October 16 to 22 2009

One Masetlha, one bullet?

Billy Masetlha’s comments (‘ANC backlash against the left”, October 9) distort history. He says that in the past the ANC fired a lot of comrades who pushed the socialist agenda.

Yet the 2001 national working committee discussion document ‘Through the Eye of a Needle?” states that ‘individual members and leaders will have differing opinions— The strength of revolutionary organisation lies — in the ability to synthesise these views and emerge with the wisest possible approach.”

Many communists and trade unionists have served the ANC without contradictions in their duties. At no stage were communists or socialists fired from the ANC. There was an attempt by Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and others in the 1940s to push for the ANC to go it alone, and they tried to force African communists to choose between the ANC and the Communist Party. This motion was defeated.

Others left the ANC because of perceived communist influence. In 1955, after the adoption of the Freedom Charter, some left to form the Pan Africanist Congress, claiming among other things that the charter was a socialist document. In 1975, the ‘Group of Eight” complained that the ANC and its then president, Oliver Tambo, were controlled by the communists (compare Masetlha criticising President Jacob Zuma). The national executive committee (NEC) expelled the group from the ANC.

Recently, a group led by Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa left the ANC because they could not live with the democratic decisions taken at Polokwane. They formed the Congress of the People (Cope). They also claimed the ANC was controlled by the communists.

The ANC is an omnibus, a broad church consisting of communists and non-communists, different religious groupings, black and white. All members enjoy equal membership status. But the ANC’s 1969 ‘Strategy and Tactics” document defines ‘black workers: employed and unemployed, rural and urban” as ‘the main motive force and the leader of the process of change”.

When communists participate in ANC structures they do so in their individual capacities as ANC members. They have rights and duties enshrined in the ANC constitution. — Thulani Tshozana, an official of the National Union of Mineworkers, writing in his personal capacity

Masetlha’s courage in speaking out needs to be encouraged within the ANC. Thabo Mbeki, Dumisani Makhaye, Joel Netshitenzhe, Josiah Jele and Jabu Moleketi first warned about the agenda of the ‘new left” to transform the ANC into a socialist party. Mbeki said: ‘The SACP cannot delegate task of the socialist revolution to the ANC and the ANC cannot delegate tasks of the national democratic revolution to the SACP.”

Why are policies of the ANC articulated by Cosatu and the SACP? Is this the Zanufication and Stalinisation of the ANC? If anyone articulates sound policy he or she is labelled an enemy of the working class.

If the ANC becomes socialist, there is no need for the existence of the SACP. Both Blade Nzimande and Gwede Mantashe are new in the ANC, hence their behaviour is different to that of Govan Mbeki, Yusuf Dadoo, Moses Kotane and Chris Hani. The post-Hani communists know very little of Marxism-Leninism. Leaders such as Kgalema Motlanthe, Tokyo Sexwale and Mathews Phosa, must shake off the shackles of fear and defend the ANC and Masetlha. This task cannot be delegated to Julius Malema. On which side is JZ in these squabbles within the ‘2009 class project”?

I challenge veterans such as John Nkadimeng, Reggie September and Andrew Mlangeni to speak out against Nzimande and his ‘new left”. — Nompumelelo Shoba, Piet Retief

I was flabbergasted by Masetlha’s anti-communist and anti-trade-union comments.

What startled me is that Ntate Masetlha was present throughout the Cosatu national congress but kept his mouth shut. Instead he used the media to pursue his narrow interest, insulting our leaders in the muscular alliance and undermining the president of the ANC.

Ntate Masetlha must know that chasing communists out of the ANC is to seek to annihilate the ANC. It will be no different from the Democratic Alliance or reactionary Cope. It will lose its national-movement character and become a narrow party pursuing petty political agendas. Socialism has a fundamental platform in the ANC; to denounce it is to question the integrity of the ANC and its working-class bias. — Palesa Motshoene, media liaison officer, Young Communist League

It is regrettable that Masetlha chooses to engage with the SACP and Cosatu through the media. It is cowardly to behave in that manner. There is a sense that some in the NEC are in the grip of paranoia — where did it come from? It tells us that there are opportunists in the NEC who were elected by mistake, because no one with such a character would be worthy of a leadership position in our glorious movement. — Simphiwe Thobela, Eastern Cape

N2 Gateway still viable

Martin Legassick’s letter about the N2 Gateway housing project (‘Waffle and spin”, September 24) chooses to ignore a number of factors.

The housing crisis in South Africa was caused directly by the land and ‘group areas” policies of the apartheid regime, which saw millions dispossessed of their homes and land and banished to areas far from transport, employment opportunities, shopping and recreational facilities. Most land in the country today is still privately owned by whites. The new government has to provide housing within the constraints of the Constitution, which protects the property rights of those who benefited under apartheid.

The former minister of housing, Dr Lindiwe Sisulu, sought the advice and assistance of all the provincial MECs for housing and after consultation it was agreed that a pilot housing project would be embarked upon to determine whether the pace of housing delivery could be accelerated. The City of Cape Town, the Western Cape provincial government and the national department of housing would participate. The N2 Gateway was chosen because it is close to the city and has access to a reasonably developed existing infrastructure. The driving forces behind the project were to be the city and the province. Presentations were made by housing officials who promised that ‘housing would come out of our ears”. Officials promised that 23 000 homes would be built in two years.

The first obstacle arose when white business people in Epping objected to the Joe Slovo residents being moved to that industrial area, citing fears of crime. They threatened litigation. Similar tactics were used by white residents in other areas where the state wanted to embark on restitution projects.

