCYL's Media office: Thandiwe Mokaba
- [email][email protected] or 079 156 6091