‘Tis the season of goodwill and forgiveness. And I’m in the spirit and 100% ready to forgive Terror Lekota for being a truly shite Cabinet minister and wishing him well in his new job as undertaker for the ANC. I can do that because I remember the “real” Lekota in the eighties when he was a truly outstanding young leader of the UDF.
And I’m also more than ready to forgive Allan Boesak for his silly transgressions and hope he will forgive the rest of us for so quickly forgetting his extraordinary heroism and charisma during those UDF days. Hopefully he will put his weight behind Cope, — which, IMHO, needs him more then he needs it.
In a wave of nostalgia I’m drawn back in time … circa 1984, to a UDF rally at the Durban City Hall packed to capacity, sweaty with excitement, graced by SA’s finest … Lekota, Boesak, Archie Gumede, Popo Molefe, Beyers Naude, Oscar Mpetha, Billy Nair, Helen Joseph, Jay Naidoo …
Just being there felt like one was making history. Lekota and Boesak gave brilliant, rousing speeches. Boesak was especially mesmerising, his falsetto voice rising higher and higher, punching home his fuck-you-Nat-pigs-we-will-bring-you-to-your-knees sermon. It was a time of fear and Boesak and Lekota were truly fearless.
We went home exhilarated, triumphant. What struck me so powerfully at the time was how deeply the UDF radiated cross-cultural non-racialism; everyone (well almost everyone) wanted to embrace it and be touched by it. It was truly infectious.
Note: This was written before Boesak was elected to the COPE exec in Bloem.
Brilliant blog Bruce, and a heady reminder of the days when struggle politics was lean, hungry and focused on changing lives. When it smelled of the sweet sweat of guts, glory and sacrifice. A distant memory from today’s politics which is a noxious belch of ego, excess, greed and power.
Alan Boesak’s election to the executive of
COPE will led to COPE failing to win popular support of many who have a particular disdain for Boesak. Pity, as I thought COPE had a sporting chance to unseat the ANC from power.
Can’t wait for Boesak’s book to “tell it all.” Can’t wait.
Before then, it seems only wise to shut up now lest I be compelled to have to swallow my words later on.
I thought Boesak intended to form a non political organisation. But then i remembered he has a terrible history in terms of spending donors’ funds. So no one should be surprised by this sudden opportunistic move.
Well said Nda, I couldn’t have said it better myself. unfortunately not all uninformed person’s around here would think that way.
Also Wayne, though I may not agree with you, i’ll die for your right to say it. it’s your right and you’re protected by the same constitution protecting Dr. Boesak his right to live amongst us, after he’ve been through. I know of people who would exhaust all legal avenues to stay out of court.
I was one of those that carried Boesak through the gates of Polsmoor prison. I will also agree that some of that money did find their way into the pockets of the struggling students and activists of the eighties. Boesak was my our chaplain at UWC where I studied and to every student he was a hero. Indeed the eighties were the days of the true struggle and I am sad to call both Lekota and Boesak arch opportunists. These two are power hungry with no loyal bone in their hypocritical bodies.
Boesak thought he could hold the ANC to ransom by demanding positions within the organisation but fortunately the ANC called his bluff and refused.
Bongo,
In the 1970s, Boesak was not a hero to the students – he was the one who continued to attend classes, while his classmates boycotted classes.
In the 1980s, when he was a hero to many, he was a hypocrite. Did he not proclaim “liberation before education”?
Be that as it may, his children were at private schools, so they were unaffected by township school boycotts.
True to character Alan Boesak nailed himself to the AfroCeltic cross of COPErtunity thereby assuring COPE of truly being called the CONGRESS of the POEPLE.A nice gesture to retain votes for the ANC in this political season of idiocy and lose one protential vote.