THE PARTY CONTINUED TO BE DEFERRED BY OLD AND NEW REVOLUTIONARIES
“A POLITICAL THOUGHT AND CRITIC”
BY
DR SEFOKO RAMOSHABA
SOCIAL JUSTCIE AND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
CHAPTER ONE
HEROES PARTY AND THE DREAM DEFERRED
ABSTRACT
South African’s hopes and dreams were very high in the late 1980s and the early 1990s after the Last and Former apartheid President F.W. de Klerk announced the unbanning of political organisations, political leadership, and political activities. The announcement included the release of all political prisoners and the transition from apartheid state to a democratically elected government. It also included the release of the longest serving prisoner Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and the home coming of exiled political leaders. Nelson Mandela was released on the 10 February 1990.
All these developments raised the hopes and dreams of ordinary South Africans that freedom is coming tomorrow. Many, if not all most political parties and their leaders were the heroes of the times. The release of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela became an international development in terms of moving South Africa from an apartheid state to the democratically elected government.
The Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress became the home and the pillar towards freedom and democracy. Mandela became the beacon of hope and icon of democracy. The African National Congress became the leaders of the society by virtue of its popular support and Mandela became the face of freedom and change for most South Africans, both black and white. The African National Congress call itself the leader of the South African society, even today.
South Africans had a strong roots of community participation and citizen’s involvement in their struggle for freedom, with or without political parties’ involvement. South African’s were active freedom fighters who fought the apartheid system, through strikes and protest actions while their leaders were in jail and or in exile. South Africans never folded their arms, they picked their spears in the way that was practically possible for themselves. Societal activism, involvement, and community awareness of the injustices of apartheid mobilised all South African from an ordinary street vendor to a bishop inside the church, all leaders from all spheres of life.
INTRODUCTION: THE CRY FOR FREEDOM
The White National Party (NP) was conceived on the 07 February 1914 as party for White Afrikaaners. It was just two years after the African National Congress (ANC) was established in 1912 as a tool towards the resistance against colonialism and apartheid, It was a multiracial party. General JBM Hertzog is the founding leader of the NP who brough rich and poor Afrikaaners into the one-fold of the NP. Hertzog believed in apartheid or separate development for black and white people as early as 1910 before the establishment of the NP. The NP stood for the Afrikaaner Nationalism in South Africa (Westhuizen 2007:11).
The National Party won the national elections of 1948 where it started its policy of separate development or apartheid in South Africa, disenfranchising any one or people who were not Afrikaners (Westhuizen 2007:44). The National Party also developed a policy of creating labour reserves in the homelands where black people were placed. The NP grew stronger in denying black people the right to exist freely in the country of their birth. The ANC sent the message to the leaders of the NP that it will start with its defiance campaigns against the apartheid government and the government indicated that it would unleash all the full strength of its military (Westhuizen 2007: 63-65). The apartheid government waged the war against the ANC, and other fraternal political parties that fought for freedom. The use of state sponsored security forces became the norm of the day. The NP killed and destroyed its political opponents within and outside the borders of South Africa. It became clear in 1989 for the then Apartheid State President, PW Botha that the use of state security forces has not yielded the results against the cry and fight for freedom. The strength of the military’s hold on the apartheid government ended when FW. De Klerk became the State President after PW. Botha in the late 1980s (Westhuizen 2007:132-35).
The growing protests from within and outside the country against the apartheid regime forced it to start mending its ways and start the negation process with its foes (banned political parties) (Larson 2019:6).
THE HEROES PARTY
Brenda Fassie is one of the revered artists of her time and she coined a song called Heroes Party that welcomed our beloved revolutionaries, struggle veterans, Robben Island Prisoners, and the returning of the exiles from various political formations. It was mostly dedicated to uTata Nelson Mandela, the Black President, before he was even the RSA’ president (Fassie 1990).
Paragraph of Lyrics from the Heroes Party Song (Fassie 1990)
“It’s a party, Brother (Here they come come) A heroes party
(Welcome our heroes) Welcome our exiles
It’s a party, my brother (Here they come come) A heroes party
(Welcome our heroes) Welcoming the rebels” (Heroes Party lyrics © O/B/O Capasso).
The song heroes party was a symbolic praise and acknowledgement of the strength and the sufferings of leaders like Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had endured to secure the freedom for all South Africans despite all the tribulations and all the odds. It resembles the euphoria, the hopes, the dreams that South Africans had on the political leaders and the ANC who sacrificed everything for the just course, for a cry for freedom.
Nelson Mandela became the first Black President in a democratic South Africa with FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki as his deputy presidents. This was part of the many negotiations that started while many liberation movement comrades were in exile while others were languishing in South African jails. The Convention for the Democratic South Africa, known as CODESA was one of the crucial moments towards the democratic and non-racial South Africa. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was adopted as the act of 108 of 1996 and became effective on the 04 February 1997 (South African History Online 1990-1999).
It needs to be noted that the transition from the apartheid rule to the democratic rule went peaceful on the 27 April 1994. Apartheid seems to have ended peacefully in the hands of the non-racial one-man one vote which replaced the NP government with the ANC government (Larson 2019:1-3).
THE HOPE AND BENEFITS OF THE RAINBOW NATION
The ANC had a Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP) to resolve the South African problems emanating from the apartheid driven architectural design to disenfranchise the black South Africans. The RDP was centred on the six pillars which are centred on the transformation of the society based on the following pillars linked to the Freedom Charter:
- To solve South African problems in a holistic and unified manner.
- To resolve the basic needs of the entire population.
- To enhance safety and security for the population.
- Nation building.
- To intertwine reconstruction and development.
- The democratisation of the state and its institutions.
The plan was meant to solve the challenges faced by South Africans from all spheres of life. the following challenges were identified in the ANC plan to govern and transform the segregated society into a single, unified, and non-racial South Africa.
- Lawlessness, including violence.
- Shortage of shelter for poor and previously disadvantaged grouping in South Africa.
- High unemployment rate.
- Unequal or lack of educational and health facilities for most of the South African population.
- Unresponsive and undemocratic state.
- An ailing economy (ANC 1994:1-4).
The ANC led government of unity passed the RSA Constitution 108 of 1996 which is the supreme law of the country with the bill of rights that protect the rights of everyone who resides in South Africa (RSA 1996:3). The passing of the constitution was a very clear indication and a statement of intent by the ruling ANC that they want to protect the human rights of everyone within the borders of South Africa.
The ANC policy documents were clearly meant to transform the Republic of South Africa in a wholistic manner and for all who live in the republic as espoused in the ANC “Bible” (The Freedom Charter). The intention of the ruling ANC has very good impact and it can change the RSA and its people to a better life for all. The documents are all well prepared with the desire to transform the South African society at large.
The post-apartheid government of the ruling ANC has taken strides in creating instruments and many laws to fight crime and corruption in South Africa (Kroukamp 2006:1-12). This clearly indicate the commitment the ANC has made for the development of the country and protecting its citizens, at large.
THE DREAM DEFERRED: A LEAPORD DOES CHANGE ITS SPOTS
“At the 54th ANC National Conference in December 2017, our organisation’s highest decision-making body, in reflecting on corruption, noted that there is an increase in corruption, factionalism, dishonesty and other negative practices that seriously threaten the goals and support of the ANC” (Ramaphosa 2021:1).
Africa’s socio-economic development has been hindered and misplaced by the corrupt leaders. South Africa’s own socio-economic development has been displaced by corruption since the democratic dispensation of 1994. The predator politics of South Africa has destroyed the hopes of the new democratic dispensation for a better life for all. South Africa’s daily news always carry stories of predator elite where all facets of life seem to be centred on political crisis; corruption; bribery and kickbacks at the expense of development (Goto & Ogunnubi 2014:48- & Kalombo 2005:23-24).
Corruption hinders the fair implementation of the rule of law where police and the justice system serve the corrupt bureaucrats who can afford to pay bribes. The corrupt politicians and officials strive in the corrupt system while it breeds inefficiencies in the growth of the economy and societal development. Emerging small-scale entrepreneurs suffers under corruption because they can ill-afford to pay big multinational companies bribes. The opportunities to create employment for ordinary people faded away under the corrupt political system (Mbeki 2005:8).
The then South African and ANC President, Mr Thabo Mbeki released Mr Jacob Zuma from his role as the Deputy President of South Africa. This happened after the former Mr Zuma’s financial adviser (Mr Shabir Schaik) was convicted of his corrupt relationship with Mr Zuma in14 June 2005. It needs to be noted that Mr Zuma’s VIP Protection Unit nearly fought with the National Investigative team that was investigating him for corruption in August 2005 at his Johannesburg home. Conspiracy theories started to grow within the supporters of Mr Zuma that he is being politically targeted. This was strengthened by the allegations of rape that was levelled against Mr Zuma in December of 2005. This led to the tumulus moment for the ANC and the RSA government administration where the battle of the soul of the ANC took centre stage at the expense of everything. Mr Thabo Mbeki was removed from his position and his role as the president of the Republic of South Africa after the Judgement of Nicholson who faulted President Mbeki’s political interference in Mr Zuma’s prosecution. This judgement was dismissed by the full bench of the Supreme Court of Appeal (Shubin 2018:48-51).
Mr Jacky Selebi, a former National Commissioner of the South African Police Services and a former Ambassador to the United Nations was found guilty in 2010 for taking bribes and hindering the administration of justice (Tshabalala 2009:1).
The Scorpions, the former Investigative Unit under the national Prosecuting Authority in South Africa once raided the offices and the homes of ANC National Executive Members and or senior leaders, their associates, government officials and that of the former President Jacob Zuma. This was the Scoprions’s quest to investigate the allegations of bribery and kickbacks in the first South African democratic purchase of military weaponry, nicknamed the Arms Deal. The ANC government forked out 4.8 billion US dollars in the Arms Deal that were completed in 1999. It must be noted that the ANC and the Congress of South African Trade Unions were unpleased by the actions of the Scorpions in their quest to fight corruption within their own ranks (Cull 2009:1).
A senior ANC leader and the former Northern Cape Premier, Mr Denis Block was sentenced to 15 years to prison for his active involvement in the awarding of a multi-million corruption tender scandal in his province (News24 2016:1).
A book called Gangster State was published by Pieter-Louis Myburgh unravelling the web of state sponsored corruption at the expense of service delivery in one of the South African provinces, called the Free State. The book outlines how many millions of Rands that was meant for service delivery to the residents of Free State was syphoned or misdirected to the looters and corrupt elements within and outside the government. It is a sad story in the history of the South African democracy where struggle heroes and heroines became the looters and creating a gangster’s paradise at the expense of the people hopes and dreams for a better life. The former premier of Free State is highly accused as being the mastermind of the gangster state. Mr Ace Magashule, the former Free State Premier threatened that he will sue the author, it is now four years and there is no sign of a lawsuit (Myburgh 2019:1-321).
A book called Predator Politics was published by Rehana Rossouw detailing the corrupt activities of the former Premier of Mpumalanga Province and the former Deputy President of South Africa and the ruling ANC party. The book unravelled how the Mpumalanga government funds and the land reform processes have been captured and the money diverted to corrupt elements of the government and the ANC. Honest businesspeople were frustrated when they try to bring development in Mpumalanga which will benefit the local communities through job opportunities. State institutions were paralysed and crippled to enhance corruption, malfeasance, and nonfeasance with the hope and the intention of stilling public money or the public purse. Land reform project which is an instrument of bringing the land that was stolen under apartheid to its rightful owners was frustrated. It was frustrated and botched by the implementors who government officials and or senior members of the ruling ANC political party were alleged to be responsible for capturing state resources for themselves and or their political master (Rossouw 2020:1-235). The real dream of land reform and distribution, a legal instrument for land restoration to the previously marginalised has been botched and deferred. The creators of the South African dream for better life are just the same people who killed the dream and postpone to the unknown future.
