FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The African National Congress (ANC ) in the Eastern Cape strongly condemns the imperialist-driven and egregious utterances of King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, who has openly sided with Israel and aligned himself with Western imperialists. This stance undermines the principles of sovereignty, dignity of African people, and self-determination that South Africa fought for during apartheid and is a betrayal of our nation’s long-standing support for Palestine and its people, who are in a protracted struggle against Israeli apartheid and occupation.
The ANC Eastern Cape reaffirms its solidarity with the people of Palestine and reiterates that the freedom enjoyed in South Africa is a product of selfless struggles against imperialism to which other countries such as Palestine stood with us. Imperialism is a shameful system that perpetuates inequality, exploitation, and oppression, and its dangers are evident in the devastating impact it has had on Africa and other parts of the world.
Supporting imperialism is tantamount to supporting the exploitation of the weak by the strong, which is scandalous and undermines the sovereignty and dignity of nations. The new face of imperialism is characterized by debt diplomacy, military interventions, and economic manipulation, which have led to the underdevelopment of Africa and the perpetuation of poverty and inequality.
Therefore King Dalindyebo’s actions are monstrous, abhorrent, counter-revolutionary, and a sell-out position of the revolution, driven by material gain, crass materialism, and cheap populism. Franz Fanon, a prominent scholarly voice on colonialism and imperialism, warned about the risks of former freedom fighters who turn to serve the interests of former oppressors, especially when imperialists manipulate local leaders to undermine national sovereignty.
The King’s involvement in political opportunism, switching allegiance from one party to another, and recent association with Israel, which has led to his removal from his latest political party, are a clear indication of his awful and intolerable counter-revolutionary stance. The King’s over-adventurous support for Israel’s actions in Gaza is a stark reminder of his disregard for the ANC’s principled position on Palestine.
His actions are not only a betrayal of the revolution but also a threat to the sovereignty and dignity of South Africa and Africa as a whole. The dangers of imperialism are far-reaching, and its impact is felt across the globe because imperialism leads to the exploitation of natural resources, cheap labor, and markets, which benefits the imperial power at the expense of the colonized country.
Fanon also emphasized the exploitative nature of imperialism when he said, “European opulence is literally a scandal for it was built on the backs of African slaves, it fed on the blood of slaves and owes its very existence to the soil and subsoil of the underdeveloped world”.
The ANC in the Eastern Cape distances itself from the wild harum-scarum, reckless, impetuous and irresponsible utterances of the King and wish to reiterate that such utterances are not a reflection of the ideologies of the resilient people of the Eastern Cape who opposed Imperialism for centuries. Never can we allow our mineral resources to be looted by imperialists from the West again through puppets of the West such as King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.
Imperialism leads to the suppression of local cultures and traditions, as the imperial power imposes its own language, customs, and values. The King openly, heedlessly, disgracefully, and shockingly declared his friendship and support for Donald Trump, who we now know invaded Venezuela and kidnapped a democratically elected President Maduro. This is deplorable and a betrayal of South Africa’s anti-imperialist principles.
Imperialism leads to political instability, as seen in Venezuela, as local leaders are being co-opted and replaced with puppet regimes that serve the interests of the imperial power. This is even more disconcerting considering that the late revered King Sabatha Dalindyebo was a stalwart freedom fighter who resolutely opposed imperialism.
The Late King Sabatha Dalindyebo, who is the father of the current incorrigible King, would never condone imperialism. It is alarming that the AbaThembu Kingdom has been reduced to a mockery, travesty, and sham with its dignity severely compromised by the current King’s dreadful, egregious and unpleasant support for Western imperialism. We stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela against American imperialism’s predatory targeting of their oil resources.
The ANC Eastern Cape calls on the King to retract his iniquitous expressions and morally objectionable utterances and align himself with progressive South Africa’s principled position on Palestine. We call upon our people to be vigilant against Western imperialism and its destructive impact on Africa.
Issued by ANC Eastern Cape Province
Provincial Spokesperson
Comrade Yanga Zicina
Contact: +27 (78) 640-2752
For Media Enquiries
Comrade Gift Ngqondi
Provincial Head of Communications
Contact:
+27 (84)8439706/0849519924
