ANNOUNCEMENT: RETIRING FROM POLITICS

I thought I should make my announcement public about retirement from politics. Herewith is a letter I sent to the ADeC Leadership.

The Chairperson: ADeC National Board of Directors

 Mr. Moses Mayekiso

Dear Sir 

I wish to advise ADeC members and its entire leadership that I have taken a well-thought through decision to step down from politics with immediate effect in pursuit and in fulfilment of my deepest passion, conviction and mission in local governance and administration, education and elevation of African languages as those of prestige and prosperity.  

As you may recall, when I resigned as a Member of Parliament I made it clear that I would devote my energy, talent, knowledge and skills in activities and programmes of civil society.  Even as I agreed to to lead and establish ADeC after being persuaded by the United Front of Civics, MCA and Forum for Service Delivery (F4SD) etc. I still maintained that mine was not to occupy a political position. 

However, given the fact that these mentioned organisations had started off as civil society movements but later decided to fight local government elections in 2015 arising out of the frustration of citizens, it became necessary that I assist in uniting them behind a common brand, vision and mission.  Having succeeded in bringing these organisations and many others together under the umbrella body of African Democratic Change (ADeC), I feel time has come for me to pursue and fulfill my bigger mission in this life as outlined in the opening paragraph above.  My bigger mission is beyond the confines of politics and political parties. 

Once in one’s lifetime, potential opportunities arise.  This is exactly what has happened to me. A very promising potential opportunity has arisen for me to really add maximum value to the entire local governance and administration fields in South Africa and possibly the entire African continent.   I have always wanted to put my post graduate qualifications especially my doctoral degree in Quality Management Principles and Systems (QMPS) in developmental local governance and extensive experience in local government into use and in a manner that would deliver maximum positive impact to local citizens.  Local government is the closest sphere of government to the people, yet it has been neglected.  In South Africa, local government is riddled with corruption, patronage politics, poor and appalling municipal services resulting in extremely frustrated local citizens. 

South Africa is in an atrocious state of education and the continued disgraceful, shameful, reprehensible and discreditable stunting of African languages.  The black indigenous languages account for 79% of the South African population according to Statistics South Africa, 2011, yet they continue to be confined as those of tradition and culture as intended by the apartheid Bantu Education policy. 

It is my well-considered view that a nation that condemns and downgrades 79% of its population as secondary linguistic citizens in their ancestral land is guilty of perpetuating indignity, inequalities, racial inferiority complex and entrapment of its citizens in the vicious cycle of intergenerational poverty. 

One’s mother tongue is not just a communication tool but, the engine one’s logic and intelligence.  It is also an economic and political tool as the one who controls the language controls the mindset of a nation.  It is a calamity of despicable proportions that a black African-led government claiming to be the liberator has dismally failed to position and develop black African languages as those of prestige and prosperity.

 I say this because according to the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2016 / 2017 South Africa is number 138 out of 138 in mathematics and science in the age of algorithms and artificial intelligence.  Within this context, I have completed my research and published my isiZulu language mathematical logic series and dictionary called UZALO that is consistent with this language’s mathematical formulation. 

IsiZulu was selected as a case study because it is the lingua-franca of South Africa and is also my mother-tongue. Cambridge University Press is launching one of my publications on the 22 May 2018.  I would also be tabling my UZALO series to Parliament Portfolio Committee on Education, the Minister of Basic Education, Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Science and Technology, Minister of Arts and Culture as well as the PAN-South African Language Board.  

My son who is a computer programmer and computer science student at the university developed the algorithm that is consistent with aBantu languages.  His work in progress was tabled to the Pan-South African Languages Board, KwaZulu-Natal in 2015.  He is currently finalizing his algorithm based on my work. My son and I have decided to join forces in the elevation of black African languages in South Africa.   Above all, it is the first time since the death of my husband in 1998 that I have the opportunity to spend most weekends with my daughter (Zama) and my son (Mlando). 

It is within this context that I have taken a decision to step down from politics. 

Retiring from politics means I will work with all citizens irrespective of their political affiliations.  As made explicitly clear, my mission is apolitical. It will therefore be an antithesis if I was to be associated with a particular political party. 

I wish to thank Isaac Shongwe for believing and supporting me during the establishment of ADeC. 

I also wish ADeC well in its future endeavor.  I thank all the genuine changers especially Moses Mayekiso, a seasoned civil rights activist and trade unionist for his guidance and humble spirit.  I really believe that his presence in the leadership of ADeC amongst highly articulate, energetic and talented youth leaders such as Feziwe Ndwalane, Nathaniel Bricknell, Anele Kunene, Phindile Ndlovu, Reevin Frank and many others highlights the critical importance of wisdom which only comes with experience.  I also hope that ADeC would continue with its Politics Unusual concept, its commitment to the total emancipation of women, loyalty to the South African citizens and ensuring that at all times it is grounded in moral and ethical leadership.

As the leading founder of ADeC and its director of its Non-Profit Organization (NPO), I therefore resign from both structures and authorize the ADeC National Board under the chairmanship of Moses Mayekiso to liase with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the other directors of the non-profit organisations to fill the vacant position as a result of my resignation and stepping down from politics.

Best Regards

Makhosi B. Khoza (PhD)

Issued by ADeC, 21 April 2018