Articles - PAC Post Political Unbanning
The
adoption of the Freedom Charter in 1959 saw a break away formation
gather to form the Pan Afrikanist Congress of Azania. The PAC formation
was led by its first president Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe. This group
felt that the African National Congress was betraying the people as the
Freedom Charter placed less emphasis on the distribution of land to its
original owners. South Afrika belongs to all who live in it, so
pronounced the Freedom Charter.
In reality, the PAC
manifesto differed not from that of the ANC except on the land
question. In fact, the PAC manifesto had nothing more on programmes
other than the land question. PAC felt strongly that the land question
must be addressed and the land must be redistributed to its rightful
owners. As a result, the PAC devised programmes of action to mobilise
people to advance its goals. Even though now it seems the PAC has never
had an idea of how practical their policies were.
In
general, the PAC did a good job of attracting membership and support
for the party throughout the period during which all political parties
representing the interests of black people were banned and unlawful.
The
PAC began experiencing problems and tough challenges during the late
1980's when its membership and support seemingly dwindled. The worst
came in 1990 when all political parties were unbanned. The PAC, then
under the leadership of Mlamli Clarens Makwetu, took a hardline stance
that it was not to participate in the South Afrikan negotiations for
the government of national unity; known as the Codesa negotiations.
They
chose to stay out of the negotiations and unfortunately did not have
programmes in place to convass for the support of the people. Neither
did they bother getting a mandate from their constituencies in taking
this stance. Many of its supporters were dissapointed for this
position. The negotiators at Codesa did not bother either to convince
the PAC to participate, instead the Inkatha Freedom Party was begged to
participate. This left the dwindling PAC out in the cold together with
the Azanian Peoples Organisation, who also refused to participate in
the negotiations.
In 1992 when the government of national
unity was established, the PAC was not part of it. When elections were
announced for April 1994, the PAC initially decided not to participate
in the elections, they later changed their minds and participated.
Their participation in the elections led to a very humiliating 5% vote,
considering their history and that they fared worse than even white
minority parties.
What has led this once respectable party
to its brinks? First the broblem was their policies. The PAC had no
concrete programmes other than the land question. Even the land issue
had no clear programme of action on how they intended to redistribute
land. Secondly, the PAC lost touch with its local structures in the
1980s. To this day, I doubt if the PAC knew its membership following
their unbanning in 1990. Many of the people on its books were members
who had not renewed their membership in years.
The chronic
problem the PAC has since been faced with following 1990 has always
been leadership, or lack thereof. They lost many of their cadres to the
ANC and Azapo. The few left in the party seemed not able to move the
party forward beyond its antiquated policies. They lost the remainder
of their good leaders during the first democratic government and have
never survived that.
In 1992, its supporters blamed the
leadership for not participating in the negotiations and for not
consulting them on this decision. When they gained the 5% vote in 1994,
the PAC was left with only three well known activists with ground
support: Benni Alexandra(Khoisan X), Patricia De Lille and Pandelani
Nefolovodwe. They lost Pandelani Nefolovodwe and Benni Alexandra before
the end of the first tenure. And then Patricia De Lille left to from a
new political party, the Independent Democrats, which fares better than
the PAC in elections.
The biggest setback the PAC has ever
had is the fight for positions in the party since 1990. Following their
conference since unbanning in early 1990s, the PAC began with its
infights after Clarens Makwetu was voted president; with Letlapa
Mphahlele faction strongly dissatisfied. The 1997 conference saw
Makwetu replaced with Stanley Mokgoba as its president, and a legal
battle ensued. Mokgoba was replaced by Dr Motsoko Pheko as president in
2002. In 2007 Pheko was replaced with Letlapa Mphahlele as its
president, amid a splinter led by Thami ka Plaatjie. At the same time,
Pheko was embroidled in legal battles with the executive committee as
they demanded he vacate the PAC seat in parliament.
During
all these fights, no one cared or bothered about the PAC support
throughout. The PAC has never bothered going back to the structures and
engaging its members regarding its programmes or at least being
mandated. They moved from 5% in 1994 to 2% in 1999 to less than 1% in
2004. To this day, the PAC is still focused on positions than what it
stands for and communicating that to its structures. Their outdated
policies, if any exist beside land, remained what they were when it was
formed in 1960.
In the PAC one sees a trend of struggle
heroes turned dictators even though the struggle was never about
positions. The PAC today is so insignificant that many are asking
whether its continued exitence is justified. Despite the fact that the
PAC has natured and trained so many of us in politics, all of us have
since found political homes elsewhere as the PAC continues to self
destruct.
As South Afrika desperately needs an alternative
party, many had hoped the PAC would outgrow its childish infights and
focus on rebuilding the party to a home many could be proud of. Today
many look at the PAC as a has been, a party that was once great but has
since lost its relevance.
The PAC once was a formidable party under the leadership of Mangaliso
Robert Sobukwe, followed by Zephania Mothopeng.
Today,
I hold the following leaders, and those who served in their executive,
responsible and liable for the dire state of the party:
Mlamli Clarens MakwetuStanley MokgobaDr Motsoko PhekoLetlapa Mphahlele
In these leaders we have seen what power and greed means. In them we
have seen what a lack of leadership can do to a party.
As
history is recalled, we shall remember with pride the formation of the
PAC, but shall shudder with shame at its demise. The people have been
betrayed by those in whom faith was placed. Maqabane, you truly
disgraced our land and your predecessors.
© 2009 Fezekile Futhwa. All rights reserved.
Courtesy Open Web Design
_________________________________________________________________
Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free.
https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969
--
Sending your posting to [email protected]
Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected]
You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco
Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com
