Cadres, The piece is insightful but full of generalisation that suggest that everything we did was to a larger extent to discredit Cde Thabo Mbeki and his ideals. I want to first say that is unfortunate that this Dlamini, choose to associate corruption with the Soul of the ANC struggle, which is not the case of the following front. The ANC does not run monopoly white capital and as such the most corrupt in our society is the Private Sector. The fact that there is less publicity on the corruption on their part does not mean they are clean. The Private Sector controls the Johannesburg Security Exchange and he want to come here and claim that those corrupt deal that are happening there are done by the ANC, when infact the Black only own 5% of those listed entities. Therefore amongst those that own these 5% the ANC members might be just a handfull as the COPE Associates are all there.
The fact that the ANC lead government is so transparent make it easier fro everyone to identify corrupt individuals and made to account. The fact that even our Parliament is so transparent shows that we are an accountable party, hence we even assisted COPE to see the unscrupulous dealing of its Chief Whip through Corrupt tendencies. It is wrong to say we cannot put people who in their life times have been on each others throat to lead and expect good results, this is the type of stereotype that Cde Thabo Mbeki fought with those that look at us as less human. This nonsense by Dlamini cannot be true and is full of fictions. The second issue is to assume that the battle for ideas in the ANC has been more about Thabo and the leaders of the Left by his insinuations about Thabo and Maharaj and Slovo and to larger extent Chris. What this so called writter failed to appreciate has been the understanding of the Communist Party of the larger than normal role it has to play in providing an Ideological Perspective and Directions for the Broader Liberation Movement lead by the ANC. Dlamini failed to appreciate that the ANC from the onset was a darling of the well-off people and not the poor and the working class, the role that became more visible when the Party come to the existence and in allies with the ANC. He failed to understand the intricate relations between the importance of the working class in waging an liberation struggle that the ANC was formed for, in that ours have been National and Class Struggle. Hence the National Democratic Revolution direct us on how to resolve the contradictions in Society. If this Dlamini was honest, he will appreciate that throughout the world there is no revolution that was lead by the Bourgeoisies and only the working class have been the cornerstone of all struggles. Hence his lack of appreciation that in the ANC, the battle of ideas have always define the course of the movement. It was only after the Party allied itself with the ANC that its character changed to what you see today as the ANC defined itself as Discipline Force of the Left. It is not by default that we give ourselves that title? It is through our appreciation of the relationship between the National Struggles and the Working Class Struggle. Now this nonsense of wanting to elevate Cde Thabo above everyone through all means is unfounded. NO one has ever refuse to acknowledge his contributions in the struggle. No one has ever sidelined him in any ANC, Government Activities and only himself and his Foundations choose to go abroad when there is an opening of Parliament and delivery of the State of the Nation that also celebrate the legacy of Madiba. Thirdly, this Dlamini want to assume that the fact that Madiba play a pivotal role in us getting the world cup is overrated, in that in his words, Madiba was already retired from politics. He failed to appreciate that at the request of the very same Thabo Mbeki (President), Irvin Khosa (Chairman), Danny Jordan (CEO) and other senior leaders of the Movement Madiba was requested to play an active role. Which like any Statesman, he did with flying colours. This Dlamini might be at pain to appreciate the larger than thee uTata Madiba role in the world. By the way lets try to remind this Dlamini of why even Thabo acceded on getting Madiba to be an Ambassador of this dream come true. One Thabo was not a Friend to many in the world except possible his British friends, the rest of the members that have to cast their vote for the host country were and are still mostly dominated by and influenced of Russia, Cuba and many Communist and Socialist states. It is within this understanding that even Thabo see to it that he was against the wall and he needed Madiba to do what he does best. Hence, for this insinuations of linking Madiba to the battle between Thabo, Maharaj and Zuma is nonsensical to say the least. It was correct for Zuma to appreciate the role, uTata has played both politically in this country and globally t ensure that we are accepted well within the global family. It is correct that Zuma, unlike what you want us to believe, has always been more closer to Thabo than what is suggested here. Now, what can we say about this type of innuendos, this are reminence of the past that could not accept that unlike his believe the ANC has always been multi-class but continue to be bias towards the poor and the working-class. The 11 million plus of voters in South Africa does not see things as you suggest based on conspiracy but understand well that there is one Agent of Change that can take them to the Better Life and that's the ANC. We cannot seat here and listen to propaganda that is aimed at creating an illusion that all is not well in the ANC? That we must not trust our leadership, which we elected them democratically unlike, Dlamini party that people appoint themselves? We can seat and rest because we trust that our country is a constitutional democracy run and as such there are agencies that are in place to safeguard our democracy including fighting the demons of corruption both in the State and Private sector. What Dlamini failed to appreciate is that unlike in the past wherein the State does as it wish, the ANC is so transparent that everyone including him can scrutinise our actions. But all this should be done to strengthen our country as oppose to want to elevate other above others. Lastly to suggest that we have not appreciated the struggle of women is full of nonsense, in that we are the first to acknowledge the triple Oppression of Women, we are the First to move to a parity within the structure of the Movement. We are the first to have ensure that Women struggle should be linked to Children and those who are destitute. This unlike what we are meant to believe, shows how the ANC over the times has evolve to appreciate the role of Female Cadres in society. Now, our is not to rewrite history, ours is about the struggle for the truth no matter how painful it is. We cannot be blamed for Zuma speech as much as we were not obliged to ask Thabo why he choose to quote his famous international writers and scholars when delivering his addresses. We cannot accept to have an aloof leadership that deliver an address aimed at the Citizen of the Country and only the very tiny middle class became the beneficiaries and