​The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has played a pivotal role in South Africa’s liberation and political development. Established on 2 April 1944, the ANCYL was founded by a group of young leaders, including Anton Lembede (its first President), Nelson Mandela, Ashby Mda, Walter Sisulu, and Oliver Tambo. They were joined by other notable figures such as Duma Nokwe, B. Masekela, Ida Mtwa, Lillian Ngoyi, James Njongweni, William Nkomo, and Dan Tloome.

The formation of the Youth League marked a significant shift in the African National Congress (ANC), introducing a more radical and militant approach to the struggle against apartheid. The ANCYL aimed to rally and unite African youth into a national front based on African nationalism, giving force and direction to the fight for national freedom, studying political, economic, and social issues, and striving for the educational, moral, and cultural advancement of African youth.

In the 1940s, the ANCYL’s influence revitalized the ANC, transforming it into a mass movement that employed more assertive methods of struggle. This period saw the emergence of leaders like Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, who would later become central figures in South Africa’s liberation.

Following the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, the ANCYL was re-launched in 1991. It immediately began mobilizing youth in support of the negotiations process, calling for an interim government, the release of political prisoners, and the formation of a Constituent Assembly.

Throughout its history, the ANCYL has been a reservoir of activist cadre and an impetus within the ANC, raising leaders who have significantly contributed to South Africa’s political landscape. Its legacy continues to influence contemporary youth politics and the broader struggle for equality and justice in the country.