Stage 1 of ANCYL march over
Around 5000 marchers handed over a memorandum to the Chamber of Mines in the Johannesburg CBD in the first stage.
They had set off from Beyers Naude Square at noon, four hours later than planned due to transport problems.
Led by ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and a formation of police cars, four Casspirs and a water cannon, the group sang revolutionary songs and danced through the CBD.
Chamber of Mines CEO Bheki Sibiya accepted the memorandum after ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola read out the grievances contained in it.
Sibiya told reporters the chamber would apply its mind to the content of a memorandum.
“We understand that the level of unemployment is too high and we agree with the youth league that the level of poverty is too high,” he said.
“We will distribute it (memorandum) to our 55 members.”
The league was demanding the nationalisation of mines and the introduction of probation programmes within companies to give youth skills in mining.
The memorandum calls for better wages for mine workers and the active involvement of mining companies in the development of the industry.
After spending 20 minutes at the chamber's offices, marchers headed to the next planned stage of the march, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton.
Malema urged supporters to exercise maximum discipline throughout their “long walk to economic freedom”.
“Take your time and walk. We have the whole day and night. You must not run,” he said.
“We (the leadership) are coming to march with you because we are all from poor backgrounds.”
However, the marchers' spirits started flagging just after 2pm as they entered Oxford Road in Killarney.
They stopped to wait for a water tanker as several people were dehydrated and at least five people had fainted.
The marchers were no longer singing and dancing, but shuffling along in the heat.
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