It is estimated that close to 330 000 South Africans had died before their real death could have arrived because of the ANC led government’s policies or denial theorists of the then President of the ANC and the Republic of South Africa. This happened between the period 2000 to 2005 Mbeki’s presidency. It is estimated that close to 35 000 babies were born with HIV which could have been prevented if the HIV AIDS medication was not aborted by the Thabo Mbeki regime. The cost on South African human life is unimaginable while people are theorising while they are not even medical practitioners. The loss of human life has been laid squarely at the doors of the former President of the Republic of South Africa’s door. The then Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimango was the agent of the then President, Thabo Mbeki. She supported Mbeki on his HIV stance at all costs (Chigwedere 2009:1).
“Mbeki withdrew government support from clinics that had started using AZT to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He also restricted the use of a pharmaceutical companies that donated the supply of nevirapine, another drug that helps keep newborns from contracting HIV” (Chigwedere 2009:1).
Marikana massacre happened under the watchful eye of the ANC led government Lonmin workers were on strike for a minimum wage of R12 000 per month. There are complicated matters that happened towards the day of the massacre. Forty-Four people died, seventy injured while close to two-hundred and fifty were arrested. This was the first massacre after the dawn of democracy in South Africa. The tragedy of this massacre is centred around the collusion of the state, capitalism, and the labour markets. The lethal force used was last seen during the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 (Boettger & Rothbone 2016:1-7). Then dream of better wages espoused by the Freedom Charter and the ANC’s promise for better life through the Reconstruction and Development Program. The heroes became associated with the capital that does not care about the human, only profit matters.
“Incompetent leaders must step aside” so says former Premier of Mpumalanga and one of the ANC stalwarts. Mr Phosa accuses incompetent ANC leaders who fail to create a conducive environment for businesses to flourish. Mr Phosa was addressing the Top Empowerment Conference in Sandton, in Gauteng when he mentioned these problems (Stone 2022:1).
THE STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION (THE ZONDO COMMISSION)
The State Capture Commission was instituted by the South African presidency under the former President Jacob Zuma, and it was chaired by the Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Many senior businesspeople, politicians, and State-Owned Enterprises had been found to be directly in the capture of the South African government for their own benefit, and their allies or cronies. Former President Jacob Zuma has been directly linked to the capture and or collapse of the state with his cheer leaders, for former South African Airways Chairperson Board, Ms Dudu Myeni and Mzwanele Manyi (former Chief Executive Officer of Government Communication and Information Systems, were linked to the capture of the state.
Mr Manyi is alleged to have enabled the capture of government communication by the GUPTA family’s New Age Newspaper to the tune of millions during his 18 months stint at the entity. Mr Tom Moyane and Mr Zuma were allegedly found to have facilitate the collapse or the capture of South African Revenue Service.
Malusi Gigaba, Lyne Brown, and Mr Brian Molefe facilitated the capture of State-Owned Enterprises like Eskom, Denel, and Transnet wa the key victim. Most of the accused or allegedly accused people lied about knowing the GUPTA family or knowingly hiring the cronies of the GUPTA family. Gwende Mantashe, Nomvula Mokonyane, and Jacob Zuma have been alleged to have assisted in the capture of the state. The ANC was alleged to the central figure the capture or collapse of the state, including Jacob Zuma. The Free State Asbestos removal project featured in the state capture with the allegations that former Free State Premier was allegedly involved in the loss of the R255 million failed project (Zeeman 2022:1-6).
The capture of the state is the greatest heist of the Republic of South since the advent of democracy in 1994. The report alleges that the ANC had failed to protect the country but protected its own politicians at the expense of the state. Jacob Zuma refuse to provide his side of the story on the allegations against him and he sent imprisoned for 15 months for the contempt of court. Zuma is allegedly the central figure of the capture of the Republic of South Africa as indicated in the report (African Research Institute 2022:B).
Mr Jeff Radebe has indicated that one of the discussion documents for the ANC Policy Conference to be held in NASREC from the 28-31 July 2022, acknowledge that some ANC leaders has assisted private individuals to capture the state. He indicated the signs of state capture started to attract traction after the Gupta family had landed their private jet at Waterkloof Military base and when Mr Nhlanhla Nene was removed as a finance minister by the former ANC and RSA government. Mr Radebe also indicated that close to 200 ANC leaders have been identified and they are going to face the ANC Integrity Committee and or a Disciplinary hearing. Mr Radebe was speaking to the media as The ANC Head of the Task Team on State Capture (Ndaba 2022:1). This clearly indicate the acknowledgement by the ANC that its members had assisted the capturing of the state and state funds through corrupt relationships.
AFTER THE HEROES PARTY: STATE CAPTURE WHAT NEXT
“After the damning findings of an inquiry laid bare the looting of billions of dollars from South Africa’s state coffers under his predecessor, President Cyril Ramaphosa vowed that it should “never [be] allowed to happen again” (Maseko 2022:1). More than 25 years of the ANC rule of the Republic of South Africa, there are very few changes in the lives of ordinary South Africans. Poverty, unemployment, violence, poor health provision and maladministration of state resources is pervasive. President Cyril Ramaphosa had inherited the ANC government which is paralysed by his ruling party. He inherited the country with a battered economy, big sovereign debt, re-building of the capable state institutions and re-installing the rule of law. One bigger task is to hold his ANC together as it seems to be disintegrating into the oblivion (Larson 2019:2).
CONCLUSION: PART 1
The ANC led government had designed policy documents, enacted laws, the RSA Constitution and bult and rebuilt institutions after the end of apartheid. The ANC did this to free South Africans from the from the heinous and murderous regimes of colonialism and apartheid. The ANC had destroyed the road to the promised land which was designed by their commitment to human life, human rights, and the right to freedom for all. The promised better life is compromised by the corrupt ANC led government officials; some employees were directly deployed by the ANC’s deployment committee to the government to enhance the policies of the ANC. This led to high levels inequalities, high crim rate, institutionalised corruption, crony capitalism, poverty stricken and unemployed black community. The heroes’ party has become the pain for the downtrodden and the previously marginalised South African people.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you,” (Nietzsche 1886). The heroes party of our beloved and celebrated liberation movement has become a monster for its subjects it governs through the predatory character of state sponsored corruption for the past 28 years.
“Across Africa, those who led the fight against colonial rule and those who came after them became just as brutal as those they had deposed. As Mmusi Maimane, leader of South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance noted in 2019 in a speech in the Senegalese capital Dakar, the same pattern is repeated. “First comes the era of colonial rule – unjust and exploitative. Then comes independence along with a new, democratically elected government. And then follows years, even decades, of oppression by the very same people who were meant to deliver freedom.” (Gathara 2019:1).
CONCLUSION: PART 2
THE HEROES PARTY MUST DIE AT ALL COST
“Was The former South African President (JZ) and that of the ANC seems hell bent in destroying the heroes party and be the domino effect in the ANC.?” He is a natural destroyer?
When JZ was elected the leader of the ANC, the ANC broke away through the blessing into two parties, after Thabo Mbeki lost power in the watershed and infamous Polokwane ANC conference in 2007. The removal of former President Thabo Mbeki from government before the end of his presidential term pushed Mosiuoa Terror Lekota to form the Congress of the People (COPE). The breakaway political party from the ANC, he was joined by ANC comrades. Mr Lekota was the former Minister of Defence and the ANC Chairperson before the breakaway. He characterised the ANC under the former President Jacab Zuma (Aka JZ) as a new move Back to the apartheid era form of leadership. It was indicated that former President Jacob Zuma is an anti-constitutionalist. COPE broke away to protect the South African Constitution (Reuters 2008:1 & TNT Magazine 2008:1-2).
Julius Malema, a former ANC Youth Legue President under the former Jacob Zuma’s presidency was expelled for causing divisions within the ANC in 2012 (BBC 2012:1-2). Mr Malema formed the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with his former ANC comrades in 2013 after being expelled from the ANC. The EFF took a posture of being a leftist political concerned about the radical economic transformation of the South African economy. The party won six percent of the national vote in the 2014 national elections and received twenty-five seats at the National Assembly (McKenna 2024:1-2).
The third breakaway party was endorsed and or formed by the ANC former president to contest the lections against his former party. The name of the breakaway party is called Umkhonto we Sizwe. It was alleged that Zuma is just creating chaos and divisions within the ANC and enhanced factionalism. It was also alleged that Zuma is trying to spite his nemesis, President Cyril Ramaphosa and weaken his grip on the ANC and the country. He wanted to weaken the Ramaphosa faction in the ANC by using the “scorched Earth” tactics. Zuma was betting on his popularity in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) against the unpopularity of President Ramaphosa in KZN (Mwareya 2023:1-6). The former ANC veteran has been expelled from the ANC for endorsing and campaigning for the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) (Dean & Gretener 2024:1-2).
WAS JZ’S PLAN TO DESTROY THE HEROES PARTY AT ALL COST
“Was killing the ANC always in Jacob Zuma’s plans? Is it because of a vendetta against Ramaphosa? Is Zuma seeking revenge for his premature removal from the Union Buildings, or being humiliated at the Zondo Commission? Only the heavens and Zuma can answer this.” By Omry Makgoale 2024:1).
Why was the ANC so unstable since the Polokwane watershed and infamous ANC conference which ushered Jacob Zuma in front of the world?
Answer: The taste is in the pudding, and we have all ate the pudding in South Africa, the world, and the Gupta Continent.
The ANC lost its majority in the 2024 national and provincial elections for the past 30 years since the dawn of democracy.
THE HERO’S PARTY WAS KILLED BY THE ANC: OUR DREAMS
The ANC had suffered a lot under the presidency of its former president, JZ. The alleged rape case which the ANC defended him legally and morally against the rape allegations of his daughter’s friend. ZJ was allegedly being involved in fraud with Shabir Shaik, but the ANC looked away. Comrade Bathabile Dlamini was the defender of JZ at all costs and her ANC. JZ was given all the accolades and the powerful office in South through the ANC, despite what was in front of the world. NPA under Shauwn Abrahams and Mokotedi Mpshe were ANC enablers in getting JZ to ascend to the presidency or survive the road towards the presidency. The ANC’s heroes’ party’s demise is a self-inflicted pain. The state capture allegations, the ANC defended its struggle hero, JZ. The ANC then changed its tune and want JZ to face the state capture commission, too little too late. The state-owned entities were slaughtered under the ANC and JZ’s skills. JZ, the current president of MK dislodged the ANC in the national and provincial elections. Most of MKP votes could have made the ANC majority party nationally and in KZN (Makgoale 2024:1-15).
CHAPTER TWO
ZIMBABWE’S DREAD DEFERRED
In the dawn of freedom, a party did rise,
ZANU-PF, with promises, and a people’s compromise,
But from the start, the seeds of failure were sown,
Of authoritarianism, and a people’s rights overthrown.
Gukurahundi’s dark stain, a genocide untold,
A brutal suppression, of opposition, young and old,
The Matabeleland massacres, a wound that won’t heal,
A legacy of violence, that ZANU-PF can’t conceal.
Economic mismanagement, and corruption’s cancer,
Hyperinflation’s devastation, and a people’s plunder,
The land reform chaos, and the collapse of the state,
A once-thriving nation, reduced to poverty and wait.
