ANC's 'rampant' betrayal of struggle moves MK vets to march

12 October 2020 - 06:36 By Nomahlubi Jordaan
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uMkhonto weSizwe military veterans will march on Monday in response to the ANC diverting from the objective of liberating the people of SA. File photo.
uMkhonto weSizwe military veterans will march on Monday in response to the ANC diverting from the objective of liberating the people of SA. File photo.
Image: SIMPHIWE NKWALI

The Gauteng Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) will on Monday march to the ANC headquarters and the office of premier David Makhura to “defend” the constitution and highlight the plight of the poor.

“We have taken a decision that our comrades in the ANC leadership and government must act on the fundamental principles of our struggle for justice and freedom, or they will face the full uncompromising wrath of the masses,” the MKMVA said.

The MKMVA marchers will be joined by members of the SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco), Congress of SA Students (Cosas), and the SA National Cargo Transport and Drivers Association (Sancatdra).

“We embark on this action as disciplined revolutionaries whose aims are to bring to the attention of comrades in the ANC and government that we have reached our absolute limit of tolerance for their rampant betrayal of our struggle, the poor and oppressed black (especially African) majority,” said the MKMVA.

The association said it was saddened the ANC had diverted from the objective of the liberation struggle, which was to liberate people of SA.

“We have done everything in our power to raise these issues with the leadership. We have done so in marches and letters of demand. We have recorded the sadness of how our members — the heroes and heroines, the martyrs who gave their lives for our freedom — are forgotten and treated like beggars in this democratic society, while defenders of apartheid, like former apartheid president FW de Klerk and others who committed crimes against humanity, are treated with dignity.

Legitimate concerns ignored

“We continue to watch how comrades are vilified and harassed while the killers of our people roam the streets. All these legitimate concerns seem to have fallen on death ears,” the association said.

Other issues the MKMVA said the march would highlight included corruption, crime, a resolution taken at an ANC conference that there should be a ministry for military veterans and the prioritisation of women, children and people with disabilities.

“Our country is in the midst of an energy crisis. Our people have truly had enough of power cuts.

“The poor in the townships cannot afford alternative energy options. The growing Eskom electricity debt is not only detrimental to economic growth, it is also a revenue impediment. Even worse, it is a rising economic and social crisis of tsunamic proportions,” said the association.

“We demand the response to these demands be sent to us in writing within 14 days. Failure to do so we will deem as a callous disregard for the just and legitimate concerns we are raising as a constitutional structure of the ANC. Such failure will definitely lead to us undertaking further carefully considered action to get our legitimate demands addressed.”

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