15 January 2025
The Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) extends its revolutionary congratulations to the matriculants of 2024 for their remarkable achievement in navigating the uneven terrain of South Africa’s education system. Your success is a testament to your resilience and determination in the face of an education system rooted in the structural inequalities of capitalist exploitation. We also salute the teachers, especially young educators, who against all odds strive to nurture and empower learners within a system that often fails to equip them with adequate resources.
This moment of celebration must, however, be accompanied by a critical reflection on the socio-economic conditions that shape the lived realities of young people in South Africa. As Marxist-Leninists, we must confront the structural contradictions that inhibit the full realization of the potential of the working class and the poor.
An Overburdened System Failing the Majority
The matric results once again expose the glaring mismatch between the number of learners completing secondary education and the opportunities available for further education and training. The scarcity of spaces in universities and TVET colleges is not an accident but a reflection of a capitalist system that commodifies education and treats it as a privilege rather than a fundamental right. Thousands of capable learners are left without avenues for advancement, perpetuating cycles of inequality and class stratification.
While NSFAS has undoubtedly played a role in providing access to education for some, its operational inefficiencies and delays have rendered it a tool that inadvertently excludes the children of the working class from realizing their academic potential. The delays in funding disbursement disrupt the academic calendar and disproportionately affect those who can least afford such disruptions. NSFAS must be overhauled to serve the working class effectively and equitably. Historically, numerous bursaries were offered by the private sector; however, since NSFAS was declared the primary funder for the majority of youth from poor and working-class backgrounds, private sector investment in education appears to have dwindled. This is deeply concerning, as the private sector remains the primary beneficiary of graduates but fails to meaningfully invest in their education. It is imperative that capital takes responsibility and contributes significantly to the development of the very workforce it depends on.
Graduates Fighting for Survival in a Capitalist Economy
Even for those who overcome these barriers and graduate, the current economic structure offers little hope. The job market is characterized by high levels of unemployment, underemployment, and the proliferation of exploitative internships disguised as opportunities. The R5,000 stipend for public sector interns is a glaring example of how the capitalist system undervalues and exploits young workers. Unlike permanent workers who receive inflation-linked salary adjustments, these young graduates are left to languish under stagnant and insufficient stipends, unable to afford necessities in a country where the cost of living continues to rise.
This systemic neglect of young workers is a direct affront to the constitutional right to work and the Marxist principle of dignified labour. The government’s lack of a coherent plan to absorb graduates into meaningful employment exposes its failure to challenge the neoliberal orthodoxy that prioritizes profit over people. This economic structure leaves graduates competing for crumbs, fostering division among the working class, and weakening collective solidarity.
The current stipend of R5,000 for interns is an insult to the dignity of young workers. It is a reflection of a capitalist system that prioritizes profit margins over human needs. Young workers deserve better. The YCLSA demands that the government introduce inflation-linked adjustments to stipends and ensure that young workers are not subjected to the indignity of poverty wages.
The cost of living in South Africa has reached crisis levels, and the working class must not bear the brunt of this systemic failure.
Teachers: The Unsung Heroes of the Revolution
As the YCLSA We extend revolutionary gratitude to the educators who, despite systemic neglect, remain committed to the task of educating the youth. Young teachers face immense challenges yet continue to play a critical role in shaping the future of our society. The education system must be restructured to provide these teachers with the tools and support necessary to fulfill their mission. The current conditions are unsustainable and reflect the broader failures of the capitalist state to prioritize human development over profit.
The Joe Slovo Right to Learn Campaign
In the spirit of Joe Slovo, the YCLSA calls on all branches to intensify efforts in the Right to Learn Campaign and back-to-school programs. These initiatives must be grounded in Marxist principles, ensuring that education becomes a tool for liberation rather than oppression. The revival of the “Adopt a School” campaign is essential for addressing the immediate needs of schools and communities. YCLSA branches must actively engage in these programs to build solidarity and tackle systemic issues that teachers alone cannot resolve.
The Forgotten Youth: Out of School and Out of Work
As the YCLSA We cannot ignore the plight of the millions of young people who are neither in school nor in employment. This demographic represents the most glaring failure of the capitalist system—a system that abandons its youth to a life of poverty, crime, and hopelessness. The state must urgently implement programs that provide these young people with skills, opportunities, and pathways to meaningful participation in the economy. The YCLSA reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the forgotten youth, recognizing that their liberation is integral to the broader struggle for socialism.
Bogus Institutions
We also caution matriculants against the predatory practices of bogus institutions that exploit the desperation of young people seeking education. These institutions, operating without accreditation, rob the working class of their hard-earned money and dash the hopes of our youth. We urge learners to verify institutions with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and call on the state to intensify efforts to shut down these exploitative entities.
The Revolutionary Way Forward
The YCLSA calls for:
Free, Quality, decommodified and Accessible Education for All: Expand access to higher education and ensure it is decommodified and treated as a public good.
A Reformed NSFAS: Ensure timely disbursements and eliminate barriers that disproportionately affect the working class.
Dignified Work for All Graduates: Develop a socialist-oriented economic plan that guarantees meaningful employment for all graduates.
Empowerment of Teachers: Provide educators with the tools and resources needed to deliver quality education.
Support for the Forgotten Youth: Implement targeted programs to uplift out-of-school and out-of-work youth.
Community-Led Education Initiatives: Strengthen the Right to Learn Campaign and ensure the active participation of YCLSA branches in building solidarity and addressing systemic challenges.
In conclusion, the YCLSA congratulates the matriculants of 2024 while reaffirming our commitment to the struggle for socialism and the liberation of the working class. Education must serve as a tool for emancipation, not exploitation. Together, let us build a future where the youth are empowered, the working class is uplifted, and the capitalist system is dismantled.
Socialism Now! Education for Liberation! Forward to a Socialist South Africa!
Issued by YCLSA
National Secretary- Mzwandile Thakhudi
For interviews and Enquiries
National Spokesperson- Ramatolo Tlotleng Cell: (074) 478 4403
Media Liaison Officer – Dineo Mokoena. Cell: (073) 969-8532