the masses remained in limbo over what the President was saying? This is the reason why we said, the ANC was formed to liberate ordinary people from Political and Economic oppressions and as such its message must find resonance in society and not a tiny nucleus of the middle class (Black diamonds). If Dlamini find us the ANC to be out of touch with reality, he should start his party that will focus on those that he want us to communicate to and not the ANCof our fore-bearers. Hence in the 52nd National Conference ANC S&T does not talk about its members but about society and as such, we dare not fail our society for the sake of some foreign foes and the likes. We will remain at the cutting edge of ensuring that the confidence that society bestowed on us remains. We will ask ourselves are really back to basics in our political life? There are no crooked timbers in the ANC, the ANC like an Ocean has all type of species and it feeds all of them according to their needs. The ANC does not seek to discriminate and as such our view on Non-Sexism, Non-Racial, Non-Tribalism and other forms of discriminations are as old as the ANC. Cabral warned as that in our daily encounter we should "Tell no lies and Claim Easy Victories". This is the correct way to tell Dlamini to spread the truth about the ANC and not some fictions. I remain, Cde Tom Mutshidza ANCYL Mahlambandlopfu Branch >>> "Dominic.Tweedie" <[email protected]> 6/10/2010 8:12 AM >>> ‘Crooked timber of humanity’ includes the ANC Jacob Dlamini, Business Day, Johannesburg, 10 June 2010 IT IS one of the many ironies of South African politics that the bitterest battles of our age have been waged within the ranks of the anti-apartheid movement itself — not between the movement and its foes. It is within the ranks of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allies that SA has seen the worst fighting over race, class, gender, sexual orientation, corruption and many other questions of our times. Take the old and ugly spat between former president Thabo Mbeki and Mac Maharaj, Jacob Zuma ’s “envoy” and SA’s de facto president. On the face of it, the clash between the two men is one of egos. Mbeki thinks he is smarter than Maharaj; Maharaj thinks he is smarter than everybody. Mbeki thinks we owe our freedom to his strategic nous; Maharaj believes our liberation is due to his daring and swashbuckling manner. Both are equally petty. That is on the surface. But below the surface the fight between the two men is about class and race. In Mbeki, we have a black Victorian whose elite upbringing left him with a severe strain of the “talented tenth” syndrome. The man believes he was fated by history to lead. In Maharaj, we have a self-declared Brahmin who believes he was endowed at birth with every gift imaginable — from a sharp intellect to a fearless ego. Mbeki was born a class above Maharaj, but Maharaj seems to think his Brahminism places him a few notches above everybody else. But it does not end there. Mbeki has always resented attitudes that suggest that Africans are by definition stupid and incompetent. He has always looked askance at Maharaj’s preference for the likes of Zuma, simple folks who pose no challenge to Maharaj’s supposed brilliance. Mbeki has always disliked Maharaj’s penchant during the struggle days for underground networks, in which Africans were at best marginal. For his part, Maharaj has always thought Mbeki’s intelligence overrated. The fight between the two men is as bitter as it is old. Then there was Mbeki versus Joe Slovo. Here was a fight between, again, a black Victorian and a (white) immigrant son made good. In many ways, the fight between Mbeki and Slovo was fought over the same terrain as that between Mbeki and Maharaj. The fight was as much about egos as it was about race and class. This is not to suggest that Mbeki did not have whites and Indians to whom he was close. But he seems to feel more keenly whatever slight, both real and perceived, is directed at him in particular and Africans in general. Mbeki, Maharaj and Slovo are not the only people involved in some of the ugliest fights of our age. The ANC has yet to come to terms with the legacy of its treatment of women in its military camps. It has yet to come to terms with the meaning of its lip service to gender equality. Many women in ANC camps were treated as male accessories and, worse, “perks” for commanders and other senior leaders. It did not take many women recruits long to realise that the struggle for freedom was as necessary within the ANC as it was in SA. Sadly, very few women will talk about their exile experience today. The few who tried to do so via the truth commission were discredited and shunned. When they tried to speak out, those who suffered physical and sexual abuse were “abused” again as their integrity was called into question and loyalty to the freedom struggle disputed. There was also the ugly demon of tribalism within the anti-apartheid ranks. Stories abound of Joe Modise, the hapless commander of the ANC’s military wing, preferring only Tswanas and Sotho speakers for special treatment. Ditto Chris Hani and Xhosa speakers. Moses Mabhida, the ANC and communist party stalwart who presided over the ANC in Mozambique, was said to favour mostly Zulus in his network — a network that included at some stage our dear President Zuma. If SA’s freedom struggle was made out of such crooked timber, to steal an expression from Immanuel Kant, is it any surprise that the ANC has spent the past 16 years getting more corrupt? More importantly, what is it about SA’s struggle for freedom that made it both just and the moral question of the late 20th century, if the men and women who led that struggle were made of such crooked timber? We should not expect the men and women who lead the ANC today to provide us with answers to these vexing questions. They are joined in battle — fighting over everything from power and the spoils of office to history itself. Just this week, Zuma went out of his way to thank Nelson Mandela for landing SA the 2010 Soccer World Cup. With all due respect to Mandela, the old man was long retired when SA won the hosting rights. It was Mbeki wot did it. Zuma and Maharaj can’t bring themselves to give Mbeki credit. It was the same with Zuma’s state of the nation address earlier this year. He found time to praise everyone except Mbeki. Mbeki, Maharaj and Zuma are all former members of the South African Communist Party. If there is one thing they have learnt from their time in Soviet bosoms, it is how to brush opponents out of history. That is what it means to fight bitter struggles. You fight until there is only your version of history left. Jacob Dlamini is the author of Native Nostalgia (2009) From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=111468 -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -- This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard. The full disclaimer details can be found at http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html. This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. MailScanner thanks Transtec Computers for their support. -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
<<image/gif>>
