The ANC is a party at war with itself. A party grappling with the machinations of converting from a liberation movement into a modern political party in government. This has proved to be a huge challenge as it also seeks to balance the fears and stubbornness of the old guard with the militancy and impatience of the young lions while keeping opportunists at bay.
The ANC as we knew it barely exists any more. It’s being killed by those who have no interest, respect and appreciation for the rich history and legacy the movement carries. These people are hell-bent on only enriching themselves at the expense of the once proud movement and the people of South Africa. Everybody can see we are on a downward spiral and on the verge of becoming another African failure but no, these people won’t stop. They won’t stop because they don’t care about SA, its people and the ANC itself.
The people I’m talking about are attracted to the ANC in droves by the prospect of power and fortune. They don’t sleep at night and go door to door lobbying for who must get into which position, not because they are most suitable but because they can be managed or “they are one of us”. Some of them even decide who can join the ANC and who can’t. Most of these people have amassed incredible wealth overnight without being involved in any meaningful productive businesses. They use this money to corrupt the movement further and deepen the rot.
The sad part is that many have absolutely no struggle credentials. They were too scared to join the movement when it didn’t pay to be a member, when it risked one’s life to be seen with known members of the movement. It’s an insult to the thousands who fought selflessly for the realisation of the freedoms we enjoy today. For me, personally, it is an insult to Futhane Dube (late), Phaphama Dube (late), Maskito Dube (late), Qhuzwane Dube (late), Zanele Dube (late), Thulani Dube, Queen Dube and Ntokozo Dube. These are family members who fought, went to exile and some lost lives for the ANC, the people of SA and asked for nothing in return.
The parasites have brought a state of paralysis in the movement and by extension the state apparatus. This paralysis starts at branch level where one can’t even get a membership form to join the ANC without someone checking who you know and which faction that person belongs to. The ANC is being killed branch by branch where branch meetings hardly ever deal with local social issues, discussion papers and ANC matters any more. They deal mostly with who must fill which position and who must get which tender.
This rot has crippled the state apparatus at national, provincial and local level. You find a senior government cabinet minister, MEC or mayor being told off by a young man simply because the young man feels he is more important and holds a powerful position.
These problems simply give White Inc a good excuse to divert attention from the transformation agenda to the detriment of the black population of the country. White Inc sees this as an opportunity to stall progress and start questioning how the ANC can be trusted with the country’s economy if they can’t even get their own house in order.
This rot has alienated many true cadres of the movement and those who have not left on their own accord are being persecuted. A few remain to fight the good fight but they are overwhelmed by the extent of the rot. For the lack of an alternative party that speaks to the needs of the majority of black people, many simply choose to stay away. They don’t vote and they don’t participate in political debates.
But all is not lost, I feel. It’s a fact that black people hardly have an alternative to the ANC. So logic says that those who truly cares for the country must either form a political party founded on similar principles to those of the ANC, contest the elections or seek to change the ANC from within. I will not talk about the new political party route as this route has been shown not to be Cope. There are still, in the ANC, a lot of dedicated individuals with integrity and if the people swelled the ranks of the ANC in numbers and forced change from within then maybe, just maybe the ANC could be saved. People in positions of influence in government must be brave enough to implement ANC policies as intended regardless of whether this makes them popular or not. We must see the fight against corruption taken up and fought without fear or favour.
Change is needed now and our people’s loyalty should not be taken for granted.
@ Toflux. YAWN Been there, seen it, got the T-shirt.
Repeating your ‘same-old same-old’ soap-box spouts neither makes them true or convincing. In fact, it’s quite the reverse. Never supported by facts or by any original thought, your diatribes are simply interminable and boring.
Why don’t you rather go and tell the miners how lucky they are to be living in a Zuma/ANC lead S.Africa? Why don’t you go and spout to kids who haven’t been to school for 3 months or still haven’t got text books about how great is the ANC?
Why don’t you tell those dying in state hospitals how fortunate they are? Why don’t you telll all those without a hope for the future, that ANC officials are drinking champage on their behalf and toasting the own good fortune for being on the corrupt end of the ANC gravy train?
Is that where you are? … Need one ask?.
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The use of insulting and abusive language has always been a mark of intellectual poverty and lack of cerebral activity. Dispute and dèmonstrate that the ANC did not inherit an economy on a downward spiral. Dispute and demonstrate that our HIV/AIDS policy and implementation is not the most progressive in the world, that we have not built an international record of houses for the poor in a space of 18 years, that this country which was a pariah of the world is a respected player which sits on the security council and chairs the African Union etc etc
Yes there are challenges in the Western Cape and Limpopo about the supply of textbooks but fact is that this is being dealt with as a matter of urgency. The parents of the children will tell you that under the dispensation you hanker for there was just no policy to provide textbooks, education was a priveledge. Children were called refugees in the land of their forefathers and subjected to the Group Areas Act, Influx Control and other absurdities.
Rodney I wherever Tofolux maybe he is far from where those who benefited from apartheid are. He has relatives and family to feed that suffer the consequences of inequality, unemployment and poverty. You do not know of such pain and suffering.
The word corrupt seems to have replaced the word kaffir in the lexicon of colonialists to refer to African people. In his seminal Native Life In South Africa, ANC founding father Sol T Plaatje also exposes how the word rapist was ascribed to Africans.
The colonialists ( not a reference to race but ideological disposition) who are mainly drawn from the ranks of apartheid beneficiaries are actually a corrupt and immoral lot. It is not by default that they were despised by the entire globe’
They had invented all sorts of excuses and insults to oppress and degrade African people. Today they use the same and their accumulated resources to try and halt the march to a society where the wealth of the country shall be shared by all.
Rodney I lest you may wonder I pen this from the dusty streets of Kathorus amidst the sea of poverty and squalor and in your prejudiced mind it is a crime for me to have access to technology.
We have defeated the legal forms of apartheid and colonialism and are determined to transform the State so that it becomes an instrument of establishing a caring society
@Rodney believe what you want. The problem here is that even if SA will be credited with the achievement of finding a cure for malaria, you and yours in particular will dismiss that. Also even if it is this govt who enacted the LRA which guaranteed that no miner can be fired willy-nilly, you will dismiss that. Even if, this govt guaranteed that every miner has the freedom of association, you will dismiss that. Even if this govt, has legislated that hostels in mines should be habitable for human beings to live in, you will dismiss that. You will also dismiss, minimum wages, the right to strike, the right to negotiate, the right to have prescribed working hours, the right to leave(sick and otherwise), the right to skills and development etc etc. I think that you should be reminded that the DA in the WC do not deliver text books on time. I think you should also be reminded that people die in hospitals all over the world. It might also shock you that we have some of the best hospitals in the world, but sure you will dismiss that. Whatever I say, or whatever fact there is, you WILL dismiss it and thats a fact. I do not have to prove no achievement to you because it really doesnt matter, you will simply move the goalposts. So am I engaging with reasonable people, no I am not. Hence, yes. despite all the challenges and some of them are huge, I am still not convinced about anyone else who realistically will transform our nation. I am ready to rebuild my country, are you?
Tofolux, we clearly have very different views on many issues. For example, your “the ANC inherited a failed, corrupt and bankrupt state. Today, our economy is the best on this continent with unprecedented investment and economic growth” is my “the ANC inherited a strong well developed economy, which, when freed from the shackles of sanctions provided it with a strong vehicle for change and development, yet is failing despite this inheritance”. And your “when those who are benefitting the most, feel their only responsibility is to hurl insults” is my “when those contributing hugely to the resources needed to address poverty, unemployment and inequality hold the elected civil servants accountable, and object to the wholesale plunder of these resources by the same”.
It is nonetheless refreshing to receive a response that at least attempts to address issues. However, if you are to do so effectively I believe you and the many other intelligent young black people, on whom the future of this country largely depends, will have to adopt a very different approach. In a business (and I believe the same applies in a family, even a country for that matter), I found the following behaviours essential to success:
1. One has to be brutally frank with oneself; denying or trying to justify a situation does not change it. And one can only fix what is wrong if one acknowledges that something is so. Interestingly, in my experience, by doing just that one immediately disarms even the…
fiercest of critics, and earns their respect and cooperation.
2. Diverting focus and laying blame elsewhere will not fix anything, and will merely earn more scorn and further criticism, and actually make it more difficult for one to acknowledge, focus on and address problems.
3. Value the messenger; thoughtfully consider the charges made, investigate them, and then fix the problem.
Of course, for any of this to happen, there has to be sound leadership; any business will fail without it. And I am afraid it is hard to argue that the ANC is providing this; rather, there appears to be a vacuum, in which increasing levels of chaos seem to be flourishing. This, I believe, is the crux of the matter in SA: poor leadership. But we probably disagree on this as well.
@Tofolux, the ANC didn’t setup the AIDS treatment program, this program was setup by the USA and paid for by them.
Tofolux: Again repetitive statements and accusations off the top of your head. Did I say repetitive? …it means repeating yourself over and over and oh yawn.
How do you know what I will do? How do know what I will dismiss?
Do you get it from the same source as all your other unsubstantiated and unsupported statements, accusations and assumptions?
And pray tell, what is that source – as everyone keeps asking you?: How do you come to talk such utter nonsense?
As part of the ‘youth’ (as you keep repeating) are you part of the ANCYL? (that would answer for a lot) And how are you ready to rebuild the country? Do you also want to make it ‘ungovernable’? It is virtually that already.
Or do you have another plan for the future?
As Marikana miners again ‘make demands’ with pangas and intimidate other miners and with a fullblown riot in the offing, where is your ANC president? Or does he only attend funerals? – and weddings, of course
These are rhetorical questions. Don’t bother to answer – not that you ever do, the questions, I mean. You have plenty to say about everything else you pull from LaLa Land. We’ll just get more of the your same ‘yawn’ unsubstantiated babble defending the indefensible..
But really, rather go and tell your story to all those suffering in this country(particualrly black S.Africans who were duped into voting for the ANC). and remind them how happy they should be under ANC mismanagement.
@Steve, can I remind you, I do not have to meet your approval. Fact of the matter is, with all your advice, what did you guys do to this country? There is nothing in the history of this country that we, the majority can be proud of. Also, denialism is definitely not our forte. We acknowledge everything, in fact, we acknowledge your role in dehumanising us and WE forgave you. If you are as objective as you advise me to be, you would have research some very old data from various universities on the state of the apartheid state in 1994.
@Sterling, ok so the americans are responsible for the roll out of the treatment. You will find an american in every hospital. clinic etc talking about these things. All educaton etc is done by americans. Now that is really whack!
sterling ferguson I have gotten used to the idea that the rightwing elements in South Africa live in their own fanciful world maar wena you take the cake! ha, ha, ha.
Sterling Ferguson sounds like Lyndall Beddy in drag. Siamese twins.
Tofolux, may I remind you, I don’t need your forgiveness. And you have drawn rather odd conclusions to what I wrote, but do keep trying; one day maybe you might actually be getting things done to fix the mess the ANC is making, and not feel the need to waste so much of your time and energy explaining and defending its shoddy performance.
So Rodney you are of the opinion that I and many South Africans have been duped into voting for the ANC? Insulting and very rich coming from someone who cannot construct a decent sentence in his native language, the only language he can probably write in.
@rodneyi, your angst is making you incoherent and I am aware that you do not get the opportunity to engage issues with your fellow SA”ns in order to understand their perspective and maybe this is part of your social conditioning because most of what you say is all over the place. Let me say, in our environment, talking and engaging with each other is the norm. It is done with reverence, respect, openness and acceptance. Whatever anyone can contribute, it is allowed. And this rodenti, is how we learn the principles of democracy. It begins at a very early age. So, expressing ourselves, respectfully is not a new thing to us. Looking at your response, it is obvious that you have been robbed of this very vital education. Pent up hatred is very bad for your health and attitude. But let me say this as I have said somewhere else, I am suffering from a generational fatigue. I refuse to be part of a certain perception that some of us should be a ”perpetual nanny” to others amongst us. You should challenge my facts, I mean, your facts should be better than mine. Thats part of a very basic principle of counter-challenge.
@Steve, actually what you do not read about is that ANC is doing very well as an organisation. I think that you have not been informed that this organisation, on a national level, has the most sophisticated processes and procedures. Maybe it has also escaped you that this organisation demands democracy in all its processes. Unlike other organisations, they do not appoint leaders. Unlike other organisations, all its structures are there because of rigorous democratic processes. For some like you, democracy is a difficult thing but for members of the ANC, it is one of the very first principles that must be fully understood. Sure some are extremely jealous, because who else can show a Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Moses Kotane etc etc. To reiterate, the ANC is not on the brink of failure. Oh and about the forgiving, please check and educate yourself on the current history of our very beautiful country.
Ah dear Tofolux, sweet dreams………..
“Unlike other organisations, they do not appoint leaders.” Isn’t that the problem? Wow.
When I read your comments, I dislike the ANC more and more. I somehow don’t think that is your intention, but I dare say you succeed. I shall never vote ANC again.
@David, actually, self appointed leaders are based on manipulative undemocratic principles.
Also, David you never liked or voted for the African National Congress, so yep, pretending is quite convenient. This reminds me of some of your colleagues in the blue t-shits who claim struggle credentials but have none. The only struggle credentials they have is that of conscience and lack thereof.
The ANC slogan is still “the struggle continues”
The problem with this is that it deflects from all the ANC’s shortcomings. If you claim to still be in a struggle, then you will always have someone else to blame for your problems.
The ANC need to grow a pair, realise they are no longer in a struggle, and stop pasing the buck for all the problems in the country.
They are in control. They should act like they are.
@ my dear Tofolux……..in response to several of your political motivated counter statements in defense of indigenous achievements, let me acknowledge that they exist and congratulate you e.g. on your masterly skill to deflect any ANC criticism so eloquently!
You truly inherited many useful gifts- surely no connection to a magical Isihlangu- to return with subtle venom any unsuitable remarks back to the sender!
Although you state that your movement has no problem to admit to mistakes- reality has it- that it is of course conditional as long you have right of oversight!
Many do not believe that a one party state is what modern democracy is all about- rather like to see a constant stream of correctional oversight and criticism- as uncomfortable as it may be! Opposition politics need not be about enemies & war!
Admitted, to honestly & justly rule SA is not a piece of cake- on paper, to many it may be- not in a real & cruel environment. Simply vitues, strictly adhered & implemented, transgressors harshly punished without manipulations would instill some lost & missing respect and discipline!
Many suggestions- available freely- seen rather as hostile & rejected- if not grown in an ANC magic only garden- remain under utilised and ignored!
Not forgeting, that all of us in this country had their craddle somewere on this continent- some had just a longer journey behind them and could tell a useful story!
No Tofolux. You said that the ANC does not appoint leaders and I am agreeing with you. The party and the govt is completely leaderless. Let’s hope that situation is fixed in December.
Oh, and just so you know, your statement about others not having struggle credentials diminishes others involvement in the struggle. You’re young, so I guess you can’t understand that. It wasn’t only ANC involved in the struggle.
Well said, David. In Tofolux’s vain attempts to laud the ANC, she in fact, does just the opposite. Her fabrications simply cement more censure and condemnation of the dreadful demerits of the ANC. On the tipping point of a failed state, they invoke more and more of its members to leave the party – which they are now doing in droves. Keep up the good work, Tofol. You are assisting all opposition parties admirably.