Allow me to make a bold claim: it was not the ANC that brought us liberation. It was a vehicle that the people used to bring themselves to freedom. Just like the newfound Cope cannot claim to be the defender of the Constitution. The people are merely using it as a vehicle to defend the constitution.
I have been somewhat disturbed by some things that I have heard from certain leaders of the ANC of late. Words such as: “Cope is stealing our history, it is stealing our leaders.”
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but does the history of the struggle for freedom not belong to all South Africans? To claim ownership is to belittle the contribution of those who belong not only to South African history textbooks, but also to the pages of world history. Freedom belongs to no party.
The moment the ANC feels that it has the right to the history of the struggle, it won’t be too long before it tells us that we, the citizens of this country owe it, and as a result must accept anything it does to the country because without it we would not be free. We cannot, and must not allow ourselves to be held hostage by the ANC. Or any party of that matter. Whatever we may owe as a people, we owe to the red, blue, black, white, green and yellow colours of the flag.
The people who contributed to the Freedom Charter were not necessarily ANC card-carrying members. They were South Africans from all walks of life who wanted to be free. Some even contributed despite their white privilege because they desired that all people enjoy the freedoms they also enjoyed.
When Nelson Mandela and others languished in prison for so many years, it was not just for members of the ANC, but for all South Africans. They did not only struggle for black South Africans, but for those white South Africans who were imprisoned by their own prejudices. Yes, they fought for the racists too.
If history belongs to a certain party then that means Oliver Thambo, Nelson Mandela, Chief Albert Luthuli, Beyers Naude, Walter Sisulu, Ruth First, Winnie Madikizela Mandela and many others should not be taught in schools, but rather to those whose parents belong to a certain party.
To allow people to carry on talking in this manner about the heroes of the struggle is to make them smaller than they are. Then we can say that the ANC does not appreciate what it helped bring. We shall all be eternally grateful to the ANC, and we cannot belittle what it did. However, by claiming ownership of the struggle, it belittles itself.
Robert Sobukwe does not belong to the PAC, nor does Steven Bantu Biko belong to the Black Consciousness Movement.
Therefore, the people of this nation have no loyalty to any party – owe no favours to anyone. But their allegiance belongs to the country that many bled and died for.
Once again, let us cherish the history of this nation by not making it belong to a group.
khayav@gmail.com
You are 120% right my young brother.
as a middle-aged white person, it does wonders for my optimism to read these view penned by a young compatriot. Thanks you Sir and well said. God I’m so sick of politicians playing the race-card.
Well said! The idea that ‘freedom’ is a commodity that can be ‘possessed’ is absurd. Freedom is not a ‘thing’, it is an idea and like the idea of democracy it can only be made real by practising it.
Freedom is a terrifying concept for tyrants. They sense that freedom begins in the mind and that they cannot control our minds. However, that doesn’t mean they will stop trying to do so. Which is why to be truly free we must re-claim our freedom daily and defend it against the encroachments of authoritarianism, political ideology and unthinking cadres of all sorts.
Well done, Khaya. Eloquently stated.
There were also many people outside the country – in Christian Action, in Defence and Aid, in the UN ,who contributed vast amounts.
South africa is bigger than the ANC or any other organisation for that matter.
Your views are refreshing. The freedom in SA belongs to all who live in it, black or white. We cannot be held ransom by struggle credentials. We will vote for the party that represents us.
“Just like the newfound Cope cannot claim to be the defender of the Constitution. The people are merely using it as a vehicle to defend the constitution, yada yada yada.”
I wonder what is implied by defending the constitution, what constitution? We are still waiting for the Coping manifesto to hear what their policing would be like as far as defending the so called constitution; this is a mere rhetoric from the part of disgruntled members whose only ambition is nothing but self-enrichment.