Mugabe’s iron grip, and a reign of fear and might,
A dynasty of dictatorship, that crushed dissenting light,
The people suffered, while the elite did thrive,
A tale of two Zimbabwe’s, where freedom did not survive.
The promise of Uhuru, and a brighter future’s call,
Was lost in the shadows, of ZANU-PF’s wall,
Of oppression, corruption, and a people’s betrayed trust,
A legacy of failure, that will forever be unjust.
CHAPTER THREE
Our liberators, freedom fighters.
They fought for our brighter Africa.
Where everyone is equal, and inequalities will end.
They fought for justice, equality, and freedom for all.
From Cape to Cairo.
Freedom came but poverty and underdevelopment lingers.
Political internal conflicts, mismanagement of the economy and kleptocracy,
Destroyed all the gains brought by freedom.
Africa is a coup de tat continent.
Africa full of civil war.
But
Politicians and their families are filthy rich.
The black population still living in squalor.
Squalor under the freedom from colonialism, oppression, and apartheid.
The gains of freedom have been eroded by freedom fighters.
I mean politicians.
Authoritarianism, and dictatorships in Zimbabwe.
The lost liberation momentum under Mugabe and Mnangagwa,
Kenneth Kaunda, Mabutu Seseko, Dos Santos, Kamuza Banda, King Mswati’s.
Paul Kagam the Great lakes war lord.
Yoweri Museveni, Kamuza Banda, Idi Amin, Sani Abacha,
Teodorin Obiang, Arap Mooi, ad infinitum.
Mozambique follows Zimbabwe with the 2024 elections kleptocracy.
Beat, maim, jail, and kill opposition leaders.
Replaced the ideals, of a brighter freedom for all.
Freedom is for ANC, FRELIMO, ZANU PF, SWAPO, MPLA, ad infinitum.
Economic struggles, poverty, unemployment, and inequalities continues.
Countries depend on foreign aid from the former oppressors and colonialists.
The irony of the African freedom fighters.
Fight the enemy and go back and bag for aid.
Undermined the progress, and the people’s trade.
Yet still we hope, for a renewed stride,
Towards true freedom, and a people’s pride,
For African liberation, to rise anew,
With leaders who serve, and a people’s voice, true.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ANC. 1994. A Basic Guide to the Reconstruction and Development Programme. ANC. https://www.anc1912.org.za/policy-documents-1994-a-basic-guide-to-the-reconstruction-and-development-programme/
BBC News. 2008. Julius Malema: ANC Expels Fiery Youth Leader. Accessed on the 16 August 2024 on https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-17215155
Bottger, J.F. and Rothbone, M. 2016. The Marikana Massacre, Labour, Capitalism: Towards the Recoeurian Alternative. North-West University. file:///C:/Users/sefokor/Downloads/The_Marikana_Massacre_labour_and_capitalismToward.pdf
Chigwedere, 2009. The Human Cost of Misguided South African HIV Policies. Harvard Public School of Health. Harvard University. Accessed on the 27 July 2022 on https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/spr09aids/
Cull, P. 2009. 160 Found Guilty of Fraud in the Eastern Cape. The Herald, 23 November 2009.
Dean, S and Gretener, J. 2024. South Africa’s ANC Kicks Former President Jacob Zuma Out of the Party He once Led. CNN News. Accessed 31 July 2024 on https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/29/africa/jacob-zuma-expelled-from-anc-intl/index.html
Fassie, B. 1990. The Black President. Lyricfind. CCP Records. Accessed on the
25/07/2022 on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_President_(song)
Gathara, P. 2019. What Went Wrong with Liberation Movements in Africa: The Anti-Colonial Movements in Africa did not Liberate the People; they only Liberated the State. Aljareeza. Accessed on the 28/07/2022 on https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/9/9/what-went-wrong-with-african-liberation
Goto, K and Ogunnubi, O. 2014. Corruption and Development in Africa: Critical Reflections from Post-Apartheid South Africa. A Journal of Lumina. Vol. 4(1): 48-69.
Hall, D. 2006. Reflections on South Africa’s Oiko’s Journey: From Apartheid to Democracy. On the Discussion of Oiko’s Journey Document. Diakonia Centre Diakonia. World Council of Churches: Durban.
Larson, Z. 2019. “South Africa: Twenty-Five Years Since Apartheid” Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspectives. Accessed on the 25/07/2022 on https://origins.osu.edu/article/south-africa-mandela-apartheid-ramaphosa- zuma-corruption?language_content_entity=en#:~:text=Members%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Cborn%20free,the%20first%20time%20in%202014.&text=Twenty%2Dfive%20years%20ago%2C%20South,engaged%20in%20a%20peaceful %20revolution.
Kalombo, G. 2005. Understanding Corruption in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Gauteng Experience. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press.
Kroukamp, H. 2006. Corruption with Particular Reference to the Public Institutions. The Evil of all Evils. A Journal of Public Administration. Vol. 14(2): 1-12.
Makgoale, O. 2024. Agent of Destruction: Why is Zuma Stabbing the ANC in the Belly. Daily Maverick. Accessed on the 08 September 2024 on https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2024-09-08-agent-of-destruction-why-is-zuma-stabbing-the-anc-in-the-belly/
McKenna A. 2024. The Economic Freedom Fighters. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julius-Malema
Mwareya, R. 2023. South Africa: Zuma’s Rebellion Threatens Ramaphosa’s Campaign. The African Report.Com. https://www.google.com/search?q=south+africa%3A+zuma%27s+rebellion+threatens+ramaphosa%27s+campaign&rlz=1C1GCEB_enZA992ZA1104&oq=south+africa%3A+zuma%27s+rebellion+threatens+ramaphosa%27s+campaign&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCzE1MzQyODlqMGo0qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Ndaba, B. 2022. ANC leaders assisted Guptas to weaken the state and the party: ANC discussion document on state capture. Pretoria News, 28 July 2022. https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria- news/news/anc-leaders-assisted-guptas-to-weaken-the-state-and-the-party- anc-discussion-document-on-state-capture-67211a6e-bc9b-415f-9e42- 509879a636e1
Nietzsche, F. 1886. Beyond Good and Evil. John Mamoun, Charles Franks, David Widger and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. https://gutenberg.org/files/4363/4363-h/4363-h.htm
News24. 2016. ANC Northern Cape Devasted by Block’s 15 Year Jail Sentence. https://www.news24.com/News24/anc-northern- cape-devastated-by-blocks-15-year-sentence-20161206
Maseko, B. 2020. South Africa’s Zondo Commission: Damning Report Exposes Rampant Corruption Bare. BBC News, Johannesburg, 23 June 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa- 61912737
Mbeki, T. 2005. Mbeki Calls for Score Card to Fight an End to Corruption.
The Herald, p.8.
Myburgh, P. 2019. Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magushule’s Web of Capture. Penguin Publishers.
Ramaphosa, C. 2020. A Letter to ANC Members. ANC: 23 August 202.
Reuters. 2008. South Africa’s Lekota Leads a Breakaway Party. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/factbox-south-africa-s- lekota-leads-breakaway-party-idUSTRE4BF24U/
African Research Institute. 2022. “South Africa” A Chapter on the Investigations into the Post-Apartheid Corruption Scandal is Released. @ 2022John Wiley and Sons.
RSA. 1996. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Government Printers.
Shubin, Z. 2018. The Rise and Fall of Jacob Zuma. The Brazilian Journal of Strategic and International Relations. Vol. 07(13): 48-63.
South African History Online. 2019. African National Congress Timeline from 1990-1999. SAHO@21. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/african-national-congress-timeline-1990- 1999
Stone, S. 2022. “Incompetent Leaders Must Step Aside”. City Press, 25 July 2022. https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/incompetent-leaders-must-step-aside-phosa-20220725
TNT Magazine. 2008. Lekota Warns of ANC Dangers. https://www.tntmagazine.com/archive/lekota-warns-of-anc-dangers/
Tshabalala, T. 2009. Selebi Case on Hold Again. Mail and Guardian. http://mg.co.za/article/2009-04-14-Selebi-case-on-hold-again
Westhuizen, C. 2007. The White Power and The Rise and Fall of the National Party. Zebra Press.
Zeeman, K. 2022. Zondo Report A Summary of the First Four Parts, and Who It Implicated. The Corruption Watch 15 June 2022. https://www.google.com/search?q=zondo+report%3A+a+summary+of+the+first+four+parts+and+who+it+implicated&rlz=1C1GCEB_enZA992ZA1104&oq=zondo+report%3A+a+summary+of+the+first+four+parts+and+who+it+implicated&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCjUxNTIzajBqMTWoAgiwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
CHAPTER TWO
POLITICAL THOUGHT AND CRITIQUE
REVOLUTIONARIES VERSUS QUESTIONABLE ETHICS & CONDUCT: IS EFF A DYING HORSE & ITS POLITITCAL ETHICS DILLY-DAlLING?
EFF’s Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu once revered ANC Youth League Leaders. They were the firebrands for the economic transformation in our lifetime. They were unceremoniously expelled from the ANC with the others who are not relevant for today. Julius Malema believed that former ANC president Jacob Zuma made him to be chased away as part of ANC’s factional politics and there was evidential merit tendered during his disciplinary hearings.
They later created a vibrant and attractive voice for the disillusioned youth and the poorly trodden. Their young voices and political party were a role model of how an African political alternative voice can be created. The EFF was emulated in countries like Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Botswana because they were the youth leaders to be reckoned with in South Africa and beyond. Julius Malema visited countries like Kenya, Ghana, and Liberia as a ploy to strengthen the EFF’s influence in Africa and beyond.
The EFF attracted publicly recognised leaders from all spheres of life like Ringo Madlingozi, Fana Mokoena, Mbuyiseni Dlozi, Mzwanele Manyi, Carl Niehaus, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane and the Adv Dali Mpofu. It was growing in leaps and bounds. It was the most notable political party that broke away from the ANC to fully challenge the ANC since the dawn of democracy in South Africa, except the 2024 elections where it stagnated.
The EFF made it to the parliament after the 2014 national assembly elections and had a good showing. It sent a significant amount of its members to the national assembly. The EFF portrayed a posture of a corruption buster where it helped South Africans in exposing the Nkandla man and his abuse of taxpayer’s money. It coined words like “Pay Back the Money” and Baba Ka Duduzane as part of their quest to attack the corrupt ANC and its leadership in the name of Baba Ka Duduzane. The EFF used its tactics, though strange measures in South African parliamentary existence like disrupting parliament sessions and speakers or walking out or howling in parliament. It also used the legal framework like the courts to challenge the decisions of the ANC in parliament which seemed unethical.
The EFF had flip flop in their political strategies or public discourse. Which challenged its own anti-corruption stand and the self-made ethical party that challenged the ANC left and right. It challenged the then Public Protector (Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane left and right and called her a former spy of the national spy agency. They fought a good cause some of us non-EFF members were impressed by these young fighters. When Jaco Zuma was recalled, they seemed to have been dislodged by the entry of Cyril Ramaphosa in parliament because their existence and growth was based on the weakness of the ANC and Jacob Zuma in upholding the RSA Constitution and being lacklustre in fighting and condemning corruption in its ranks.
The EFF condemns corruption or abuse of poor people’s money except the VBS money which it benefited. The wealth which was created by poor people who live close to Floyd Shivambu in Malamulele. It can take close to 15 minutes from Basani Village to Thoyondou where VBS was based. How can Julius and Floyd does not seem to be fighting for people from their province and not condemn the collapse of VBS or appreciate the arrest of VBS looters.
