NEHAWU FREEDOM DAY STATEMENT 2014: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF OUR HARD-WON FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY
April 27 2014
NEHAWU will commemorate the Freedom Day, 27th April 2012 by mobilizing workers and South Africans to come in their numbers to vote for the African National Congress {ANC} in the upcoming May 7 elections. In celebrating this historical day and moment of 20 years of democracy, we call on the workers to come out in their numbers to defend the revolution from internal and external enemies on elections day.
Our union has noted the Twenty Year Review released by our government. On the whole, we believe that it captures the lived experiences of the overwhelming millions of our people, especially with regard to the steady expansion of access to basic services to our communities.
Clearly the challenges remain stark, especially unemployment, poverty and inequalities and we believe that the country must forge a new radical transformation trajectory to rapidly address them. Nonetheless, this review communicates a good story of the consolidation of our democracy and freedoms, and the deepening of socioeconomic transformation which the overwhelming millions of our compatriots are celebrating.
The resolutions of the 53rd ANC Mangaung Conference and the 2014 ANC elections manifesto have made it clear that there is now strategic convergence in the alliance around radical second phase of transition. Ourimmediate strategic task is to deliver a decisive victory for the ANC in the 2014 elections. We shall do this because there is a consensus as reflected in the manifesto that the ANC leadership is committed to taking bold and decisive steps to ensure that the people of this country achieve economic emancipation
We need to close ranks by protecting and defending the legacy of our heroes and heroines, who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Recently, we have witnessed some crude attempts by the DA hypocrites and EFF opportunists to undermine and even rewrite the history of this country. Thieves and looters are by portraying themselves as economic freedom fighters while oppressors and the racially prejudiced are claiming nonexistent struggle credentials.
This should be denounced by all South Africans, who still remember that the DA is the party that enjoyed apartheid privileges and gladly embraced the racist and white only parliamentary system. Their policies continue to protect the illegally obtained white privileges that are a legacy of apartheid.
People should also see through the crude rhetoric of the EFF, this is a party that is led by a cabal that bankrupted the province of Limpopo and whose manifesto is only meant for vote harvesting purposes.
To honour the gallant heroes, who sacrificed for our freedoms, we also need to denounce corruption that is crippling both the public and private sectors. Corruption reverses the gains of our liberation struggle by denying the masses of service delivery and exacerbating poverty and inequality. We should reverse the scourge of women abuse and ensure that South Africans are free from poor services, corruption, intimidation, murder, rape and exploitation.
We are also remembering our struggle icon Cde Oliver Tambo, who died on the 23rd of April in 1993.We remember his sacrifices ,while leading the revolutionary African National Congress {ANC} in exile. Cde Tambo spent years leading the movement in exile, where he managed to keep the ANC united, rallied foreign support for the liberation struggle and also mobilized international sanctions against the murderous apartheid regime. What we should learn from Cde Tambo is that revolutionaries do not quit or run away because the world is not built according to their specifications.
Organisationally,we have grown into a giant union that has remained true to its roots and its revolutionary character. We have remained steadfast to the principles that were adopted and embraced by our forebears. We are a revolutionary ,disciplined union dedicated to fighting exploitation and oppression wherever they exist. We also celebrate our twenty years of democracy by remembering the likes of Yure Mdyongolo, Bheki Mkhize,Max Madlingozi,Sindile Kondlo,Nomiki Yibe and all other worker leaders who built this revolutionary union. We recommit ourselves to serving people with dedication and commitment and embracing the Batho Pele principles in honour of past heroes and heroines. We shall continue to fight all forms of injustice like racism, religious and political persecution, human trafficking, child slavery, poverty.
Lastly, in celebrating this momentous day, we pledge solidarity with the people who are currently waging liberation struggles in other parts of the world. We pledge solidarity with the people of Palestine, Swaziland, Saharawi and all the other oppressed people of the world.
Statement issued by NEHAWU Secretariat Office, April 27 2014
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