Economic Freedom Fighters Mourns the Passing Away of TATA NELSON MANDELA and Vow to Take the Struggle Forward
06 December 2013
Economic Freedom Fighters mourns the passing of Tata Nelson Mandela, the Freedom Fighter who sacrificed everything in his life for the political liberation of South Africa. As a revolutionary and Freedom Fighter, Nelson Mandela was fearless, courageous, and determined to defeat political and colonial domination of South Africa by a minority racist and nonsensical regime. He led the Defiance Campaign against apartheid laws, led mass mobilisation against the regime, and took up arms to fight against apartheid. Nelson Mandela is part of a generation that declared Freedom in Our Lifetime in 1944 and fought relentlessly to realise political freedom in 1994.
The determination of Nelson Mandela to fight for what was basic logic of political emancipation is amongst the greatest in the history of humanity. Nelson Mandela refused all forms of oppression and exploitation because he understood that South Africa's wealth and resources had to be equally shared amongst those who live in this country. Nelson Mandela understood that to attain economic power, there should be decisive seizure of political power. In this regard, Nelson Mandela fought tirelessly to gain political power, democracy and freedom and handed over the baton for those who had to fight for economic freedom.
All evidence of the past 20 years reveal the simple reality that those who had to take forward the struggle for economic freedom did not do so, therefore betraying the legacy and memory of a reputable Freedom Fighter, whose commitment for Freedom in Our Lifetime gained fruition. Drawing from this courage, inspiration, determination, focus, and militancy, this generation of Economic Freedom Fighters has picked up the Spear of a fallen Hero, Nelson Mandela and will fight for economic freedom in Our Lifetime. We appreciate the reality that Nelson Mandela has left for us a democratic space to fight for our economic freedom and we will do everything in our power to attain economic freedom in our lifetime.
The people of South Africa, Africa and the world, particularly the youth should know that we collectively carry the obligation to realise true freedom in our lifetime. As EFF, we will forever be inspired by the remarks he made during the State of the Nation Address in 1994, when he affirmed the "commitment to create a people-centred society of liberty that binds us to the pursuit of the goals of freedom from want, freedom from hunger, freedom from deprivation, freedom from ignorance, freedom from suppression and freedom from fear. These freedoms are fundamental to the guarantee of human dignity". These are Freedoms which the struggle for economic freedom seeks to achieve in our lifetime and which are inspired by Tata Nelson Mandela.
EFF sends revolutionary condolences to the Madiba family and close friends; We thank the Madibas for the great gift you have given the people of South Africa, Africa and the World in the person of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. You gave us many years of his long life, spent fighting for genuine freedom and the revelation of the human spirit.
In his commemoration and celebration of his contribution to political freedom, EFF will hold public lectures and seminars in all our communities to educate and inspire the nation on the character of Nelson Mandela.
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, December 6 2013
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