By Petunia Mpoza
I wake up to the beep of my phone, signalling messages from friends and comrades alike, ensuring departure centres and time. It is at this moment that I realise that it is more than simply individuals from all walks of life who congregate in African National Congress regalia. It is not simply the ‘hype’ of belonging or participating in ANC events. Rather, it is a common call for those in love with the organisation, for those who are sceptical, for those who hold dear the idea of freedom, for those who still question this freedom and for those who are seeking answers.
Warmly dressed in my school blazer covered in badges of various shapes and sizes, I am taken back by how active I was at school, and how I was rewarded for it, not forgetting “inquisitive” and “talkative”, which were always inked on my report.
With the same inquisitive attitude I made my way to Naledi Hall, accompanied by my little brother who is a purposeful symbol of the hard-earned freedom, born April 27 1994, having his own form of modern badges forcefully pinned on him: ‘Freedom child’, ‘Born Frees’, ‘Amstel youth’ and, of late, ‘the Ultramelz’.
We arrive at Morris Isaacson High School. Various organisations are noted, and branding is the order of the day. Some of the kids around the area seem less fazed by the hype or buses encircling the school, and instead find some joy in car sounds playing local tunes, dancing in rhythm while flying ANC flags in tune.
This is the same tune resonating throughout the country, partly witnessed in Soweto where the ANC centenary flame moves accordingly, in union with the symbolic day of June 16.
What is the connection between the 100 years of ANC and the hundreds of young people that died on that day?
It is the common thread of liberation that sews together the different individuals all over South Africa, strategically and tactically moving towards a common goal of unity in diversity. This is the same drive that leads the diversified grouping of young people to the streets.
We arrive at the Hector Pieterson memorial site, and the streets are covered with black, green and gold. The ambience is motivating, drawn from the unity experienced and the respect for fellow man. Families stand outside their homes; young and old, mothers ululating, strong fists in the air accompanied by a firm Amandla! slogan, not shying away from the bellowing sounds made by those passing by. It is a very warming feeling, one I wish would never end.
A loud siren made by metro police cars, followed by sturdy bikers, alerts us to the arrival of the flame. According to information from the ANC website, the centenary flame symbolises progression and acknowledgement of strides made from colonial oppression and apartheid rule. The symbolism of the flame strives to inspire hope and prosperity for all.
The ANC has symbolically ensured continuation of hope towards another historical century, ensued along the captured memories of resistance demonstrated by the people of South Africa during the liberation struggle.
The flame, dubbed “Umlilo or Mmolo wa ANC”, is ushered by flame bearers proudly dressed in military gear. They are steadily followed by the SAPS, private cars, and a fleet of buses carrying masses to Ntate Motsoaledi’s, Mama Lilian Ngoyi’s and Ntate Kotane’s homes.
There is a time-out at Diepkloof Park before marching to Walter Sisulu square in Kliptown, Baba Bongani Khumalo’s house in Dlamini, followed by a visit to Holy Rosary Church in Phiri, continuing to General Masondo’s residence in Molapo and finally Regina Mundi Church. With every chant and proceeding convoy, love for the ANC is felt as numbers increase behind the centenary flame.
This is evidence that the organisation is 100 times stronger in spite of various reports about its demise. Soweto masses prove yet again that the ANC lives and thus the ANC leads.
Streets are packed with supporters, some making their way into various venues. The June centenary event clearly serves as a platform for the organisation to deepen political understanding by mobilising the diverse communities behind our history. The African culture of collectivism and values enshrined in ubuntu renews its strength.
As we call an end to the day, with the centenary flame still burning, the weekend buzz of Soweto continues. A Big Nuz-inspired chorus, “umlilo we ANC, uyashisa, ungaw’ lokothi…”, is remixed by the ‘Ayoba’ generation that have turned fists of “Viva!” into a clap and click. The youth are not shy to say “Amandla!”.
I am glad to have braved the cold and taken the plunge that earned me some weekend edification.
