The African National Congress is heating up its rhetorical campaign against those groups it labels ”ultra-left”.
ANC Gauteng secretary David Makhura told a meeting of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) last month that it was time ”ultra-revolutionaries” were removed from the trade union.
Makhura’s attack came at a time when there was infighting at the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppawu), a Cosatu affiliate, that resulted in some of Ceppawu’s leadership leaving to form a new union.
”Why do they start a political fight and when they are beaten they cry foul?” Makhura asked.
”Basazakubethwa [They will continue to be beaten]… Cosatu is a contested terrain and in this province the ultra-revolutionaries must be given a tough time because they are working day and night to divide Cosatu unions … The ultra-revolutionaries have nowhere to hide.”
According to Anti-Privatisation Forum spokesperson Dale McKinley, these comments could be interpreted as aiming to encourage violence.
”The ANC is upping the rhetoric as the election approaches. The speech was hugely inflammatory. To us it says this is an open season. They are saying it is okay to attack ultra-revolutionaries, which is what they call us.”
Makhura, however, denied the allegations. ”All we are saying is that if they want to fight the ANC let them establish a political party and contest elections so that we beat them.”