As the ANC in O.R Tambo Region, we take no delight at seeing our Movement portrayed as an organization hellbent on squandering its own by fighting battles of no consequence among ourselves. At the height of the revolutionary mood we have worked hard to build, our attention is again taken away from the all-important work of uniting our people and ready ourselves for the work ahead of us. We refuse to be diverted from this work in the service of the people of our country.
We are shocked by the utterances of Cde Andile Lungisa in a public address outside the City Hall at Port Elizabeth yesterday after his release from prison on parole. More so the direct attack to the ANC Provincial Leadership specifically Provincial Chairperson and Provincial Secretary Cde Oscar Mabuyane and Cde Lulama Ngcukayitobi. We view this in a very serious light as it serves to divide us at a time when we need unity most.
While our movement is in a state of political and ideological decline, it is disturbing to note that, a person such as Andile Lungisa who correctly has grown within the structures of our youth movement should pronounce in a manner that serves fuel the fire of destroying this Movement.
It is however in times like this that revolutionaries refrain from falling into traps that can only feed the purposes of our adversaries. We stand by our leadership and we will continue to defend the forwardlooking positions we are often attacked for. There will be no diversion. We have a long way consolidating our organization to get ready for the next assignment in the service of our people.
Discipline comes first. There can be no organization without discipline. Taking public platform and do down the Movement is uncomradely and should be condemned. It is in this light that we call on all comrades to stand behind our leadership and our Movement in condemning ill discipline in our ranks and focus on building the organization.
As Comrade OR Tambo whom our region is named after once said “The ANC remains the only hope to the millions of down trodden masses of our country and we dare not fail them as history will judge us harshly”. It is against this context that as a region we refuse to be derailed and defocused on the strategic objective of the ANC which is to leberate Black people in general and African in particular.
As the Region, we will particularly call Comrade Mlibo Qobotshiyane to disabuse himself from these expressions, as the region we are in a patient and tolerant process to actively unite and renew the organization while building social cohesion amongst the structures of the ANC, our communities and with individual activist.
To quote Aristotle “Anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy”
As the Region, we implore to the Provincial and National leadership to consider taking Andile Lungisa to a rigorous political education process and anger management and these two processes will not only help the ANC but society at large.It will not be correct that the ANC dumps its deviationist to be useful tools to destroy the edifice of the colossal giant that our movement has been built to be.
Ends
Issued by ANC O.R Tambo Region
Enquiries :
ANC Regional Coordinator
Vinny Tsita
0839284106