Give other people a chance; we all want our wives to be rich like Wendy Luhabe.
you very right!!! viva anc. no individual is greater than the anc just as the anc is not greater than the struggle. but there would have been no struggle without the anc which is made up of individuals who can never be greater than their collective in the anc. there is no greater truth, my brother. the organisation is the people but the people are not necessarily the organisation. it just so happens that, to quote a researcher, ‘anc genes are encoded in the people.”
Khaya for president!
You need to get it straight Mate…ANC is not claiming that it owns the whole past, but the name-Congress of the People belongs to it & its alliances not to Lekota & other livid members who lack any sense of creativity & originality…
You are damn right Khaya!
It is very easy for some one who contributed nothing lost nothing to speak the way you do. You need to look at the middle estern or DRC conflict and learn something. Personally I am prepared to die in defence of the ANC, thats the only family I know and have. Themba Dlomo
Themba Dlomo
Don’t you think that you should be prepared to die in defense of your country as opposed to a political party? Isn’t that cheapening your blood?
You are quite correct Khaya, however I haven’t heard ANC proclaiming ownership of either Freedom charter nor Liberation struggle, infact it wanted to spearhead and collaborate all liberation struggle hence Polokwane resolution to look after All struggle veterans, a similar structure like the US’s war veteran association/ grant, isn’t this good.
The ANC does not ‘own’ a lot else besides our history, notwithstanding their attempts to establish a medieval fiefdom with themselves as liege lords.
These people are our paid servants, not our rulers and masters.
In winning an election, the ANC did not earn the privilege to rule, but incurred the responsibility to govern.
They do not own ‘their’ voter support base or its loyalty, and have no grounds to turn nasty and start hurling insults and brandishing threats toward those having the temerity to tread on what they perceive as ‘their’ turf.
They do not own our rights, and are thus in no position to grant such rights.
The ANC did not bring us rights, we always had them, it is just that another political party at another time also tried to violate inalienable rights.
The demands and organization of a liberation movement which ended such violation are not those of a progressive political administration, and struggle credentials do not confer an exclusive birthright to incumbents rendering a public service.
Just because these public servants won an election, who says they suddenly ‘own’ all the communications bandwidth, the land, the mineral rights, fishing rights and most everything else, to dispense to whosoever they see fit through ‘granting’ licenses, quotas and other benefits and permissions.
Public speakers frequently refer to the South African body politic as ‘our’ people.
Exactly who are they referring to when saying ‘our’, the ANC?
Does the ANC recognise and respect the division between party and state, between the will of the people and that of the party?
The ANC does not own us, we own us, a sovereignty recognized since the Magna Carta of 1215 AD which ended the right to subjugation of people by their leaders.
We own our destiny, and the ANC as servants and administrators are charged with the task of realizing that vision of the future, not us being ruled in order to realize theirs.
You are quite correct Khaya, however ANC has never pronounced ownership of the Freedom Charter nor Liberation struggle, instead Polokwane resolution says that all struggle veterans must be united and form an association equivalent to US’s war veteran union. Is this not worth noting my chief?
Why? are you expecting war with zim any time soon, what needs defense right now is the party the is a custodian of the contributions of the likes of PAPA, to you (Oliver Reginald Tambo), Moses Mabhida, Anton Lembede,Albert Dlomo, Duma Nokwe,Stanly Mabizela, G&V Mxenge, Harry Gwala, Mazisi Khunene, Gesh Ndlovu, George naiker, Kate Zuma, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbheki, Mpanza Gizenga, Shadreck Maphumulo, Alfred Nzo, abelon Bafana Duma, John Langalibalele Dube, Mark Shope, Triphina Mboxela and many others. Now in the bigger picture what is Lekota? what is Shilowa? What is Ngonyama? What would they say if they came face to face with some of the people who contributed never made demands example Johhanes Past Four Phungula or The Maphumulo sons or the mxenges, who lost their father to the previous government who till today dont know the people who killed their parents? Themba Dlomo
Little knowledge…
Well said Khaya. Further more, it is important even once we get to the fierce campaign season, that we remember that the party that inspires South Africans towards a shared future (in a sincere way)is a party that deserves the majority vote.
