Jerry Matebesi says the ANC has been infiltrated by Cope members, who are shrinking the ANC majority by establishing their own party.
The ANC in the North West Province has erred by elevating and giving Cope renegades strategic positions rather than its loyal members, who have never betrayed the ANC by joining splinter groups and opposition parties.
Today, former Cope members who arrived yesterday in the ANC are running the ANC’s elections machinery as if there was a crisis of leadership in the ANC. Members of the ANC in return are scared to speak out against this unfortunate development.
The majority of ANC members raise their dissatisfaction in private and fail to confront the leadership of the ANC on this matter.
This matter of glorifying traitors, conspirators, back-stabbers and betrayers is attributed to the low morale of ANC members and the snail’s pace of ANC elections work in the province.
As a product of the ANC Youth League, I would not keep quiet when wrong things were done in the organisation simply because I am afraid that I would not be considered for patronage or I would be targeted where I am currently deployed. If I am targeted for speaking truth to power, so be it!
The history of the ANC in this province is littered with skeletons of those who paid the ultimate price for facing the truth and speaking truth to power.
Borrowing from the late Steve Biko, I can only conclude that fear has become an important determinant in the politics of the ANC in the North West Province. Even the ANC Youth League, which is a preparatory school of the ANC and a militant wing of the ANC, has closed its eyes to this anomaly in the congress movement. The constitution of the ANC stipulates the duration that qualifies a new member to serve in its various constitutional structures.
Common law (established practices that are not based on statutes) in the ANC is that seniority is respected and recognised in the organisation.
Common law in the ANC also dictates that critical responsibilities are bestowed upon those whose loyalty has been tested.
The royal treatment accorded to people who wanted to harm the ANC and to see the demise of the ANC corroborate the popular view that Cope was established by people who are currently leading the ANC in this province.
The red carpet prepared for these traitors from Cope confirms that the ANC has been seriously infiltrated. Remember these are traitors who climbed mountains and shouted at the top of their lungs, telling anybody who cared to listen that the current president of the ANC, Jacob Zuma, is a rapist. Remember these are traitors who shrank the ANC’s two-thirds majority in the 2009 elections by establishing Cope, which contributed towards splitting ANC votes.
Remember these are conspirators who served the ANC with divorce papers after failing to accept the outcome of a democratic process. The argument of saying that people who defected to Cope and other organisations should be recruited back and be given senior positions in the ANC before loyal members is baseless and undermines the ANC’s internal unity and cohesion.
The proponents of this approach believe that in order to weaken Cope, its members should be recruited and be given strategic positions in the ANC. But Cope in my view is no longer a factor in the politics of South Africa. Cope is not a threat to the ANC, just like the PAC, Cope is a flat spare tyre that is useless. For crying out loud, Cope has yet to hold its elective congress after three-and-a-half years of existence and its leadership is locked in a protracted power struggle.
Just like Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters, the survival of Cope is dependent on the exploitation of mass media and capturing headlines through bombast and intrigue. What exceptional skills, quality and value are these traitors contributing to the organisation for them to receive this warm reception?
Can we trust these traitors with the ANC’s critical information, especially as we head towards elections? Are these traitors not eating the ANC from inside?
I would not be shocked if it were announced that traitors are dominating the ANC’s lists processes and they have been elected into the constitutional structures of the ANC. I would not be shocked if we were told that traitors have been recommended for the premiership after next year’s elections. The ANC is replete with talent and loyal members who have experience, political acumen and administrative discipline to run ANC elections machinery.
Just look around and you will realise that the ANC, its leagues, mass democratic movements and its alliance have produced leaders of stature who can do ANC work without expecting anything in return.
In case the ANC suffers from amnesia in this province, these are the people who can do ANC work: Sam Mokaila, Kgotso Khumalo, Bushy Mahape, Shellwood Nale, Nono Maloyi, Ntsha Makokoe, Perlecia Motswening, Final Kgodumo, Thato Magogodi, Baba Gaoganediwe, Tebogo Modise, Tebogo Seokolo, Mike Kgaremetsa, Priscilla Williams, Rramotubatsi JJ Oupa Mosia, Connie Mantsha Modiba, the late Tebogo Kaweng, Pontsho Kgosieeng, Boy Gaoreekwe, Langa Modise, Seetibaleng Alfred Dikole, Modisenayne Disco Segapo, Darkey Afrika, Kgotso Khasu, Jomo Khasu, Bebeir Khasu, Molefi Hlahla, Thabo Kgobe, Moeti Moiloa, Molefi Andrew Masiu, Oupa Sebolai, Sabata Molefi, George Lekgetho, Modise Motsei, Tikane Thabang, Moseki Letlhogile, Smuts Matshe, Obakeng Mongale, Johnny Motlogelwa, Omphemetse Tshwaro, Kurata Makhoba, Joseph Qelesile, Lekgowa Mahole, Kabelo Andrew, Philly Mapulane, Pinky Mokoto.
The list goes on and on and on…
* Jerry Matebesi is a former spokesman of the ANC Youth League in the North West Province
** The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Independent Newspapers
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