Freedom fighters and leftist comrades do not keep quiet. They never kept quiet about Nkandla and Phala Phala scandals. The EFF did not support the state capture commission as corruption busters. Even the work of Pravin Gordan against state capture was “negated” by them. The EFF did not grow in Limpopo in terms of the 2024 national elections results.
The EFF and the BVS scandal may be blamed because they are quiet about the plight of their parents and grandparents who invested in the VBS. They now adored the Nkandla man and had tea with him in Nkandla. They condemn the jailing of the Nkandla man, the favoured all the people who are allegedly accused of corruption and seems to hate anyone who seemed to be a corruption buster.
They gave positions to non-EFF deserving members, leaving behind real EFF members, people like Karl Niehaus, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Jimy Manyi and infinitum. Then lost the 2024 elections or never grew. The Nkandla Man is now stealing alleged VBS Commissars Floyd Shivambu, a Marxist. Non-deserving members have just left Julius Malema red-faced. EFF seems radar less, but a “one man show” seemed obvious.
The Nkandla Man has beaten Malema the way he has beaten and drowned the ANC since the 2007 ANC Polokwane Conference, where he was the darling of Baba Ka Duduzane. Baba Ka Duduzane, and your acceptance of people with questionable ethics and non-deserving EFF members will destroy the EFF and your soul.
Malema should have known better because JZ used him prior to the monumental 2007 Polokwane Conference to ascend to ANC power and the RSA Presidency. Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi were used like “condoms”. The used condom is always and always thrown away, not in public. They were thrown in public like a condom used in a student music bash or festivals bushes and bathrooms by drunk revellers.
ATLEAST VAVI LEARNED, IT SEEMS AND LOOK LIKE HE LEARNED.
MALEMA BELIEVES IN THE SAYING THAT SAYS “IN POLITICS THERE IS NO PERMANENT ENEMIES.
It is true, Floyd Shivambu and Advocate Dali Mpofu proved that the saying is true. They moved from EFF where they were JZ tormentors to MKP senior members, after forcing JZ to pay back the Nkandla Gate misused public funds.
Floyd Shivambu, Fana Hlongwane, Advocate Dali Mpofu, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Mzwanele Manyi, Gugu Mtshali, and Khumbulani Langa. They have showed Malema that in politics there is no permanent enemies and went further permanent friendship.
The master class is Carl Niehaus who showed JZ that in politics there is no enduring friendship.
I wonder Carl Niehaus and Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi will endure endless “dictatorship”
SHAME ON DR MBUYISENI NDLOZI, YOU DESERVE BETTER MY BROTHER, MAYBE AN ACADEMIC IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND OR POLITICAL SCIENCE. YOU WILL REMAIN A POLITICAL COMMENTOR. YOUR NAME IS IN PEOPLE’S HEARTS.
MALEMA PFUKA MANI
VUKA BOO!!!!
TSOGA WARRA
TSOHA WARRICKS
NO MORE NKANDLA TEA.
THE NKANDLA TEA MALEMA WENT TO DRINK CAME BACK TO BITE HIS
STOMACH.
THE ONLY MEDICATION TO THE UNSETTLING STOMACK IS TO JOIN THE MK PARTY WARRA. UNLESS YOU ARE STRONG
CHAPTER THREE
POLITICAL THOUGHT AND CRITIQUE
THE CURSE OF A BLACK CHILD’S FUTURE: MALIGN UNIVERSITIES
The cry by Vaal University of Technology (VUT) SRC President is a cry for help during August 2024 Parliamentary Portfolio committee briefing on Higher Education, is a cry from a Black child in South Africa’s historical universities. Most historically Black universities or current Black dominated universities are badly run. Some Vice Chancellors of University council are poor leaders or there is no willingness to manage our educational assets properly. Its systems these management structures cannot manage even a village post office. How can a university function properly when the university cannot manage to finish just a construction or maintenance of university infrastructure. A remarkably simple task that requires a proper procurement system. Universities does not have enough resources while students, parents, sponsors, and the government provide these universities with subsidies.
Some of these universities cannot provide basic learning and teaching assets, let alone research facilities. Some universities (like VUT) have been under constant Government led Administration because they are unable to have qualified and suitable leadership. Some universities are crippled by the political meddling buy outside political figures without an interest in education. It baffles one’s mind because historically white universities do not have the same challenges of leadership or instability like the historical Black universities. Ooh, let us blame apartheid and the white man’s damage of the education of the Black child and its collapse more than 30 years of democracy and freedom. Or does it make sense that our current government is failing, local government is dead, and the delivery of services has collapsed like many Black universities. Some universities just like some government departments and or local municipalities are just criminal enterprises for figures who do not have an interest in the future of our country and a Black child.
How many universities have been subjected to government led leadership interventions. Why government leadership interventions do not work or seems to be a total failure as universities relapses after some successful interventions. Can government be a correct arbiter in a university leadership crisis while our government is under a crisis of leadership. NSFAS is an example of the failures by the government and or the Department of Higher Education. NSFAS fails to pay students their well-deserved stipends, fails to give students their bursary applications responses, NSFAS has the same leadership crisis that most historically Black universities are facing, allegation of a criminal enterprise beset by ill-advised political meddling and or crony capitalism.
One big question: Can a sick patient treat another sick patient? The answer is a big NO. It clearly indicates that the failure of universities lies squarely on our political leadership’s failure which dominates the hiring of university management, sometimes along the political party lines. Some Vice-Chancellors never deserved to sit on top of universities leadership positions, at all. It happens in South Africa, where the future of our children is slaughtered at the alter like “THE LUST FOR JESUS CHRIST BLOOD”.
Our students and their student leaders are genuinely provoked by the failure of the Department of Higher Education, NSFAS and poor university leadership and mismanagement. Normally, students in these universities are called thugs, and or hooligans while the students are left with no choice because they are being frustrated day in and day out. They sleep on the floors, inside dilapidated, unsafe, and unhygienic buildings, corruption enterprises destroy their future and their right to education. Their bright future is being butchered in front of them, willy- nilly. Just Like the Bosasa Gate, Kandla Gate and the GUPTA’s state capture.
Most students turn aggressive and turns into aggressive violent protests because someone is blocking their right to education just in front of their eyes. Every beginning of an academic year students suffers at the hands of ineffective and inefficient NSFAS and or badly prepared universities. They accept a child from previously disadvantaged community but not ready to service the child. The students are their own at these universities and they are left with no choice, their voices cannot be heard by NSFAS and university management. Most historical universities management are agent provocateurs, they provoke students to turn into violent and aggressive protests. Justly and justifiably so. Frustration-Aggressive Actions are the results of poor leadership by NSFAS and universities’ management.
THE COUNTRIES’ LEADERSHIP SILENCE AND FAILURES PROVOKE THE STUDENTS AND IT WON’T BE LONG, WE WILL BACK TO A FEESMUSTFALL LIKE REVOLUTION WE ARE NOT READY MANAGE.
CHAPTER FOUR
FAILED REVOLUTIONARIES-AFRICAN PRESIDENTS
SICK TOURISTS
African politicians go to overseas hospitals when they are sick because they know they have failed to build proper healthcare facilities for their own countries and their citizens. What a vote of no confidence on their leadership abilities and capabilities.
“There is an African idiom that if a man does not eat at home, he may never give his wife enough money to cook a good pot of soup. This might just be true when applied to politicians on the continent seeking medical help anywhere but home.”
African leaders bring shame to Africans by promising them better life while failing to build health infrastructure and go overseas, mostly to the former colonialists which they claim to hate.
The South African Health Minister, the Honourable Aaron Mostoaledi had admonished African leaders who visits overseas health facilities when they are sick instead of their own countries’ health facilities. He coined the “word Health Tourism”.
“Africa’s public health systems are in a depressing condition. Preventable diseases still kill a large number of women and children, people travel long distances to receive health care, and across the continent patients sleep on hospital floors. On top of this, Africa’s health professionals emigrate in droves to search for greener pastures”
| FORMER PRESIDENTS/VC PRESIDENT | TREATED OR DIED |
| JZ ZUMA (RSA) | RUSSIA |
| DD MABUZA (VICE PRESIDENT: RSA) | RUSSIA |
| RG MUGABE (ZIMBABWE) | SINGAPORE 8 240kms from Zimbabwe |
| M BUHARI (NIGERIA) | UK/LONDON |
| U.M. YAR’ ADUA (NIGERIA) | SAUDI ARABIA |
| A BONGO (GABON) | SAUDI ARABIA |
| M. SATA (ZAMBIA) | LONDON |
| L. MWANARI (ZAMBIA) | FRANCE |
| P. TALON (BENIN) | PARIS |
| M. BACAI (GEINUI BISSAI) | UK |
| M. ZENAWI (ETHOPIA) | BELGIUM |
| B. MUTHARIKA (MALAWI) | RSA |
| E. LUNGU (ZAMBIA) | RSA |
| P. BIYA (CAMEROON) | EUROPE |
These African leaders are embarrassing the African continent to the world, they fail to build world class health facilities in their countries. They use their taxpayers’ monies to go overseas to be healed while their taxpayers use poor and unsanitary. health facilities. Former Nigerian President Buhari won the presidential elections in 2017 on the ticket that he will end “sick-tourism” by building world class facilities. But he became well deserving sick-tourist himself, United Kingdom tourist.
Dos Santos of Angola failed to create better health facilities while he was a prudent of the country for 38 years. RG Mugabe was a president for 37 years and he is as shameless and reprehensible to their true revolutionary prowess and characters.
THE HEROES’ PARTY AND THE DREAMS DEFERRED
THE PARTY CONTINUED TO BE DEFERRED BY OLD AND NEW
REVOLUTIONARIES
“A POLITICAL THOUGHT AND CRITIC”
BY
DR SEFOKO RAMOSHABA
SOCIAL JUSTCIE AND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
CHAPTER ONE
HEROES PARTY AND THE DREAM DEFERRED
ABSTRACT
South African’s hopes and dreams were very high in the late 1980s and the early 1990s after the Last and Former apartheid President F.W. de Klerk announced the unbanning of political organisations, political leadership, and political activities. The announcement included the release of all political prisoners and the transition from apartheid state to a democratically elected government. It also included the release of the longest serving prisoner Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and the home coming of exiled political leaders. Nelson Mandela was released on the 10 February 1990.
All these developments raised the hopes and dreams of ordinary South Africans that freedom is coming tomorrow. Many, if not all most political parties and their leaders were the heroes of the times. The release of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela became an international development in terms of moving South Africa from an apartheid state to the democratically elected government.
The Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress became the home and the pillar towards freedom and democracy. Mandela became the beacon of hope and icon of democracy. The African National Congress became the leaders of the society by virtue of its popular support and Mandela became the face of freedom and change for most South Africans, both black and white. The African National Congress call itself the leader of the South African society, even today.
South Africans had a strong roots of community participation and citizen’s involvement in their struggle for freedom, with or without political parties’ involvement. South African’s were active freedom fighters who fought the apartheid system, through strikes and protest actions while their leaders were in jail and or in exile. South Africans never folded their arms, they picked their spears in the way that was practically possible for themselves. Societal activism, involvement, and community awareness of the injustices of apartheid mobilised all South African from an ordinary street vendor to a bishop inside the church, all leaders from all spheres of life.
INTRODUCTION: THE CRY FOR FREEDOM
The White National Party (NP) was conceived on the 07 February 1914 as party for White Afrikaaners. It was just two years after the African National Congress (ANC) was established in 1912 as a tool towards the resistance against colonialism and apartheid, It was a multiracial party. General JBM Hertzog is the founding leader of the NP who brough rich and poor Afrikaaners into the one-fold of the NP. Hertzog believed in apartheid or separate development for black and white people as early as 1910 before the establishment of the NP. The NP stood for the Afrikaaner Nationalism in South Africa (Westhuizen 2007:11).