In defence of the ruling party (Ukhongolose), I’ll join you Mr Dlomo…
Katse
Sexwale has just bought an island in another country in Africa; and Ramaphosa owns a large slice of Africa as a holiday home. Are they not ANC?
Sandile
There most definately woould have been liberation without the ANC. They were neither the only liberation party, nor the only organisation fighting for liberty. In fact the UDM achieved much more, which was NOT started by the ANC (who were banned and almost unknown ). Boesak’s autobiography comes out soon – about time to correct these errors!
For those who say the ANC hasn’t claimed ownership of the Freedom Charter:
“In fact they want to steal the Freedom Charter which is unlawful. It belongs to the ANC” – Jacob Zuma, President of the ANC
from here:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20081014120636512C380787
Khaya, thanks, great article. The liberation struggle belongs to the literally millions of people who walked instead of taking busses, MK soldiers, APLA soldiers, mothers who held families together when their husbands were away fighting or working, citizens who burned their passes or marched or organised or wrote, pastors who stood up for what was right…
Millions of people. I’m hugely grateful to the ANC, but they do not own South Africa’s liberation.
Lyndall,
What do you think of someone who does not embrace internal democracy within the ANC by not accepting the Polokwane outcome? Do you really think this people will carry on as ambassadors of democracy in this country? Their assertions that the ANC has veered away from the freedom charter are nothing but sentiments short of public sympathy and smack of lies. JZ won the elections, finish and klaar.
On the contrary the other folks you are referring to are very principled and worthy of every cent they earned.
Now all of a sudden Mbazima is promising to build a school in Tzaneen, apparently in return to the bursary he got from his community to finish high school. Where was he all along, is isn’t this typical of opportunists.
Sandile
Unlike other African countries, the negotiations and peaceful resolution of the political situation in this country is not an outcome of the ANC’s absolute victory-Dont claim minor victories.
A combination of factors;
Post cold war
International crippling sanctions
Changing intenal racial dynamics within the white population in SA and inside the NP itself
A change of President in the US and the Prime minister in the UK (incoming Clinton and Blair)
The organisational strength of civil society in South AFrica.
That is why a lot of exiles do not seem to have a clue in managing South African political dynamics.
So please brother ANC was one of a tiny variables in the larg equation.
When so-called MK veterans claim moral high ground, the question to be asked is did they defeat SADF.
Zimbabweans can claim to be war veterans, because they won and scored major victories in the bush.
Blowing pylons and factories is not the Real Mcoy, I understand the symbolism behind it , but no enemy casualties are inflicted.
So please the liberation in this country is a civil society victory.
The Boesaks, Tutus, Lekotas, Molefes, Bikos, etc
Mandela himself declared that Robben Island was more comfortable than people who were dealing with the brutlities on a dcaily basis.
Steve Biko died fighting brother ,he was not studying with Unisa in some penal Island.
Get real
I agree with you Khaya when you speak of the entire South Africans fighting for liberation but you need to be careful of speculations, as a journalist what you voicing out should be based on facts and not opinions, remember not a single person owes ANC.
The discrepancy here is the term Congress and of course the slow processes of transformation and development within South Africa furthermore the enhancement of deployment.
Interestingly enough I cannot dwell much on the COPE as it simply implementing its strategy while the ANC of course dealt with a lot from Nepotism, slow Employment creation, enormous crime, slow EE/AA processes, propaganda about HIV/AIDS, more focus on BEE that is not productive and division among its organization. What will COPE carry forward?
We are left with uncertainty and lame conflict between major organizations over a term “CONGRESS”.
GOD SAVE SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!!
Canada wrote “Zimbabweans can claim to be war veterans, because they won and scored major victories in the bush.