Petunia is a 2010 scholar. She is Free Burma’s South African ambassador and a Free the Cuban Five activist. She is a representative for the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) as one of the “2011 Pioneers”.
“ANC lives and leads…….”
I agree with the “lives” but -with many others- i seriously query the “leads” other than the various parades.
Leading to deepen political understanding by mobilising the diverse communities behind our history?? or……further dividing the nation along racial and social- economic lines????? black/white….poor/rich ??
Anyway..I am glad you had a nice and optimistic feeling day. Wish you well.
For another view: read the other blog under : “Capitalism or socialism? We have no choice….”
Thank you knock some sense into the people here
It truly is a special feeling isnt it? I also love the thrill of singing freedom songs in unison, at one and in the moment. It truly is something special!
You have had your freedom for 20 years. Now do something with it apart from looting the public purse and expecting civil society and business to fund and run the country for you.
I dunno. I enjoyed freedom songs when we were actually fighting for freedom. These days it all seems so choreographed and the lyrics often seem to be tailor-made to serve the interests of people I’d like to sink in the ocean with concrete boots on.
I was embarrassed when Alan Boesak came into an auditorium and the audience burst out with a chant of “Boo-suck! Boo-suck! Boo-suck!” because I couldn’t believe that anybody deserved that kind of personal adulation. (And, no surprises, I was right.)
And now I turn on the radio and the NUM is chanting “Zoo-ma! Zoo-ma! Zoo-ma!” about the union-basher who’s just allowed the IMF to filch some of our hard-earned foreign currency reserve.
Sorry, I don’t trust the “ANC lives, ANC leads” any more. I don’t even think the ANC is really alive any more — I think these are the last kicks of a dead horse.
People feel great when they sing in church too!
The act of collective chanting is primal and strikes a deep cord within everyone – whether it is freedom or church songs makes no difference. Call me a cynic but I think it important understand that point first…
Sentiments don’t feed the youth, jobs do!
@Creata & Rich, it is so obvious that you have never had the opportunity to join people in singing songs of a revolutionary movement. Creata, actually there is no choreography, and believe it or not, most of the well known songs started off with us singing about the issue/problem/emotion at the time. It is impulsive, it is spontaneous and it is how we roll, when we sing. That is why the Gogo, needs turncoats on a stage with her to help her sing like us because try as she might, the dance, the singing, now that is rehearsed. In fact why would you want to mimic us, opportunistically trying to fool us? But you see in our congregation, at least we have the decency to be honest and we will communicate this in song, at least when we are happy, we will communicate this in song, at least when we mourn, we do this in song. That is why Madiba is so filled with joy when he joins us in singing, and yet what do you see when he is living that moment? He epitomises how empty life is, without revolutionary song and the sheer joy and emotion when experience it. So cynical and negative comments are so like you and so unlike us.
What you do need to remember is “the ANC spent 80 years trying to destroy a system, with justification, the problem is, they have not evolved into an orgaisation that now has to build a system. They have continued destroying. One can’t blame them, if you have spent 50 years of your life with a negative based focus, how can you be expected to suddenly become positive”
50 years ago, ANC speechwriters blamed apartheid for all South Africa’s ills, with justification. Now 50 years later their speechwriters are still doing the same thing.
Now if this is true, then the ANC have to accept they have achieved nothing themselves in 20 years. So basically they have not made any positive contribution to the Country in 20 years!