The National Party won the national elections of 1948 where it started its policy of separate development or apartheid in South Africa, disenfranchising any one or people who were not Afrikaners (Westhuizen 2007:44). The National Party also developed a policy of creating labour reserves in the homelands where black people were placed. The NP grew stronger in denying black people the right to exist freely in the country of their birth. The ANC sent the message to the leaders of the NP that it will start with its defiance campaigns against the apartheid government and the government indicated that it would unleash all the full strength of its military (Westhuizen 2007: 63-65). The apartheid government waged the war against the ANC, and other fraternal political parties that fought for freedom. The use of state sponsored security forces became the norm of the day. The NP killed and destroyed its political opponents within and outside the borders of South Africa. It became clear in 1989 for the then Apartheid State President, PW Botha that the use of state security forces has not yielded the results against the cry and fight for freedom. The strength of the military’s hold on the apartheid government ended when FW. De Klerk became the State President after PW. Botha in the late 1980s (Westhuizen 2007:132-35).
The growing protests from within and outside the country against the apartheid regime forced it to start mending its ways and start the negation process with its foes (banned political parties) (Larson 2019:6).
THE HEROES PARTY
Brenda Fassie is one of the revered artists of her time and she coined a song called Heroes Party that welcomed our beloved revolutionaries, struggle veterans, Robben Island Prisoners, and the returning of the exiles from various political formations. It was mostly dedicated to uTata Nelson Mandela, the Black President, before he was even the RSA’ president (Fassie 1990).
Paragraph of Lyrics from the Heroes Party Song (Fassie 1990)
“It’s a party, Brother (Here they come come come) A heroes party
(Welcome our heroes) Welcome our exiles
It’s a party, my brother (Here they come come come) A heroes party
(Welcome our heroes) Welcoming the rebels” (Heroes Party lyrics © O/B/O Capasso).
The song heroes party was a symbolic praise and acknowledgement of the strength and the sufferings of leaders like Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had endured to secure the freedom for all South Africans despite all the tribulations and all the odds. It resembles the euphoria, the hopes, the dreams that South Africans had on the political leaders and the ANC who sacrificed everything for the just course, for a cry for freedom.
Nelson Mandela became the first Black President in a democratic South Africa with FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki as his deputy presidents. This was part of the many negotiations that started while many liberation movement comrades were in exile while others were languishing in South African jails. The Convention for the Democratic South Africa, known as CODESA was one of the crucial moments towards the democratic and non-racial South Africa. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was adopted as the act of 108 of 1996 and became effective on the 04 February 1997 (South African History Online 1990-1999).
It needs to be noted that the transition from the apartheid rule to the democratic rule went peaceful on the 27 April 1994. Apartheid seems to have ended peacefully in the hands of the non-racial one-man one vote which replaced the NP government with the ANC government (Larson 2019:1-3).
THE HOPE AND BENEFITS OF THE RAINBOW NATION
The ANC had a Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP) to resolve the South African problems emanating from the apartheid driven architectural design to disenfranchise the black South Africans. The RDP was centred on the six pillars which are centred on the transformation of the society based on the following pillars linked to the Freedom Charter:
- To solve South African problems in a holistic and unified manner.
- To resolve the basic needs of the entire population.
- To enhance safety and security for the population.
- Nation building.
- To intertwine reconstruction and development.
- The democratisation of the state and its institutions.
The plan was meant to solve the challenges faced by South Africans from all spheres of life. the following challenges were identified in the ANC plan to govern and transform the segregated society into a single, unified, and non-racial South Africa.
- Lawlessness, including violence.
- Shortage of shelter for poor and previously disadvantaged grouping in South Africa.
- High unemployment rate.
- Unequal or lack of educational and health facilities for most of the South African population.
- Unresponsive and undemocratic state.
- An ailing economy (ANC 1994:1-4).
The ANC led government of unity passed the RSA Constitution 108 of 1996 which is the supreme law of the country with the bill of rights that protect the rights of everyone who resides in South Africa (RSA 1996:3). The passing of the constitution was a very clear indication and a statement of intent by the ruling ANC that they want to protect the human rights of everyone within the borders of South Africa.
The ANC policy documents were clearly meant to transform the Republic of South Africa in a wholistic manner and for all who live in the republic as espoused in the ANC “Bible” (The Freedom Charter). The intention of the ruling ANC has very good impact and it can change the RSA and its people to a better life for all. The documents are all well prepared with the desire to transform the South African society at large.
The post-apartheid government of the ruling ANC has taken strides in creating instruments and many laws to fight crime and corruption in South Africa (Kroukamp 2006:1-12). This clearly indicate the commitment the ANC has made for the development of the country and protecting its citizens, at large.
THE DREAM DEFERRED: A LEAPORD DOES CHANGE ITS SPOTS
“At the 54th ANC National Conference in December 2017, our organisation’s highest decision-making body, in reflecting on corruption, noted that there is an increase in corruption, factionalism, dishonesty and other negative practices that seriously threaten the goals and support of the ANC” (Ramaphosa 2021:1).
Africa’s socio-economic development has been hindered and misplaced by the corrupt leaders. South Africa’s own socio-economic development has been displaced by corruption since the democratic dispensation of 1994. The predator politics of South Africa has destroyed the hopes of the new democratic dispensation for a better life for all. South Africa’s daily news always carry stories of predator elite where all facets of life seem to be centred on political crisis; corruption; bribery and kickbacks at the expense of development (Goto & Ogunnubi 2014:48- & Kalombo 2005:23-24).
Corruption hinders the fair implementation of the rule of law where police and the justice system serve the corrupt bureaucrats who can afford to pay bribes. The corrupt politicians and officials strive in the corrupt system while it breeds inefficiencies in the growth of the economy and societal development. Emerging small-scale entrepreneurs suffers under corruption because they can ill-afford to pay big multinational companies bribes. The opportunities to create employment for ordinary people faded away under the corrupt political system (Mbeki 2005:8).
The then South African and ANC President, Mr Thabo Mbeki released Mr Jacob Zuma from his role as the Deputy President of South Africa. This happened after the former Mr Zuma’s financial adviser (Mr Shabir Schaik) was convicted of his corrupt relationship with Mr Zuma in14 June 2005. It needs to be noted that Mr Zuma’s VIP Protection Unit nearly fought with the National Investigative team that was investigating him for corruption in August 2005 at his Johannesburg home. Conspiracy theories started to grow within the supporters of Mr Zuma that he is being politically targeted. This was strengthened by the allegations of rape that was levelled against Mr Zuma in December of 2005. This led to the tumulus moment for the ANC and the RSA government administration where the battle of the soul of the ANC took centre stage at the expense of everything. Mr Thabo Mbeki was removed from his position and his role as the president of the Republic of South Africa after the Judgement of Nicholson who faulted President Mbeki’s political interference in Mr Zuma’s prosecution. This judgement was dismissed by the full bench of the Supreme Court of Appeal (Shubin 2018:48-51).
Mr Jacky Selebi, a former National Commissioner of the South African Police Services and a former Ambassador to the United Nations was found guilty in 2010 for taking bribes and hindering the administration of justice (Tshabalala 2009:1).
The Scorpions, the former Investigative Unit under the national Prosecuting Authority in South Africa once raided the offices and the homes of ANC National Executive Members and or senior leaders, their associates, government officials and that of the former President Jacob Zuma. This was the Scoprions’s quest to investigate the allegations of bribery and kickbacks in the first South African democratic purchase of military weaponry, nicknamed the Arms Deal. The ANC government forked out 4.8 billion US dollars in the Arms Deal that were completed in 1999. It must be noted that the ANC and the Congress of South African Trade Unions were unpleased by the actions of the Scorpions in their quest to fight corruption within their own ranks (Cull 2009:1).
A senior ANC leader and the former Northern Cape Premier, Mr Denis Block was sentenced to 15 years to prison for his active involvement in the awarding of a multi-million corruption tender scandal in his province (News24 2016:1).
A book called Gangster State was published by Pieter-Louis Myburgh unravelling the web of state sponsored corruption at the expense of service delivery in one of the South African provinces, called the Free State. The book outlines how many millions of Rands that was meant for service delivery to the residents of Free State was syphoned or misdirected to the looters and corrupt elements within and outside the government. It is a sad story in the history of the South African democracy where struggle heroes and heroines became the looters and creating a gangster’s paradise at the expense of the people hopes and dreams for a better life. The former premier of Free State is highly accused as being the mastermind of the gangster state. Mr Ace Magashule, the former Free State Premier threatened that he will sue the author, it is now four years and there is no sign of a lawsuit (Myburgh 2019:1-321).
A book called Predator Politics was published by Rehana Rossouw detailing the corrupt activities of the former Premier of Mpumalanga Province and the former Deputy President of South Africa and the ruling ANC party. The book unravelled how the Mpumalanga government funds and the land reform processes have been captured and the money diverted to corrupt elements of the government and the ANC. Honest businesspeople were frustrated when they try to bring development in Mpumalanga which will benefit the local communities through job opportunities. State institutions were paralysed and crippled to enhance corruption, malfeasance, and nonfeasance with the hope and the intention of stilling public money or the public purse. Land reform project which is an instrument of bringing the land that was stolen under apartheid to its rightful owners was frustrated. It was frustrated and botched by the implementors who government officials and or senior members of the ruling ANC political party were alleged to be responsible for capturing state resources for themselves and or their political master (Rossouw 2020:1-235). The real dream of land reform and distribution, a legal instrument for land restoration to the previously marginalised has been botched and deferred. The creators of the South African dream for better life are just the same people who killed the dream and postpone to the unknown future.
It is estimated that close to 330 000 South Africans had died before their real death could have arrived because of the ANC led government’s policies or denial theorists of the then President of the ANC and the Republic of South Africa. This happened between the period 2000 to 2005 Mbeki’s presidency. It is estimated that close to 35 000 babies were born with HIV which could have been prevented if the HIV AIDS medication was not aborted by the Thabo Mbeki regime. The cost on South African human life is unimaginable while people are theorising while they are not even medical practitioners. The loss of human life has been laid squarely at the doors of the former President of the Republic of South Africa’s door. The then Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimango was the agent of the then President, Thabo Mbeki. She supported Mbeki on his HIV stance at all costs (Chigwedere 2009:1).
“Mbeki withdrew government support from clinics that had started using AZT to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He also restricted the use of a pharmaceutical companies that donated the supply of nevirapine, another drug that helps keep newborns from contracting HIV” (Chigwedere 2009:1).
Marikana massacre happened under the watchful eye of the ANC led government Lonmin workers were on strike for a minimum wage of R12 000 per month. There are complicated matters that happened towards the day of the massacre. Forty-Four people died, seventy injured while close to two-hundred and fifty were arrested. This was the first massacre after the dawn of democracy in South Africa. The tragedy of this massacre is centred around the collusion of the state, capitalism, and the labour markets. The lethal force used was last seen during the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 (Boettger & Rothbone 2016:1-7). Then dream of better wages espoused by the Freedom Charter and the ANC’s promise for better life through the Reconstruction and Development Program. The heroes became associated with the capital that does not care about the human, only profit matters.
