The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) was re-established on the 27 October 1990 at Orlando stadium in Soweto. The launching of the Youth League was the coming together of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) and the ANC Youth Section which operated in exile.

The Provisional National Youth Committee (PNYC) was established to spearhead the rebuilding of the Youth League nationwide. The Provisional National Youth Secretariat (PNYS) was also established. Its main functions included: receiving reports from all departments at the Head Office of the ANCYL, addressing developments related to the rebuilding of the Youth League and strategising the way forward.

The main task of the Youth League was to mobilise all sectors of the youth: working, unemployed, students, young sports people, intellectuals and religious youth, into active participation in the struggle to secure democracy. For this reason, the ANCYL immediately established contacts with different youth and student organisations locally and abroad. Recruitment campaigns were put in place in high schools and in tertiary institutions.

Different departments and committees, e.g. women, labour and pioneers were established to appeal to different sectors of the youth. All campaigns were set up with an understanding that rebuilding the Youth League was in fact rebuilding the ANC itself.

ANCYL - African National Congress Youth League

SAYCO - South African Youth Congress

PNYC - Provisional National Youth Committee

PNYS - Provisional National Youth Secretariat