Blowing pylons and factories is not the Real Mcoy, I understand the symbolism behind it , but no enemy casualties are inflicted.”
You relied a lot on propaganda for your enrichment; you must ask the SA veterans what they used to do with their Bazukas and AK47s. Do you think de Klerk single handedly handed over to the ANC out of fun? The white mamas were crying for their kids who returned from the borders as corpses.
You must go back in history, 18 March 1968 when the young white guys were dieing from the Wanky and Spolile operations headed by Commander Ike Maphoto through a barrel of a gun, nothing of that sort you are mumbling about. You think you got freedom out of toy toying only? please, spare us those belligerent comments of yours.
I don’t blame you, there’s a lot history to be rewritten in this country.
Katse
When COPE started they said that the constitution was only under threat after Polokwane, and that is true. There was no talk of “political solutions” for Zuma until after Polokwane – which breaks the principle of equality before the law. There were no threats to judges before, which affects the independence of the judiciary. Zuma has subsequently threatened a number of civil liberties. Zuma is one of the least principled politicians in Africa, and Malema appears to be a good understudy.
And the casualties in the SA border war were low – unlike the bush war in Zimbabwe or Kenya. SA does not have bush cover for such a war, as Mbeki himself pointed out.
And yes, De Klerk did more or less single handledly hand over power. He is the one person Mandela is jealous of, and kept trying to hit out at at every international event of joint awards. De Klerk stuck around only until the final constitution was law, and then got out.
And there was nothing democratic about Polokwane. They spent the WHOLE time on elections and fighting for power. None of those resolutions, prepared in advance, were even debated. They were just rubber stamped through on the last day.
Katse
The Wanky and Spolile operations, Luthuli detachment never inflicted the sort of casualities that were exaggerated by political propaganda.
For your information political propaganda and exaggerating your strength is part and parcel of the art and tactics of guerilla warfare- (i.e Read Mao)
The organisational potency of MK is and was insignificant in any military onslaught on the then SADF.
Many white kids died as a result of the arrival of Cuban soldiers brother-Cuito Carnavale is a Cuban mastery not MK
My uncle is an MK veteran brother, I know exactly what I am talking about here. You can claim victimhood and entitlement to privilege, government contracts, BEE ,but history does not lie.
By the way Katse, the Orange revolution of Ukraine, which is toyi-toying in our local lingo brought about a peaceful change in Ukraine.
USSR was dis-integrated by mass mobilisation, the Berlin Wall crumbled not by guns and mortars blazing, but by mass mobilisation.
I can give you countless historical case studies. I am a through and through varara, to be accused of relying on propaganda for telling the history and perspective of my own people is suprising.
I teach my kids to rever and venerate the history of African people including the founding fathers of our liberation (i.e. The true ANC), but they must seek the truth and expose lies where necessary.
Nothing must allow them to accept patronage, false entitlement and a twisted believe that asserts that, because you are black you have an entitlement to the truth or liberation belongs to you. Beyers Naude and Bram Fischer, some of my heroes in the same way as Chris Hani, Steve Biko and Walter Sisulu were and are the truth.
Knowledge and truth will free them, not lies
@ Khaya – preach it bro.
@ Themba Dhlomo – Oliver Reginald Tambo, Moses Mabhida, Anton Lembede,Albert Dlomo, Duma Nokwe,Stanly Mabizela, G&V Mxenge, Harry Gwala, Mazisi Khunene, Gesh Ndlovu, George naiker, Kate Zuma, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbheki, Mpanza Gizenga, Shadreck Maphumulo, Alfred Nzo, abelon Bafana Duma, John Langalibalele Dube, Mark Shope, Triphina Mboxela and many others would most likely be ashamed of the current ANC government. Don’t let them have died in vain, by supporting a party that only cares for its leaders.
@ Perry Curling-Hope – inspirational words.
Canada
Very well said. Teaching your kids to avoid stereotypes and prejudice is the best education you can give them.