“Incompetent leaders must step aside” so says former Premier of Mpumalanga and one of the ANC stalwarts. Mr Phosa accuses incompetent ANC leaders who fail to create a conducive environment for businesses to flourish. Mr Phosa was addressing the Top Empowerment Conference in Sandton, in Gauteng when he mentioned these problems (Stone 2022:1).
THE STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION (THE ZONDO COMMISSION)
The State Capture Commission was instituted by the South African presidency under the former President Jacob Zuma, and it was chaired by the Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Many senior businesspeople, politicians, and State-Owned Enterprises had been found to be directly in the capture of the South African government for their own benefit, and their allies or cronies. Former President Jacob Zuma has been directly linked to the capture and or collapse of the state with his cheer leaders, for former South African Airways Chairperson Board, Ms Dudu Myeni and Mzwanele Manyi (former Chief Executive Officer of Government Communication and Information Systems, were linked to the capture of the state.
Mr Manyi is alleged to have enabled the capture of government communication by the GUPTA family’s New Age Newspaper to the tune of millions during his 18 months stint at the entity. Mr Tom Moyane and Mr Zuma were allegedly found to have facilitate the collapse or the capture of South African Revenue Service.
Malusi Gigaba, Lyne Brown, and Mr Brian Molefe facilitated the capture of State-Owned Enterprises like Eskom, Denel, and Transnet wa the key victim. Most of the accused or allegedly accused people lied about knowing the GUPTA family or knowingly hiring the cronies of the GUPTA family. Gwende Mantashe, Nomvula Mokonyane, and Jacob Zuma have been alleged to have assisted in the capture of the state. The ANC was alleged to the central figure the capture or collapse of the state, including Jacob Zuma. The Free State Asbestos removal project featured in the state capture with the allegations that former Free State Premier was allegedly involved in the loss of the R255 million failed project (Zeeman 2022:1-6).
The capture of the state is the greatest heist of the Republic of South since the advent of democracy in 1994. The report alleges that the ANC had failed to protect the country but protected its own politicians at the expense of the state. Jacob Zuma refuse to provide his side of the story on the allegations against him and he sent imprisoned for 15 months for the contempt of court. Zuma is allegedly the central figure of the capture of the Republic of South Africa as indicated in the report (African Research Institute 2022:B).
Mr Jeff Radebe has indicated that one of the discussion documents for the ANC Policy Conference to be held in NASREC from the 28-31 July 2022, acknowledge that some ANC leaders has assisted private individuals to capture the state. He indicated the signs of state capture started to attract traction after the Gupta family had landed their private jet at Waterkloof Military base and when Mr Nhlanhla Nene was removed as a finance minister by the former ANC and RSA government. Mr Radebe also indicated that close to 200 ANC leaders have been identified and they are going to face the ANC Integrity Committee and or a Disciplinary hearing. Mr Radebe was speaking to the media as The ANC Head of the Task Team on State Capture (Ndaba 2022:1). This clearly indicate the acknowledgement by the ANC that its members had assisted the capturing of the state and state funds through corrupt relationships.
AFTER THE HEROES PARTY: STATE CAPTURE WHAT NEXT
“After the damning findings of an inquiry laid bare the looting of billions of dollars from South Africa’s state coffers under his predecessor, President Cyril Ramaphosa vowed that it should “never [be] allowed to happen again” (Maseko 2022:1). More than 25 years of the ANC rule of the Republic of South Africa, there are very few changes in the lives of ordinary South Africans. Poverty, unemployment, violence, poor health provision and maladministration of state resources is pervasive. President Cyril Ramaphosa had inherited the ANC government which is paralysed by his ruling party. He inherited the country with a battered economy, big sovereign debt, re-building of the capable state institutions and re-installing the rule of law. One bigger task is to hold his ANC together as it seems to be disintegrating into the oblivion (Larson 2019:2).
CONCLUSION: PART 1
The ANC led government had designed policy documents, enacted laws, the RSA Constitution and bult and rebuilt institutions after the end of apartheid. The ANC did this to free South Africans from the from the heinous and murderous regimes of colonialism and apartheid. The ANC had destroyed the road to the promised land which was designed by their commitment to human life, human rights, and the right to freedom for all. The promised better life is compromised by the corrupt ANC led government officials; some employees were directly deployed by the ANC’s deployment committee to the government to enhance the policies of the ANC. This led to high levels inequalities, high crim rate, institutionalised corruption, crony capitalism, poverty stricken and unemployed black community. The heroes’ party has become the pain for the downtrodden and the previously marginalised South African people.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you,” (Nietzsche 1886). The heroes party of our beloved and celebrated liberation movement has become a monster for its subjects it governs through the predatory character of state sponsored corruption for the past 28 years.
“Across Africa, those who led the fight against colonial rule and those who came after them became just as brutal as those they had deposed. As Mmusi Maimane, leader of South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance noted in 2019 in a speech in the Senegalese capital Dakar, the same pattern is repeated. “First comes the era of colonial rule – unjust and exploitative. Then comes independence along with a new, democratically elected government. And then follows years, even decades, of oppression by the very same people who were meant to deliver freedom.” (Gathara 2019:1).
CONCLUSION: PART 2
THE HEROES PARTY MUST DIE AT ALL COST
“Was The former South African President (JZ) and that of the ANC seems hell bent in destroying the heroes party and be the domino effect in the ANC.?” He is a natural destroyer?
When JZ was elected the leader of the ANC, the ANC broke away through the blessing into two parties, after Thabo Mbeki lost power in the watershed and infamous Polokwane ANC conference in 2007. The removal of former President Thabo Mbeki from government before the end of his presidential term pushed Mosiuoa Terror Lekota to form the Congress of the People (COPE). The breakaway political party from the ANC, he was joined by ANC comrades. Mr Lekota was the former Minister of Defence and the ANC Chairperson before the breakaway. He characterised the ANC under the former President Jacab Zuma (Aka JZ) as a new move Back to the apartheid era form of leadership. It was indicated that former President Jacob Zuma is an anti-constitutionalist. COPE broke away to protect the South African Constitution (Reuters 2008:1 & TNT Magazine 2008:1-2).
Julius Malema, a former ANC Youth Legue President under the former Jacob Zuma’s presidency was expelled for causing divisions within the ANC in 2012 (BBC 2012:1-2). Mr Malema formed the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with his former ANC comrades in 2013 after being expelled from the ANC. The EFF took a posture of being a leftist political concerned about the radical economic transformation of the South African economy. The party won six percent of the national vote in the 2014 national elections and received twenty-five seats at the National Assembly (McKenna 2024:1-2).
The third breakaway party was endorsed and or formed by the ANC former president to contest the lections against his former party. The name of the breakaway party is called Umkhonto we Sizwe. It was alleged that Zuma is just creating chaos and divisions within the ANC and enhanced factionalism. It was also alleged that Zuma is trying to spite his nemesis, President Cyril Ramaphosa and weaken his grip on the ANC and the country. He wanted to weaken the Ramaphosa faction in the ANC by using the “scorched Earth” tactics. Zuma was betting on his popularity in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) against the unpopularity of President Ramaphosa in KZN (Mwareya 2023:1-6). The former ANC veteran has been expelled from the ANC for endorsing and campaigning for the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) (Dean & Gretener 2024:1-2).
WAS JZ’S PLAN TO DESTROY THE HEROES PARTY AT ALL COST
“Was killing the ANC always in Jacob Zuma’s plans? Is it because of a vendetta against Ramaphosa? Is Zuma seeking revenge for his premature removal from the Union Buildings, or being humiliated at the Zondo Commission? Only the heavens and Zuma can answer this.” By Omry Makgoale 2024:1).
Why was the ANC so unstable since the Polokwane watershed and infamous ANC conference which ushered Jacob Zuma in front of the world?
Answer: The taste is in the pudding, and we have all ate the pudding in South Africa, the world, and the Gupta Continent.
The ANC lost its majority in the 2024 national and provincial elections for the past 30 years since the dawn of democracy.
THE HERO’S PARTY WAS KILLED BY THE ANC: OUR DREAMS
The ANC had suffered a lot under the presidency of its former president, JZ. The alleged rape case which the ANC defended him legally and morally against the rape allegations of his daughter’s friend. ZJ was allegedly being involved in fraud with Shabir Shaik, but the ANC looked away. Comrade Bathabile Dlamini was the defender of JZ at all costs and her ANC. JZ was given all the accolades and the powerful office in South through the ANC, despite what was in front of the world. NPA under Shauwn Abrahams and Mokotedi Mpshe were ANC enablers in getting JZ to ascend to the presidency or survive the road towards the presidency. The ANC’s heroes’ party’s demise is a self-inflicted pain. The state capture allegations, the ANC defended its struggle hero, JZ. The ANC then changed its tune and want JZ to face the state capture commission, too little too late. The state-owned entities were slaughtered under the ANC and JZ’s skills. JZ, the current president of MK dislodged the ANC in the national and provincial elections. Most of MKP votes could have made the ANC majority party nationally and in KZN (Makgoale 2024:1-15).
CHAPTER TWO
ZIMBABWE’S DREAD DEFERRED
In the dawn of freedom, a party did rise,
ZANU-PF, with promises, and a people’s compromise,
But from the start, the seeds of failure were sown,
Of authoritarianism, and a people’s rights overthrown.
Gukurahundi’s dark stain, a genocide untold,
A brutal suppression, of opposition, young and old,
The Matabeleland massacres, a wound that won’t heal,
A legacy of violence, that ZANU-PF can’t conceal.
Economic mismanagement, and corruption’s cancer,
Hyperinflation’s devastation, and a people’s plunder,
The land reform chaos, and the collapse of the state,
A once-thriving nation, reduced to poverty and wait.
Mugabe’s iron grip, and a reign of fear and might,
A dynasty of dictatorship, that crushed dissenting light,
The people suffered, while the elite did thrive,
A tale of two Zimbabwe’s, where freedom did not survive.
The promise of Uhuru, and a brighter future’s call,
Was lost in the shadows, of ZANU-PF’s wall,
Of oppression, corruption, and a people’s betrayed trust,
A legacy of failure, that will forever be unjust.
By Dr Sefoko Ramoshaba
CHAPTER THREE
AFRICAN LIBERATION DEFERRED
Our liberators, freedom fighters.
They fought for our brighter Africa.
Where everyone is equal, and inequalities will end.
They fought for justice, equality, and freedom for all.
From Cape to Cairo.
Freedom came but poverty and underdevelopment lingers.
Political internal conflicts, mismanagement of the economy and kleptocracy,
Destroyed all the gains brought by freedom.
Africa is a coup de tat continent.
Africa full of civil war.
But
Politicians and their families are filthy rich.
The black population still living in squalor.
Squalor under the freedom from colonialism, oppression, and apartheid.
The gains of freedom have been eroded by freedom fighters.
I mean politicians.
Authoritarianism, and dictatorships in Zimbabwe.
The lost liberation momentum under Mugabe and Mnangagwa,
Kenneth Kaunda, Mabutu Seseko, Dos Santos, Kamuza Banda, King Mswati’s.
Paul Kagam the Great lakes war lord.
Yoweri Museveni, Kamuza Banda, Idi Amin, Sani Abacha,
Teodorin Obiang, Arap Mooi, ad infinitum.
Mozambique follows Zimbabwe with the 2024 elections kleptocracy.
Beat, maim, jail, and kill opposition leaders.
Replaced the ideals, of a brighter freedom for all.
Freedom is for ANC, FRELIMO, ZANU PF, SWAPO, MPLA, ad infinitum.
Economic struggles, poverty, unemployment, and inequalities continues.
Countries depend on foreign aid from the former oppressors and colonialists.
The irony of the African freedom fighters.
