Chairperson, twenty years ago a bombshell, a boomerang, a catalyst of our revolution called Sayco was established on 28 March 1987 at the University of the Western Cape here in Cape Town.
Under the nose of the apartheid, racist security establishments - some of whose representatives or the children of those people are among us here - Sayco was formed with a slogan "Freedom or death! Victory is certain!"
Guided by its adoption of the Freedom Charter as its policy guide to freedom and democracy, Sayco declared: "Better die to a man than let the enemy pass."
It was at a Cosas May 1982 congress when it all started, guided by one of the resolutions that sought to accommodate the out-of-school youth, militant and revolutionary youth and students into a congress home called Sayco. This was a combination of mass disciplined and militant students and armed youth of uMkhonto weSizwe, all dedicated and selflessly focused to the overthrow of the apartheid government.
This followed the legacy of the 1944 youth of yesteryear: disciplined, dedicated and death-defying, proclaiming in its Youth League Manifesto: Youth is laying its service at the disposal of the national liberation movement, the ANC, in the firm belief, knowledge and conviction that the cause of Africa must and will triumph.
As we celebrate twenty years of Sayco, we shall remember those of us who are no more, but who were in the forefront of its establishment: Tlhabano Mogashoa, Nhunhu Kheswa, Ivan Parage, Peter Mokaba, Ephraim Mogale, Eddy Mabitse, Parks Mankahlana, Ashley Kriel, among others.
We want to assure your families, your comrades, your friends and enemies alike, that it was not in vain. The youth of today have you as role models. Emulate these martyrs and join the progressive forces that seek to conclude the mission that you and those before you have started, of bringing about a nonracial, nonsexist and democratic society. Freedom or death! [Applause.]