After the Epping difficulties, land elsewhere had to be considered. Suitable land was identified in Delft for a temporary relocation area for those to be relocated while new housing was being constructed. All these plans had been carefully considered and developed.

But the project was beset by numerous unanticipated problems. Bureaucratic inertia caused delays and the 23 000 promised houses did not materialise. Then petty politics reared its ugly head. The temporary relocation areas were invaded, residents were encouraged not to cooperate and untrue rumours were disseminated in the community. Even the snags were exaggerated. Upon completion the project managers and the developers identified about 1000 defects, mostly minor. On average that was about 1,4 defects per unit, which compares very well with acceptable industry standards. Those were attended to. All other complaints from residents were attended to as expeditiously as possible. As part of the pilot project, then-minister Sisulu instructed the Auditor General to audit the project. The results were to be used to inform similar projects elsewhere.

Far from being a disaster, as claimed by Legassick, the N2 Gateway remains a viable project, provided all can work together and regain the trust of the residents. The law and international human rights instruments and the three tiers of government have to coordinate their efforts, in consultation with affected communities and social experts to provide advice. Legassick, rather than denigrating the project, should use his enormous talents to provide constructive guidance. — Itumeleng Kotsoane, director general, department of housing

Racism thrives on ignorance

Talk about being brave! The Mail & Guardian showed some nerve in its ‘race issue” (September 24). You are correct: race and racism should not be holy cows. The spirit of racism in South Africa thrives on ignorance, misinformation and stereotyping. The damage racism has done to black people universally is enormous and cannot be shrugged off like a cold.

Many of our white brothers and sisters honestly believe they are superior to Africans because they have been told so for so many years. The sad reality is that many black people also believe they are inferior to white people.

Reversing racism is like trying to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. Part of the problem is that we discuss the issue jokingly with our white or black friends. Many blacks do not engage with it. Many whites are terrified to mention it in case they end up being called names or lose trust and friendship. But, when it suits them, they are very quick to cry that ‘affirmative action is a reverse racism”.

Many whites deny that their high standard of living came at the expense of blacks. But when they point out that affirmative action is ‘reverse racism”, they admit that they are where they are because of their race!

Blacks are not innocent. Many times we have seen the race card flying when there is no need for it. Many have used the race card for personal career advancement, others to eliminate competition, to gag opposition or to excuse their shortcomings.

What if we started the conversation with a simple goal — to inform, engage and challenge one another? What if we all (black and white) learn to overcome the lure of excuses? What if Jacob Zuma encouraged the conversation and led from the front? What if the media created the space for it? Imagine the possibilities. The pessimist in me warns me not to raise my hopes too high, but I choose to be optimistic. — Nhlanhla Mchunu, Cape Town

Definitely not ‘anti-ANC’

I write to you with a broken heart. You have allowed references to be made to me in your respected paper without ensuring that what you are publishing complies with your press code, which prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced.

A malicious letter headed ‘The BMF [Black Management Forum] supports Manyi” (October 2) was published without verifying its statements.

Contrary to what it said (that I am ‘anti-ANC”), I am a fully active ANC branch executive committee member at Ward 16 (membership number GP 2437938).

I consulted extensively with my leadership on how to deal with this letter.

Comrade Minister Edna Molewa [department of social development] called me on October 9 after addressing the BMF conference — which I did not attend because I had already painfully resigned from the BMF. The main purpose of her call was to check on me and provide some moral support in dealing with the unfounded accusations in this letter.

Comrade Gwen Ramokgopa, executive mayor of Tshwane Metro, and Dikeledi Tsotetsi, former MP and executive mayor of Emfuleni Municipality, now in the Gauteng legislature, advised me to respond to your letter, insisting that you must publish the correct facts. — Fani Xaba, former chairperson, BMF North West

M&G responds: Letters reflect the views of readers, not those of the Mail & Guardian and its staff.

People power vs packaging

I propose that we people take up our economic power — especially now, while there is so much financial pressure — to force supermarkets to accept all the garbage that we buy from them in the form of packaging. (Some supermarkets do have a sort of collection department, but it’s not organised enough.) That trail of resource-consumption must return from whence it came, for re-use, to protect existing resources and the environment and to stop acidifying the oceans and creating soupy plastic islands. Manufacturers must accept responsibility for this. I miss the old greengrocer with his smiles and brown paper bags. Selling stuff this way would mean more employment and less packaging. — Ruth Longridge

In brief

American President Barack Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his ‘extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”. While it cannot be disputed that Obama ran a fantastic campaign based on hope, change and peaceful coexistence, very little has been translated into real and lasting change.

He is as yet an undeserving recipient and the award may come back to bite him. Americans are yet to witness the long-term ill-effects of the massive spending the Obama presidency put into effect to arrest the economic crisis. And if Iran chooses to weaponise its nuclear programme, will he have the gumption to stand up to the greatest threat the world has ever known? — Brett Chatz, Sandton

Why has Moe Shaik’s ability to handle his new tasks been doubted? His critics fail to focus on Shaik as a career diplomat or as an intelligence operative of the liberation movement. Many complain when people are appointed on the basis of political affiliation only. But here we have someone qualified with relevant experience to head our secret services. He held senior positions in the department of foreign affairs and served as a diplomat in Germany and Algeria. Who should Zuma have appointed as his chief spy? Tony Leon? Terror Lekota? — Rre Botsang Moiloa, Tshwane