ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has for the first time praised former president Thabo Mbeki as a hero of the ANC, whose struggle credentials can never be erased from the history of the ANC.
Malema in the past has been very critical of Mbeki, even accusing him of leading a political conspiracy against President Jacob Zuma. But on October 30 he sang a different tune, even likening Mbeki to ANC stalwarts such as former president Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Albert Luthuli.
Malema even referred to Mbeki as “president Mbeki” when he addressed young physically challenged people in Mthatha, according to the Dispatch Online.
In this we have finally seen a quantum leap forward in relations between what was once the fractured house of the ANC which occasioned untold billions of rands worth of damage and can best be described as the catalyst from which much of the bitterness and hatred — which still lingers — arose.
In no particular order, the Mbeki-Zuma divide directly or indirectly gave rise to the following :
- The war between the police and the Scorpions
- The demise of the Scorpions
- The Hlophe fiasco
- The Selebi trial
- The recalling of a president
- Massive party bitterness and violence
It did have one positive in the birth of Cope which adds to the multiracial democracy of South Africa. Whether Cope will survive this healing process is something we’ll have to wait and see.
A major positive is that one of South Africa’s leading political figures can now be restored to the place of prominence he deserves.
While I accept that Mbeki had his faults, so too do all leaders, including our greatest Madiba.
The opportunity has now arisen for the ANC to start putting this nasty episode behind them.
In the interest of all South Africans let us hope that it’s grasped with both hands.
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