The issue of whether we pursue congress or conference in July has become at best a puzzle for me. Even more appalling has been how some amongst us have vacillated from one position to the other on this subject without shame. I was a keen follower of the debate on this forum when comrade Narius was at pains trying to justify to these comrades why the party should go for congress now.
A number of points were advanced against the convocation of a congress in the circumstances. Some of the reasons advanced were as follows, and I state them for now without indication of my stance on each of these: that the party was still reeling fresh from a decree that did not stand objective scrutiny, that the convenors of what purports to be a congress did not have title nor authority to convene it, that the invite and whole manner of it flew in the face of the party constitution, that a restoration of calm period is necessary if the party is to undertake any serious congress business, and that a conference unlike a congress will provide an opportunity to develop and adopt positions on direction and policy esoecially as this has not happened in more than three years proper. These were some of the reasons. And I must add too that many spent a considerable amount of time to show that party constitutionality and political engagement needed a chance as a matter of must and priority. Task teams, meetings and pleadings were entered into to pursue this line. I add that I have attended meetings of the party, albeit structurally contestable, where the views above were echoed. Party veterans have echoed the same and other structures of the party. Now I want to ask the question: Those who are now the new proponents of congress, have they put aside the principles for expediency or have they seen the 'light' of day from original congress proponents? This for me is a question of integrity at base and the honour of reliability at risk. Or these new proponents of congress have always meant what they are pursuing now and did not mean any of the principles highlighted above or just did not have the guts then to stand their inner feel? I submit that unless the principle issues raised above have been fully dealt with, anyone who a few weeks ago cried lack of legitimacy for President Letlapa to call congress should urgently advise us what description will suit them !! Is it a case of, a principle does not matter for as long as it has no adverse effect on me. This is the danger of spinelessness because it feeds fence-sitting habits and doubtful political aspirants who wish to live for accolades of civility and ovation in trade for anything including what they may have said just a glance distance ago. This again goes to my issue about personality, that ability to stand firm and pursue a point. I made a point in another write-up that the infantile love of prestige and title is cancerous and is a simple blind-fold! Not that these born agains who yesterday were ardent proponents of conference before congress have prepared anything to this direction. Like those they opposed before all they have is a feint idea of a swap, that President Letlapa, Narius and others need to be swapped with them! The swapping mentality based only on what one says no longer sells especially to those of us who have had the pain of going through party teaching from school because we understood that PAC was as much a textbook just as was that school textbook. Coming late into party activities does not mean there was no activity when 'we' were chilling and keeping good boy or girl while others were on party-work hiking and footwalking to congresses from as young as pupils. Let us assume that the change of heart is not based on watervapour- propelled hopes for prestige, we still cannot tolerate the zig zags because when they say this today, tomorrow and just tomorrow they will do a car like spin! And leave is in awe! We must expect that what we do shall undergo scrutiny and if it doesn't pass it we shall so advise. This is the PAC manner, taking a stand! When we built PAC PASO branches we would stand firm just being three and we were vindicated accross the country! That firmness still applies today and to all of us new and old, tested and experimenting, fence-sitting and stance taking etc, blue is blue, white is white. There is no hiding or a colourless colour even. Afrika is our land !! Matome Mashao Sent from my BlackBerry® -- 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