The ANC lives and leads.. Agreed, it is however critical that we do not coat the challenges facing the organisation in our century. We are in government and we will remain in government for a while longer but we must begin to deal with the reality of what the ANC has come to be. We are and have been big on developing plans for tomorrow but never follow this up with implementation, monitoring and review of our programs. We have continued to plan in the short time possible and never allowed a long term view of where we want to be in the next 20yrs. Secondly we have allowed our organisation to be taken over by people that want to abuse and misuse the strength and the power that our people have afforded us. We have allowed people to misuse offices of public sector institutions for personal gain. This must stop. Lasty we must create space for intellectuals to exist within the organisation and be allowed to discuss and debate issues of our country. It cannot be allowed to continue that intellectual debates are simply set aside or aligned to camps within the party and never get a fair chance for discussion. We must go back to where we come from where debates took place at constituency offices and at branch meetings discussing how the ANC must be. This way we will honestly live and lead
@Thembelani,as a living organisation, ANC must and should have challenges and I think that we agree that we r not a mere political party but a major revolutionary movement. The movement compared to pre 1994 and after 1994 is different and here we will remember the leadership of OR Tambo in particular. History will surely judge him favourably whr they wil reflect on his visionary leadership. The problem however, is the meddling of media in our movement. I personally think that comrades are incorrectly being influenced by headlines. Agreed, there must be debates, and the value in these is simply depended on who takes leadership on these programmes within branches. Also, it is sometimes quite surprising to read that we are so filled with tension and angst whilst the reality is different. But I am an optimistic realist. I believe that which we are experiencing is a necessary evil to ensure the intended outcome. We do have the most talented, progressive and honest people serving our movement. Save for a few opportunists. We do have integrity and honesty and we do allow divergent views. But what we are seeing in our movement is a reflection, a snapshot of the very society we live in. We cannot stone-wall ourselves against these challenges hence we must deal with it. It doesnt help that one section of our society has an anti-black agenda. I however stil believe that despite our challenges we will win. Because if we “dare to struggle, we dare to win” Aluta Continua!
@Tofolux – ah, now I see it. You are above all things primal! And as a white male we all know I cannot dance so I would not dare to try.
@Rich, you are funneee
Actually, this current ANC neither lives nor leads any more. While the old ANC had a mission and pride, this current ANC is an empty shell of what the old ANC used to be.
My opinion is that Petunia desperately wants to believe in the continuation of the original dream, and therefore cannot bring herself to acknowledge that the only thing still ANC in the current ANC is the name and the symbolic things (songs, etc.).
The rest has all changed for the worse.
I yearn for the day when we will still reach for the dream, but at the same time not allow ourselves to be fooled because of our desperation to keep the dream alive.
May our eyes open!
@Jandoe, if you are criticising Petunia, then you are arguing for an alternative. Hence be bold and honest and put your cards on the table and present to Petunia, your alternative. Smokescreens, cloaks and daggers should not be an agenda in this case, cos Petunia’s cards are on the table so deal.
@Tofolux: I am not criticising Petunia, who seems to be person with good intentions.
I have got an issue that she seems to be buying into symbols (“talk”) of the current ANC, when the actual actions (“walk”) does not agree with the talk.
My alternative is quite simple: Learn to look past race. Measure on actual delivery. Hold people accountable. Do not redeploy a cadre that has clearly messed up and refuses to take responsibility just because the person is a cadre (Angie Motshekga being the latest example). The damage she is doing – and continues to do to South African children, and especially the African child who is more likely still poorer and rural – is immeasurable.
Yet Petunia is so taken up with the symbols, that she seems to have a blind eye to this blatant undermining of the future of poorer African children. What I would like to see Petunia say is that she shares my concern for the poorer African children (and poorer White, Coloured and Indian children, for that matter), and DEMAND that Angie gets removed and replaced by somebody that CAN DELIVER.
Can you and Petunia do that? Or do you not care about the poorer children?
@Jandro, you did not raise symbolism in yr first post, so please do not move the goalposts. Secondly you are raising Angie as a side issue. That is a seperate debate and warrants a different discussion, Most of what you say is “DA” speak so why not be bold enough to declare yourself? My point is that Petunia is a youth, declaring her interest and my counter-point to you is that you are engaging her wearing ‘cloak and daggers’. What I fail to understand that whilst there are those amongst us who will engage on a level of honesty there are those who refuse to do so. There cannot therefore be any value in a discussion when a party to that discussion is not being open and honest and this is exactly why Nelson Mandela/ANC took issue with FW de Klerk during the CODESA talks, all because of the nature of dishonesty and lies. The other point that needs to made is why is it that you people are always telling ANC to be open and honest whilst you refrain from doing so. Its disingenuous and sad because after all, if you are going to attack Petunia, do so honestly so that she can deal with you knowing what your true agenda is. So before we move forward, how about a little bit of integrity? or is that too much to ask?
