Mbeki gives Bafana a red card

2006-01-29 17:56

Kroonstad - President Thabo Mbeki hasn't minced his words about Bafana Bafana's performance in Egypt: "I say they did not try (their best)."

On the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt, Mbeki said it seemed the team did not understand what the youth of 1976 set out to achieve - to ensure "that our country and the nation becomes a winning nation".

"We cannot be a losing nation in the way that Bafana Bafana lost in Egypt."

The June 1976 youth had, by their sacrifices, made South Africa a winning nation, Mbeki told the hundreds of youth gathered at the Slagius Moreka FET College for the launch of the ANC Youth League's 30th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising.

Mbeki spoke about Bafana Bafana after ANC Youth League president Fikile Mbalula had appealed to the youth not to be hard on Bafana Bafana after their performance in the tournament.

The team crashed out of Afcon, having lost two successive games in the group stages.

Developing and empowering the youth

While he was uncompromising about the national soccer side, the president said on Sunday the African National Congress would keep its promise of development and empowerment to the country's youth.

, Mbeki said elected ANC councillors after March 1 should remember the youth.

"Developing and empowering the youth will remain at the centre of the work we are doing at all levels," Mbeki said.

"The central task this year, once elected, are to attend to accelerated and set growth... and they must attend to the empowerment and development of our youth," he said.

Referring to the sacrifices the 1976 youth made in the struggle against apartheid, Mbeki said it was the youth's responsibility to defend South Africa's democracy and democratic gains brought about by the Soweto uprisings 30 years ago.

"Our young people must participate in the elections that are coming on the 1st of March.

"It is important that our young people participate in choosing our local councillors so that the youth continue to play a role of changing the country for the better."

He also called on all youth, especially ANC Youth League members, to join hands in defeating violence against women and children.

Tribute to matriculants

Mbeki also urged the youth to make sure that a culture of learning and discipline prevailed at all schools.

"These remain some of the challenges the youth and all government structures battle with," he said.

Mbeki also paid tribute to matriculants who passed with distinctions last year, despite their personal background and situations, especially those coming from informal settlements.

"They make us a winning nation," said Mbeki.

- SAPA