Extract from: State of the Nation, A SASPU National publication Vol. 5 No. 1
April 1987
The top-secret launch of the mammoth South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) in Cape Town has widely been heralded as a victory not only for the youth, but for the entire progressive movement. It marked the welding together of the youth into what is likely to be one of the democratic movement's most powerful organisations.
The launch proved that attempts to crush the militancy, determination and organisations of the youth are failing. They have advanced to meet the challenge of the state of emergency and advanced despite the most repressive conditions in years.
The youth have been one of the main targets of repression. About 80% of the 30 000 emergency detainees and many victims of vigilante attacks and assassinations are youth. Even before its formal launch there were strong indications that SAYCO would be a prime target for repression.
Despite this, in a remarkable organisational feat about 200 delegates from nine regions, and the national interim coordinating committee, arrived safely at the launch from all over the country. There were those that symbolised the newly forged layers of youth leadership. Others are tried and tested youth leaders, former political prisoners and a few more who were at the COSAS Congress some eight years ago when the youth organisation idea first surfaced. Some had only recently been released from detention. Most are permanently on the run while continuing to operate underground in their areas, so the tight security was not entirely new.
While there were no illusions about the seriousness of the threats and challenges facing organisations, the launch itself gave an overwhelming sense of history in the making and that their slogan "Freedom or Death, Victory is Certain' is a serious one. It reflected the militancy and determination, confidence and courage and impatience characteristic of the youth.
SAYCO's colours are black, green, gold and red, and its logo shows a hammer, a spear and a book emerging from a crowd of youth marching under a SAYCO flag. Their allegiances were clear not only in their slogans and freedom songs, but in their hard-hitting resolutions and programme of action. SAYCO has a firm and united political stand and an emphasis on discipline which goes a lot deeper than slogans and emotionalism. There was a clarity about tasks and direction, about the future they are striving towards, and what role they, as the youth must play in achieving this.
With an estimated membership of over half a million and active support of over two million South African Youth, SAYCO is the UDF's largest affiliate.
It has committed itself to forging principled working relationships with COSATU and progressive workers, women's, community and student organisations which share its principles. Alliances will also be build with progressive sports, cultural and religious bodies.
There is no doubt that SAYCO will take South Africa's people closer to freedom.
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