ANC has ‘sold out’ the youth‚ say opposition MPs

Opposition MPs say South African youth are “worse off” under the ANC‚ whom they accuse of having “sold out” young people to the Gupta family and teachers’ union SADTU.

The MPs were speaking in the national assembly during a debate on youth day‚ due to be commemorated on Friday.

DA MP Yusuf Cassim was first to attack the governing ANC‚ claiming their MPs and ministers did not take young people seriously‚ judging by the empty seats on the ANC's side of the chamber.

“The ANC has sold out my generation‚ particularly young black South Africans. There can be no doubt that the legacy of colonialism and apartheid continue to dictate our life stories. The circumstances of our birth still dictate our success and these circumstances have a colour to it‚” said Cassim.

He said that under the ANC‚ the country's “education was considered to be the very worst in the world”.

“This is not the ANC we supported growing up. It is an ANC that sold out an entire generation to the Guptas‚ to Sadtu and to patronage politics‚” said Cassim.

Sipho Mbatha of the EFF said the “best present” for youth was to take the ANC out of power. “It is a liberation movement that has ran out of its own cause‚” said Mbatha.

The IFP's Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the ANC had simply failed the people of South Africa and it should be voted out of power.

“The ANC has failed the youth. Pack your bags and go‚ you have failed the youth‚” said Hlengwa.

UDM MP Mncedisi Filtane said “female youth are significantly worse off” under the current government.

Andries Plouamma of Agang SA‚ said young people who were not ANC members were being deprived of economic opportunities.

“You look at the number of graduates who are not working living under conditions of shameful poverty. The ANC must bow their head in shame. The ANC government betrayed the youth of this country‚” said Plouamma.

Hitting back at the opposition‚ deputy minister in the presidency Buti Manamela said opposition MPs had been dishonest in their assessment of the ANC's performance since 1994.

“South Africa has dramatically changed compared to 1976 comparing to 2017. Yes there are still challenges. Those challenges‚ we are hard at work in ensuring that we deal with. Contrary to popular belief‚ young people are not lazy or feel entitled. Young people do not want a handout but rather want a hand up‚” said Manamela.

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Source: TMG Digital.