Fight the enemy and go back and bag for aid.
Undermined the progress, and the people’s trade.
Yet still we hope, for a renewed stride,
Towards true freedom, and a people’s pride,
For African liberation, to rise anew,
With leaders who serve, and a people’s voice, true.
By Dr Sefoko Ramoshaba
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ANC. 1994. A Basic Guide to the Reconstruction and Development Programme. ANC. https://www.anc1912.org.za/policy-documents-1994-a-basic-guide-to-the-reconstruction-and-development-programme/
BBC News. 2008. Julius Malema: ANC Expels Fiery Youth Leader. Accessed on the 16 August 2024 on https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-17215155
Bottger, J.F. and Rothbone, M. 2016. The Marikana Massacre, Labour, Capitalism: Towards the Recoeurian Alternative. North-West University. file:///C:/Users/sefokor/Downloads/The_Marikana_Massacre_labour_and_capitalismToward.pdf
Chigwedere, 2009. The Human Cost of Misguided South African HIV Policies. Harvard Public School of Health. Harvard University. Accessed on the 27 July 2022 on https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/spr09aids/
Cull, P. 2009. 160 Found Guilty of Fraud in the Eastern Cape. The Herald, 23 November 2009.
Dean, S and Gretener, J. 2024. South Africa’s ANC Kicks Former President Jacob Zuma Out of the Party He once Led. CNN News. Accessed 31 July 2024 on https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/29/africa/jacob-zuma-expelled-from-anc-intl/index.html
Fassie, B. 1990. The Black President. Lyricfind. CCP Records. Accessed on the
25/07/2022 on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_President_(song)
Gathara, P. 2019. What Went Wrong with Liberation Movements in Africa: The Anti-Colonial Movements in Africa did not Liberate the People; they only Liberated the State. Aljareeza. Accessed on the 28/07/2022 on https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/9/9/what-went-wrong-with-african-liberation
Goto, K and Ogunnubi, O. 2014. Corruption and Development in Africa: Critical Reflections from Post-Apartheid South Africa. A Journal of Lumina. Vol. 4(1): 48-69.
Hall, D. 2006. Reflections on South Africa’s Oiko’s Journey: From Apartheid to Democracy. On the Discussion of Oiko’s Journey Document. Diakonia Centre Diakonia. World Council of Churches: Durban.
Larson, Z. 2019. “South Africa: Twenty-Five Years Since Apartheid” Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspectives. Accessed on the 25/07/2022 on https://origins.osu.edu/article/south-africa-mandela-apartheid-ramaphosa- zuma-corruption?language_content_entity=en#:~:text=Members%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Cborn%20free,the%20first%20time%20in%202014.&text=Twenty%2Dfive%20years%20ago%2C%20South,engaged%20in%20a%20peaceful %20revolution.
Kalombo, G. 2005. Understanding Corruption in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Gauteng Experience. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press.
Kroukamp, H. 2006. Corruption with Particular Reference to the Public Institutions. The Evil of all Evils. A Journal of Public Administration. Vol. 14(2): 1-12.
Makgoale, O. 2024. Agent of Destruction: Why is Zuma Stabbing the ANC in the Belly. Daily Maverick. Accessed on the 08 September 2024 on https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2024-09-08-agent-of-destruction-why-is-zuma-stabbing-the-anc-in-the-belly/
McKenna A. 2024. The Economic Freedom Fighters. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Julius-Malema
Mwareya, R. 2023. South Africa: Zuma’s Rebellion Threatens Ramaphosa’s Campaign. The African Report.Com. https://www.google.com/search?q=south+africa%3A+zuma%27s+rebellion+threatens+ramaphosa%27s+campaign&rlz=1C1GCEB_enZA992ZA1104&oq=south+africa%3A+zuma%27s+rebellion+threatens+ramaphosa%27s+campaign&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCzE1MzQyODlqMGo0qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Ndaba, B. 2022. ANC leaders assisted Guptas to weaken the state and the party: ANC discussion document on state capture. Pretoria News, 28 July 2022. https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria- news/news/anc-leaders-assisted-guptas-to-weaken-the-state-and-the-party- anc-discussion-document-on-state-capture-67211a6e-bc9b-415f-9e42- 509879a636e1
Nietzsche, F. 1886. Beyond Good and Evil. John Mamoun, Charles Franks, David Widger and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. https://gutenberg.org/files/4363/4363-h/4363-h.htm
News24. 2016. ANC Northern Cape Devasted by Block’s 15 Year Jail Sentence. https://www.news24.com/News24/anc-northern- cape-devastated-by-blocks-15-year-sentence-20161206
Maseko, B. 2020. South Africa’s Zondo Commission: Damning Report Exposes Rampant Corruption Bare. BBC News, Johannesburg, 23 June 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa- 61912737
Mbeki, T. 2005. Mbeki Calls for Score Card to Fight an End to Corruption.
The Herald, p.8.
Myburgh, P. 2019. Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magushule’s Web of Capture. Penguin Publishers.
Ramaphosa, C. 2020. A Letter to ANC Members. ANC: 23 August 202.
Reuters. 2008. South Africa’s Lekota Leads a Breakaway Party. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/factbox-south-africa-s- lekota-leads-breakaway-party-idUSTRE4BF24U/
African Research Institute. 2022. “South Africa” A Chapter on the Investigations into the Post-Apartheid Corruption Scandal is Released. @ 2022John Wiley and Sons.
RSA. 1996. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Government Printers.
Shubin, Z. 2018. The Rise and Fall of Jacob Zuma. The Brazilian Journal of Strategic and International Relations. Vol. 07(13): 48-63.
South African History Online. 2019. African National Congress Timeline from 1990-1999. SAHO@21. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/african-national-congress-timeline-1990- 1999
Stone, S. 2022. “Incompetent Leaders Must Step Aside”. City Press, 25 July 2022. https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/incompetent-leaders-must-step-aside-phosa-20220725
TNT Magazine. 2008. Lekota Warns of ANC Dangers. https://www.tntmagazine.com/archive/lekota-warns-of-anc-dangers/
Tshabalala, T. 2009. Selebi Case on Hold Again. Mail and Guardian. http://mg.co.za/article/2009-04-14-Selebi-case-on-hold-again
Westhuizen, C. 2007. The White Power and The Rise and Fall of the National Party. Zebra Press.
Zeeman, K. 2022. Zondo Report A Summary of the First Four Parts, and Who It Implicated. The Corruption Watch 15 June 2022. https://www.google.com/search?q=zondo+report%3A+a+summary+of+the+first+four+parts+and+who+it+implicated&rlz=1C1GCEB_enZA992ZA1104&oq=zondo+report%3A+a+summary+of+the+first+four+parts+and+who+it+implicated&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCjUxNTIzajBqMTWoAgiwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
CHAPTER TWO
POLITICAL THOUGHT AND CRITIQUE
REVOLUTIONARIES VERSUS QUESTIONABLE ETHICS & CONDUCT: IS EFF A DYING HORSE & ITS POLITITCAL ETHICS DILLY-DAlLING?
EFF’s Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu once revered ANC Youth League Leaders. They were the firebrands for the economic transformation in our lifetime. They were unceremoniously expelled from the ANC with the others who are not relevant for today. Julius Malema believed that former ANC president Jacob Zuma made him to be chased away as part of ANC’s factional politics and there was evidential merit tendered during his disciplinary hearings.
They later created a vibrant and attractive voice for the disillusioned youth and the poorly trodden. Their young voices and political party were a role model of how an African political alternative voice can be created. The EFF was emulated in countries like Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Botswana because they were the youth leaders to be reckoned with in South Africa and beyond. Julius Malema visited countries like Kenya, Ghana, and Liberia as a ploy to strengthen the EFF’s influence in Africa and beyond.
The EFF attracted publicly recognised leaders from all spheres of life like Ringo Madlingozi, Fana Mokoena, Mbuyiseni Dlozi, Mzwanele Manyi, Carl Niehaus, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane and the Adv Dali Mpofu. It was growing in leaps and bounds. It was the most notable political party that broke away from the ANC to fully challenge the ANC since the dawn of democracy in South Africa, except the 2024 elections where it stagnated.
The EFF made it to the parliament after the 2014 national assembly elections and had a good showing. It sent a significant amount of its members to the national assembly. The EFF portrayed a posture of a corruption buster where it helped South Africans in exposing the Nkandla man and his abuse of taxpayer’s money. It coined words like “Pay Back the Money” and Baba Ka Duduzane as part of their quest to attack the corrupt ANC and its leadership in the name of Baba Ka Duduzane. The EFF used its tactics, though strange measures in South African parliamentary existence like disrupting parliament sessions and speakers or walking out or howling in parliament. It also used the legal framework like the courts to challenge the decisions of the ANC in parliament which seemed unethical.
The EFF had flip flop in their political strategies or public discourse. Which challenged its own anti-corruption stand and the self-made ethical party that challenged the ANC left and right. It challenged the then Public Protector (Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane left and right and called her a former spy of the national spy agency. They fought a good cause some of us non-EFF members were impressed by these young fighters. When Jaco Zuma was recalled, they seemed to have been dislodged by the entry of Cyril Ramaphosa in parliament because their existence and growth was based on the weakness of the ANC and Jacob Zuma in upholding the RSA Constitution and being lacklustre in fighting and condemning corruption in its ranks.
The EFF condemns corruption or abuse of poor people’s money except the VBS money which it benefited. The wealth which was created by poor people who live close to Floyd Shivambu in Malamulele. It can take close to 15 minutes from Basani Village to Thoyondou where VBS was based. How can Julius and Floyd does not seem to be fighting for people from their province and not condemn the collapse of VBS or appreciate the arrest of VBS looters.
Freedom fighters and leftist comrades do not keep quiet. They never kept quiet about Nkandla and Phala Phala scandals. The EFF did not support the state capture commission as corruption busters. Even the work of Pravin Gordan against state capture was “negated” by them. The EFF did not grow in Limpopo in terms of the 2024 national elections results.
The EFF and the BVS scandal may be blamed because they are quiet about the plight of their parents and grandparents who invested in the VBS. They now adored the Nkandla man and had tea with him in Nkandla. They condemn the jailing of the Nkandla man, the favoured all the people who are allegedly accused of corruption and seems to hate anyone who seemed to be a corruption buster.
They gave positions to non-EFF deserving members, leaving behind real EFF members, people like Karl Niehaus, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Jimy Manyi and infinitum. Then lost the 2024 elections or never grew. The Nkandla Man is now stealing alleged VBS Commissars Floyd Shivambu, a Marxist. Non-deserving members have just left Julius Malema red-faced. EFF seems radar less, but a “one man show” seemed obvious.
The Nkandla Man has beaten Malema the way he has beaten and drowned the ANC since the 2007 ANC Polokwane Conference, where he was the darling of Baba Ka Duduzane. Baba Ka Duduzane, and your acceptance of people with questionable ethics and non-deserving EFF members will destroy the EFF and your soul.
Malema should have known better because JZ used him prior to the monumental 2007 Polokwane Conference to ascend to ANC power and the RSA Presidency. Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi were used like “condoms”. The used condom is always and always thrown away, not in public. They were thrown in public like a condom used in a student music bash or festivals bushes and bathrooms by drunk revellers.
ATLEAST VAVI LEARNED, IT SEEMS AND LOOK LIKE HE LEARNED.
MALEMA BELIEVES IN THE SAYING THAT SAYS “IN POLITICS THERE IS NO PERMANENT ENEMIES.
