Johnathan Paoli
Former President Jacob Zuma said during Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party’s “People’s Mandate” launch amid celebration and traditional dancing in Orlando Stadium in Soweto, on Saturday – that giving power to traditional authorities remained vital in the project of transformation and returning dignity to the African majority of South Africa.
Zuma presented the party’s key pillars: including “reclaiming and revitalising the economy, addressing the unemployment crisis, enhancing social justice, and nationalising the Reserve Bank, mines and land distribution” to thousands of his supporters who had filled the 40 000 capacity stadium..
One of the key objectives of the party’s manifesto is to create an additional government of recognised kings, queens and other traditional leaders, while another is what the party has called reclaiming of the people’s dignity with the implementation of all indigenous languages at schools, legal proceedings and government institutions, Zuma said.
After initial glitches and delays in arrivals and the late start of the march from the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando West to the stadium – led by the MK party’s Youth League – the launch proceeded to much fun fair and music.
Popular musician Papa Penny gave a sterling performance after his much publicised resignation from the ANC as its councillor in Giyani this week.
On arrival, Zuma outlined an account on the historic formation of the African National Congress (ANC)’s military wing, Umkhonto weSizwe during the struggle against apartheid.
He said in light of the ongoing abuse suffered by the people, with increasing unemployment and unacceptable living conditions; the party represented a return to a project of transformation which listened to the people and respected their dignity.
“There are those who may say we are doing wrong things, but we are walking in the paths of our ancestors. We didn’t arrive here to form the MK party because we wanted to, but because we’ve been abused and undermined,” Zuma said.
The party envisaged a return of the voice of traditional leaders, Zuma said, and that a united Black majority, voting together for a two thirds majority would return respect to the people of the country adding that traditional leaders have retained a special role in South Africa, in light of their ownership of land.
Zuma further called for transformation of the law as well as education and raised concerns surrounding the land issue.
“We will end Roman Dutch law, we want African law. We will bring those proposed new laws. We want free education for poor children. Settlers pushed us to poverty when they took our land,” Zuma charged.
The ruling party was not spared criticisms by Zuma who accused its leadership in government of leading the country astray and spoke about his alleged persecution by the judiciary.
Before the MK rally on Saturday, the party’s head of elections Muzi Ntshingila, was quoted as saying despite some initial challenges in the management of the rally, the party remained confident of the launching of what he called “the people’s mandate”.
He clarified that the party had decided to launch a “people’s mandate” following consultation with communities, as opposed to a manifesto based on electioneering.
“We do not have a manifesto in MK. A manifesto is what other parties would promise the people of this country. Ours is different. We do roadshows, getting ideas, circumstances and demands. But also proposals from the SA community as to what it is they want their future to be like. So it’s a mandate of the people, for the people and the people’s power. That is what we’re launching here today,” Ntshingila said.
On Thursday, party deputy secretary general Arthur Zwane and youth league spokesperson Nkateko Mkhabelo also campaigned at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Zwane and Gauteng provincial fundraiser Gabisile Shongwe held a blitz campaign at Bree Street Taxi Rank and other parts of the Johannesburg CBD on Wednesday, while Moses Mabhida region ward coordinators met to discuss the party’s readiness for the launch.
On Tuesday, dozens of MK supporters also conducted a door-to-door campaign in Kliptown and Eldorado Park in Johannesburg.
While the party has made significant inroads in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, it has experienced less than encouraging support from the other provinces, prompting some to speculate about its future as a regional power.
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