The South African Students Organisation (Sasco) in the Limpopo Province openly opposed Pres Thabo Mbeki’s statement that the next South African president should be a woman.

Speaking during the commemoration of a former ANC Youth League president, Peter Mokaba, at Bungeni Stadium last Saturday, Sasco chairperson More Mokobane slammed dictators in a democratic country. She said political leaders are campaigning to accrue favour by putting women in the forefront. Mokobane further said South African is not in a state where it can be led by a female president due to internal problems. She said she was not belittling women, but expressing the truth.

What the youth are looking for is education, and should the doors of learning opened to all youths, South Africa is going to have skilled and productive people in a working environment. Mokobane slammed the Umsobomvu Youth Fund for abusing the right of the youths in the province. “The Umsobomvu youth fund is failing to implement what the youth are looking for. Even the Limpopo Youth Commission is failing to come up with strategies that can develop the youth to start sustainable projects,” she said.

She was also supported by the Congress of South African Students organisation, which says millions of African youths are unemployed, and they are now victims of HIV/Aids.

The chairperson of the ANCYL in the Vhembe District, Mr Tshamano Gwati, said the youth in the Limpopo Province are under attack by some members of executive council (MEC’s) because they have the wrong perception of the youth. “They think we are going to take over their positions. There is no lifetime leader in a democratic government and people are now fighting for positions.”

In his speech, ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma thanked the youth for supporting him, even when he was on trial. Zuma said Peter Mokaba was a visionary leader. He called on all South Africans to stand firm and support democracy. Zuma further said the only organization that brought democracy into South Africa was the ANC.