ANCYL mourns the passing of a fearless revolutionary

The African National Congress Youth League has learnt with sadness of the passing away of a fearless revolutionary and a disciplined young lion, Comrade Wandile Mkhize. Comrade Mkhize was a former Regional Secretary of the ANC Youth League in the Lower South Coast Region, KwaZulu-Natal. He had a sharp and probing intellect, with an appetite to continuously engage even those he disagreed with. Comrade Wandile dedicated his life and put his youthful years in the service of the ANC and broader mass demcractic movement to serve the people and improve the lives of the poorest of the poor.

As we mourn the loss of Comrade Wandile, the ANCYL is equally angered by the brutality at which Comrade Wandile Mkhize met his death at the barrel of a gun last night, Saturday 30th June. We are deeply perturbed by the increasing numbers of murders of comrades in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga in particular. We call upon the ANC to set up a process to investigate political killings in these provices. Such intervention should further come with concrete and tangible recommendations to end these scourge of using violence to settle political scores.

We wish Comrade Wandile Mkhize's friend, who was with him when the incident occurred, a speedy recovery in hospital. Our most sincere condolences to the Mkhize Family and his newly wedded wife in particular. We thank you for having given to us a committed young man who worked for his country. We are determined to ensure his life and ultimately death were not in vain.

Statement issued by the African National Congress Youth League, July 1 2012

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