@Tofolux:
Allow me to quote myself from my first post: “the only thing still ANC in the current ANC is the name and the symbolic things.”
Can you not even read and see the word ‘symbolic’ in my first post?
Yet you say that I “did not raise symbolism in yr first post, so please do not move the goalposts.” That’s not even dishonest of you, that’s a blatant falsehood from you!
However, read both my posts again, and you will see I have not changed my underlying message even one iota.
Yet your reply is all about my ALLEGED “cloak and daggers,” my SUPPOSED “DA” speak, insinuating that I am to be associated with “not being open and honest.”
So no facts from you, just demeaning insinuations about my character.
I am completely up front and honest with you (and everyone else). I am not hiding anything from you. And as you can see, there is an integrity of consistency throughout my posts.
Angie’s behaviour is therefore 100% pertinent to the point I make as the antitheses to the thesis of symbolism. Therefore it remains 100% on the table, and is NOT a separate issue.
Now, YOU kindly respond, and tell me why YOU are (ostensibly) defending an organisation that does NOT deliver to the African child? The only reason I can see is because of the symbolism.
Note: I am not talking about the historic ANC, I am talking about the current ANC, because the current ANC is the one in government (not the historic ANC of 20 and more years ago).
I find it strange that Petunia Mpoza, who is Free Burma’s South African Ambassador, is passionately extolling the ‘virtues’ of the ANC as a liberation movement. In 2007, South Africa was one of 3 countries (the other two being Russia and China) to vote against a resolution at the UN Security Council to condemn human rights abuses in Burma. The post-apartheid ANC government has been unwilling to show the Burmese democracy movement any meaningful support. Their lack of support for human rights and democracy is also demonstrated by their continued refusal to grant a visa to the Dalai Lama. Petunia Mpoza appears to have been carried away by the romanticism of the ANC Centenary Flame, but she must face the fact that the ANC is no longer the beacon of freedom and democracy she thinks it is.
@Tofolux: “……….But I am an optimistic realist……..”
Ever heard this one? “A pessimist is an optimistic realist”
)
FWIW, I sent a post yesterday pointing out the false statement from Tofolux (contrary to Tofolux’s false statement, I explicitly referred to symbols in my first post) and pointing out that I have maintained a consistent, up-front honest communication from my side, to which Tofolux replied with veiled insinuations at dishonesty.
I am extremely disappointed that the post has still not appeared, and at Tofolux’s approach.
A beautiful piece indeed, I tried reading all comments but realised that it would defeat my own personal opinion of a very vivid point of view from Miss Petunia Mpoza, without a shadow of a doubt you have captured my imagination from the sec you woke up to the point you reached destination point Regina Mundi Church, I am inspired by how you have moved from time to time and in progression without aggression or focusing on who did what during the apartheid era or who has gained from the blood shed of the struggle, come to think of it! it does give hope that the is still young underground rebels that still see the flame of the ANC after 100 yrs and still have the desire of the same significant fire burning inside of them. It’s pretty simple to sit behind a Boobtube or internet and let one rip through his/her mouth but it takes a comrade of high quality to be the change that needs to be, with the whole corruption and police brutality I still believe and hope for a better future cause I need to be a better change for the next generation. In the same tone of your passage I would like to appeal to all those in the political movement to see and learn from both the good and the bad of the ruling party and be the better change for the next 100 years and live a legacy left by the Luthuli’s, Biko’s and the Hani’s of our time, I challenge a change from ANC – African National “Con”-gress to ANP – African National “Pro”- gress.
Uncut don’t edit!
Impressively Blessed Beyond a…