It is true, Floyd Shivambu and Advocate Dali Mpofu proved that the saying is true. They moved from EFF where they were JZ tormentors to MKP senior members, after forcing JZ to pay back the Nkandla Gate misused public funds.
Floyd Shivambu, Fana Hlongwane, Advocate Dali Mpofu, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Mzwanele Manyi, Gugu Mtshali, and Khumbulani Langa. They have showed Malema that in politics there is no permanent enemies and went further permanent friendship.
The master class is Carl Niehaus who showed JZ that in politics there is no enduring friendship.
I wonder Carl Niehaus and Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi will endure endless “dictatorship”
SHAME ON DR MBUYISENI NDLOZI, YOU DESERVE BETTER MY BROTHER, MAYBE AN ACADEMIC IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND OR POLITICAL SCIENCE. YOU WILL REMAIN A POLITICAL COMMENTOR. YOUR NAME IS IN PEOPLE’S HEARTS.
MALEMA PFUKA MANI
VUKA BOO!!!!
TSOGA WARRA
TSOHA WARRICKS
NO MORE NKANDLA TEA.
THE NKANDLA TEA MALEMA WENT TO DRINK CAME BACK TO BITE HIS
STOMACH.
THE ONLY MEDICATION TO THE UNSETTLING STOMACK IS TO JOIN THE MK PARTY WARRA. UNLESS YOU ARE STRONG
CHAPTER THREE
POLITICAL THOUGHT AND CRITIQUE
THE CURSE OF A BLACK CHILD’S FUTURE: MALIGN UNIVERSITIES
The cry by Vaal University of Technology (VUT) SRC President is a cry for help during August 2024 Parliamentary Portfolio committee briefing on Higher Education, is a cry from a Black child in South Africa’s historical universities. Most historically Black universities or current Black dominated universities are badly run. Some Vice Chancellors of University council are poor leaders or there is no willingness to manage our educational assets properly. Its systems these management structures cannot manage even a village post office. How can a university function properly when the university cannot manage to finish just a construction or maintenance of university infrastructure. A remarkably simple task that requires a proper procurement system. Universities does not have enough resources while students, parents, sponsors, and the government provide these universities with subsidies.
Some of these universities cannot provide basic learning and teaching assets, let alone research facilities. Some universities (like VUT) have been under constant Government led Administration because they are unable to have qualified and suitable leadership. Some universities are crippled by the political meddling buy outside political figures without an interest in education. It baffles one’s mind because historically white universities do not have the same challenges of leadership or instability like the historical Black universities. Ooh, let us blame apartheid and the white man’s damage of the education of the Black child and its collapse more than 30 years of democracy and freedom. Or does it make sense that our current government is failing, local government is dead, and the delivery of services has collapsed like many Black universities. Some universities just like some government departments and or local municipalities are just criminal enterprises for figures who do not have an interest in the future of our country and a Black child.
How many universities have been subjected to government led leadership interventions. Why government leadership interventions do not work or seems to be a total failure as universities relapses after some successful interventions. Can government be a correct arbiter in a university leadership crisis while our government is under a crisis of leadership. NSFAS is an example of the failures by the government and or the Department of Higher Education. NSFAS fails to pay students their well-deserved stipends, fails to give students their bursary applications responses, NSFAS has the same leadership crisis that most historically Black universities are facing, allegation of a criminal enterprise beset by ill-advised political meddling and or crony capitalism.
One big question: Can a sick patient treat another sick patient? The answer is a big NO. It clearly indicates that the failure of universities lies squarely on our political leadership’s failure which dominates the hiring of university management, sometimes along the political party lines. Some Vice-Chancellors never deserved to sit on top of universities leadership positions, at all. It happens in South Africa, where the future of our children is slaughtered at the alter like “THE LUST FOR JESUS CHRIST BLOOD”.
Our students and their student leaders are genuinely provoked by the failure of the Department of Higher Education, NSFAS and poor university leadership and mismanagement. Normally, students in these universities are called thugs, and or hooligans while the students are left with no choice because they are being frustrated day in and day out. They sleep on the floors, inside dilapidated, unsafe, and unhygienic buildings, corruption enterprises destroy their future and their right to education. Their bright future is being butchered in front of them, willy- nilly. Just Like the Bosasa Gate, Kandla Gate and the GUPTA’s state capture.
Most students turn aggressive and turns into aggressive violent protests because someone is blocking their right to education just in front of their eyes. Every beginning of an academic year students suffers at the hands of ineffective and inefficient NSFAS and or badly prepared universities. They accept a child from previously disadvantaged community but not ready to service the child. The students are their own at these universities and they are left with no choice, their voices cannot be heard by NSFAS and university management. Most historical universities management are agent provocateurs, they provoke students to turn into violent and aggressive protests. Justly and justifiably so. Frustration-Aggressive Actions are the results of poor leadership by NSFAS and universities’ management.
THE COUNTRIES’ LEADERSHIP SILENCE AND FAILURES PROVOKE THE STUDENTS AND IT WON’T BE LONG, WE WILL BACK TO A FEESMUSTFALL LIKE REVOLUTION WE ARE NOT READY MANAGE.
CHAPTER FOUR
FAILED REVOLUTIONARIES-AFRICAN PRESIDENTS
SICK TOURISTS
African politicians go to overseas hospitals when they are sick because they know they have failed to build proper healthcare facilities for their own countries and their citizens. What a vote of no confidence on their leadership abilities and capabilities.
“There is an African idiom that if a man does not eat at home, he may never give his wife enough money to cook a good pot of soup. This might just be true when applied to politicians on the continent seeking medical help anywhere but home.”
African leaders bring shame to Africans by promising them better life while failing to build health infrastructure and go overseas, mostly to the former colonialists which they claim to hate.
The South African Health Minister, the Honourable Aaron Mostoaledi had admonished African leaders who visits overseas health facilities when they are sick instead of their own countries’ health facilities. He coined the “word Health Tourism”.
“Africa’s public health systems are in a depressing condition. Preventable diseases still kill a large number of women and children, people travel long distances to receive health care, and across the continent patients sleep on hospital floors. On top of this, Africa’s health professionals emigrate in droves to search for greener pastures”
| FORMER PRESIDENTS/VC PRESIDENT | TREATED OR DIED |
| JZ ZUMA (RSA) | RUSSIA |
| DD MABUZA (VICE PRESIDENT: RSA) | RUSSIA |
| RG MUGABE (ZIMBABWE) | SINGAPORE 8 240kms from Zimbabwe |
| M BUHARI (NIGERIA) | UK/LONDON |
| U.M. YAR’ ADUA (NIGERIA) | SAUDI ARABIA |
| A BONGO (GABON) | SAUDI ARABIA |
| M. SATA (ZAMBIA) | LONDON |
| L. MWANARI (ZAMBIA) | FRANCE |
| P. TALON (BENIN) | PARIS |
| M. BACAI (GEINUI BISSAI) | UK |
| M. ZENAWI (ETHOPIA) | BELGIUM |
| B. MUTHARIKA (MALAWI) | RSA |
| E. LUNGU (ZAMBIA) | RSA |
| P. BIYA (CAMEROON) | EUROPE |
These African leaders are embarrassing the African continent to the world, they fail to build world class health facilities in their countries. They use their taxpayers’ monies to go overseas to be healed while their taxpayers use poor and unsanitary. health facilities. Former Nigerian President Buhari won the presidential elections in 2017 on the ticket that he will end “sick-tourism” by building world class facilities. But he became well deserving sick-tourist himself, United Kingdom tourist.
Dos Santos of Angola failed to create better health facilities while he was a prudent of the country for 38 years. RG Mugabe was a president for 37 years and he is as shameless and reprehensible to their true revolutionary prowess and characters.
REFERENCES:
1. African leaders prefer overseas to local health care – The Mail & Guardian
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwylyeled6lo
3. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41081106
CHAPTER FIVE
DREAM DEFERRED-POOR AFRICANS (RICH PRESIDENTS)
RICH AFRICAN SADISTIC PRESIDENTS BUT POOR AFRICANS THEY LEAD AND LED
(ESTIMATED WEALTH)
The African leaders below treated their countries and the people as their piggy bags where they can steal willy nilly. The worked tirelessly to enrich themselves and their families and left the poor Africans destitute, living in squalor sometimes their places smells like human dung because of underdevelopment. Ibrahim Babangida, Arab Mooi, Hosni Mubarak and Teodoro Obiang are all worth more than $500 million.
Why are Africans nonsense tolerant when sadistic presidents, despots and dictators steal willy nilly. Why Africans had to look for overseas for better life while their leaders and their families are using their long fingers to steal from them, to steal what is duly theirs. Africans are cowards or the presidents have used muti or black magic on us to be nonsense tolerant. Africa, Wake, Vuka,
“The Los Angeles Times reported over the weekend that deceased Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi had “secretly salted away more than $200 billion in bank accounts, real estate and corporate investments around the world before he was killed.” The story was repeated around the world, with various news sites reporting that Gadhafi died richer than the three richest people on the planet – Carlos Slim, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett – combined.”
Communities and the civil society must pick the spar and fight these presidents, despots, and dictators. The war must start now, and we must reclaim our countries and their minerals.
| SADISTIC PRESIDENTS | ESTIMATED NET WORTH |
| ARAB MOOI- | STOLE BILLIONS FROM HIS COUNTRY. |
| MOBUTU SESEKO-ZAIRE (DRC) | $1 TO $BILLION AMASSED WEALTH |
| SANI ABACHA-NIGERIA | $3 BILLION OF HIDDEN MONEY |
| IBRAHIM BABANGIDA-NIEGRIA | $12 BILLION LAUNDERED TO PROXIES IN 1992 GULF WAR |
| HOSNI MUBARAK-EGYPT | $70 BILLION |
| TEODIRIN OBIANG-EQUOTORIAL GUINEA | $10 MILLION CAR COLLECTION $30 MILLION MALIBU MANSION $2 MILLION MICHEAL JACKSON MEMORABILIA $38.5 MILLION GULF STREAM JET |
| MUAMAR GHADAFI-LIBYIA | MIGHT HAVE DIED THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD? |
| RG MUGABE-ZIMBABWE | $10 MILLION BEHIND, NO WILL |
| DOS SANTOS-ANGOLA | $20 MILLION |
| KAMUZA BANDA-MALAWI | $320 MILLION |
| PAUL KAGAME-RWANDA | $500 MILLION |
| YOWERI MUSEVENI | $50 MILLION |
| JG ZUMA-SOUTH AFRICA | $20 MILLION, EVEN THOU REPORTED TO BE BANKRUPT |
| IDRIS DERBY-CHAD | $50 MILLION |
| KING MSWATHI III | $100 MILLION, HE ALSO CONTROL ESWATHIN WEARLTH |
| ISAIAS AWERKI-ERITREA | $180 MILLION |
| ALLASSANE QUATTARA-IVORY COST | $185 MILLION |
| EL SISI-EGYPT | $185 MILLION |
| PAUL BIYA-CAMEROON | $200 MILLION/$500 MILLIOM |
| AKUFO ADO-GHANA | $250 MILLION |
| WILLIAM RUTO-KENYA | $305 MILLION |
| PATRICE TALON | $400 MILLION |
| UHURU KENYATA-KENYA | $500 MILLION |
| CYRL RAMAPHOSA-SOUTH AFRICA | $450 MILLION |
| AL BASHIR-SUDAN | $1 BILLION |
| ALI BONGO-GABON | $1 BILLION |
| AHMED TINUBU-NIGERIA | $4 BILLION |
| KING MOHAMMED IV-CAMEROON | $2-8.2 BILLION |
REFERENCES: