ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has for the first time praised former president Thabo Mbeki as a hero of the ANC, whose struggle credentials can never be erased from the history of the ANC.
Malema in the past has been very critical of Mbeki, even accusing him of leading a political conspiracy against President Jacob Zuma. But on October 30 he sang a different tune, even likening Mbeki to ANC stalwarts such as former president Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Albert Luthuli.
Malema even referred to Mbeki as “president Mbeki” when he addressed young physically challenged people in Mthatha, according to the Dispatch Online.
In this we have finally seen a quantum leap forward in relations between what was once the fractured house of the ANC which occasioned untold billions of rands worth of damage and can best be described as the catalyst from which much of the bitterness and hatred — which still lingers — arose.
In no particular order, the Mbeki-Zuma divide directly or indirectly gave rise to the following :
- The war between the police and the Scorpions
- The demise of the Scorpions
- The Hlophe fiasco
- The Selebi trial
- The recalling of a president
- Massive party bitterness and violence
It did have one positive in the birth of Cope which adds to the multiracial democracy of South Africa. Whether Cope will survive this healing process is something we’ll have to wait and see.
A major positive is that one of South Africa’s leading political figures can now be restored to the place of prominence he deserves.
While I accept that Mbeki had his faults, so too do all leaders, including our greatest Madiba.
The opportunity has now arisen for the ANC to start putting this nasty episode behind them.
In the interest of all South Africans let us hope that it’s grasped with both hands.
Chris – it is not Mbeki’s “quiet diplomacy” – I prefer “diplomacy” since there is no other type – that caused the problems of which you speak. The primary reason right now is of course Mugabe himself – but it is far more complex than him alone! Mbeki was a mediator assisting in bringing two “warring” factions together to work together to resolve major issues in Zim without it going to civil war. Taking your logic further, it is like saying that if the newspapers report on corruption or genocide, they are the cause of it because they never stopped it. Or that a mediator in a potential divorce is the cause of the divorce because he wasn’t able to bring about reconciliation via his mediation. The cause of the divorce is a complex set of issues that finally led to the complete breakdown of the relationship – the mediator is not the cause. – I just don’t see the logic in blaming Mbeki because the people of Zim have left there and come to RSA – Probably no one left SA for Zim giving as their reason that Mbeki was our president. Of course people have left to go elsewhere but I doubt very that any, would give as their reason for leaving President Mbeki.
Chris you have an uncanny way of looking at issues however it is your right to convince yourself that it was Mbeki’s fault for Mugabe to be a dictaor. Now Mbeki is gone what have leaders of SADC done if according to you Mbeki was the architect of Mugabe’s dictatorship. On the question of AIDS South Africa please note, during Mbeki’s era was credited for having the most comprehensive AIDS plan and its implementation. What did he do to cause the deaths? by participating in the intellectual debate despite putting measures in place to reign in the spread of the desease? I find this pronouncement by Canada et al to be the most stupid and illinformed. Why are Americans and their exploitative cartels not giving ARVs to their people yet they are selling them to us? Wake up you seem to be snoozing
You have to be joking! The problem is that your focus is so off base – the real concern is whether the institutions of our democracy function in such a manner to promote and sustain democracy and to alleviate poverty. These institutions are formal political institutions where our representatives are held accountable and through which the business of the country takes place. To focus on who gets on with who and whether this is good or bad for the ANC is a sham for political democracy!
i think for us to be able to conetruct beter nd productive debates would be if we try nd nt be subjective on the maters raised..for as long we some of you stil have personal wounds and discontent at the new or old Anc/coutry leadership it would realy be almost impossible to give ginuine,sober and unbiased comments..i will reserver my own comments but want to appeal to all of us to try and assist the situation one way or the other,calling people fools,dictators,uneducated,small boys etc will not bring about change into the lives off our downthroden poverished and helpless people in and around our country..cults of personality will not assist..lets deal with issues at hand and not the persons…i respect my current and former leaders and believe that no one can be perfect but to say how do we then as a nation try and assist our leaders where we see they lacking intead of labeling….We can do it!!