UNIFICATION OF THE ANC; A NON-NEGOTIABLE INCUMBENCY
The Constitution of the African National Congress stipulates clearly as the organisation's foremost goal under Aims and Objectives, Rule number 2.1 that the ANC aspires to "Unite all the people of South Africa, Africans in particular, for the complete liberation of the country..."
We highlight this point under Rule 2.1 mainly because, with the exception of Rule 1 whose content is merely to state the formal name of the organisation and make reference to its visual identity (logo), Rule 2.1.
Pre-eminently, Rule 2.1 becomes the most paramount rule; encapsulating the purpose and mission of the ANC in order to clearly set-out its overall vision as an honourable political party, with its roots virtuously grounded in our country's painful yet victorious strife for liberation.
However, exacerbating our undeniable realities are our daily challenges inundating by the inevitable struggles against poverty, unemployment and burgeoning trends of violence against vulnerable demographics in our society like women, old persons and children; high crime prevalence in our communities; the bane of our communities' aspirations for a better life: government corruption leading to thwarted service delivery, pillage and wastage of resources. Increasing social pressures exacerbated by the stark inequalities that leave many communities feeling short-changed and comparatively less worthy of certain basic material necessities required for a very fundamental right to basic human dignity guaranteed to each citizen by our Bill of Rights.
As the leading political party governing eight of the nine provinces, majority municipalities and all National government structures; controlling state owned companies and national resources, our ANC can no longer afford to continue governing itself in a way that blatantly demonstrates to our own members and society at large that this highly prized virtue of Unity (which is so central to our present and future existence) is being decimated by those who are meant to lead as its custodians. This is self-destructive and short-sighted.
Is it possible that perhaps some among us have placed blindfolds over our own eyes, possibly developed some kind of convenient amnesia about the true task of the ANC? That mission which exalts such goals as prosperity for all through economic development for everyone's benefit, non-sexism, establishment of a truly democratic order in South Africa? Our unrelenting pursuit of social justice, thwarting inequality and tribalism, ensuring the active promotion of the equality of women across all sectors of society including destroying the ills and remnants left behind by apartheid? Could it be that we some of us have veered of the tracks of trying to reverse the negative impact of that separatist and degrading apartheid agenda that sought to trample upon the rights of the majority of South Africans by keeping them on the periphery of the economy and all other socio-economic benefits previously bestowed upon Whites, Coloured and Indians by virtue of their racial, gender and cultural classification?
Primarily, we rhetorically pose these questions based on prominent principles held in the highest esteem by the ANC because of the disappointing internal politicking that seems to threaten gains made by our predecessors and benefactors of our freedom who righteously held in high esteem the value of peace and unhindered dialogues free of intimidation and violence to achieve common goals for all South Africans. We are observing tactics and gimmicks manipulating the internal democratic rights of branches of the ANC and its League organising, recruiting and campaigning.
Since our successful passage to a democratic order through dialogue and negotiation, the world over, South Africa has been hailed as the moral authority on peace and negotiation; purpose of which was to build indiscriminate harmony for all; geared at reconstructing a truly democratic African state for the equal benefit of all citizens, especially those who were previously marginalised, disenfranchised and dispossessed.
These antics of forgetfulness go against the grain of South Africa's renowned integrity and thirst for peace and prosperity for all.
Despite this seemingly negative state, we firmly believe and will continue to believe that the ANC remains the only organisation and political party with the genuine capacity to attain prosperity and true equality for all South Africans.
To this end, we don't believe that any actions aimed at defending the ANC can possibly achieve their goals through attacking constitutionally, democratically elected leadership of the ANC in any province or region. We believe that any honest leaders of the movement; represented via any of the three Leagues or mother body of the ANC, are duly bound by the moral standard set out in the ANC's Constitution to promote and advance only those characteristics espoused by the ANC Constitution. Respecting boundaries and powers bestowed on various structures calls for a collective and cooperative approach to leadership from branch level right up to National leadership.
The only defence the ANC needs today is the protection of the country's resources for all to benefit from, it is to defend the ANC against corruption, to defend the ANC against the degradation of democratic goals, to defend the ANC against violence and intimidation, to defend the ANC against bullies and inconsistent leadership practice and to defend the ANC against the corrosive and crass tendencies of materialism, over-commercialisation, ultra exploitation of the environment, consumerism and the erosion of social values of our various communities.
The ANC is a protector of our people against the harsh and damaging patterns of drug and alcohol abuse, poor education, poor health, poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, unsafe communities, disjointed and corrupt public service, non-delivery of services, teenage pregnancy, crimes against women-children and the elderly etc. etc.
Where ANC leaders and members feel the urge to defend the ANC; they must be freely allowed the space to openly fight the good fight. That is the fight against social ills facing our society, exposing those members of our movement who are contributing to the erosion of societal mores and standards.
Due to its own internal democratic nature, we also agree with the concept of constructive criticism, engagement and methods of lending support to one another that must take root within the ANC. However, we are essentially in strong contention with the manipulation of branches of the Leagues or the ANC itself for the sole purpose of promoting individual ambitions and aspirations of members whose only objective is to hold on to leadership positions.
This we believe is unfair to branches of Leagues and the ANC because the moral and righteous objectives of the ANC cannot be promoted through such actions. Actions inspired by individualism are anti-ANC and un-ANC. The ANC succeeded in its quest for political freedom over eight decades because it consistently upheld one most important principle, which was and will always remain unity.
Without unity, the Freedom Charter's ideals will never be attained. Without unity the long term vision of realising a truly democratic and free South Africa in which all shall be free to work and live according to their cultural, religious beliefs and value systems grounded in the promotion of human dignity and unwavering rights to equality for all underpinned by the Constitution which is the umbrella of all laws protecting each of us from undue harm and abuse.
We call on all members of the ANC, serving the movement at all levels and structures, including all our social and political partners comprising structures of our Mass Democratic Movement which also happens to include inter-faith religious bodies; to vigorously bring back honesty to our politics and pursue our century old goals of freedom, equality, prosperity, peace and unity in South Africa for all South Africans.
Issued by ANC Limpopo Provincial Spokesperson, Cde. Makonde Mathivha, July 31 2012
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