The life of former MEC for Health and Social Development and Chairperson of the Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism Portfolio in the North West Provincial Legislature, Onewang Rebecca Kasienyane was colourful, impeccable life and that of a courageous unifier and not that of a tenderpreneur, Acting Premier Raymond Elisha said in his moving tribute at her funeral in Lokaleng village in Taung over the weekend.
Acting Premier Elisha reminded thousands of mourners who came to pay their last respect on Saturday that during difficult times, it was a sin to steal, to lie and to conduct ourselves contrary to virtues, values and traditions of the African National Congress (ANC). But today, the conviction that “no government can rightly claim authority unless it is based upon the will of the people” has been replaced by the neglect of communities as business and comrades are engaged in a bitter war for State tenders, as if South Africa is a tender state and the strategic objective of the ANC is to issue tenders.
“Comrades and friends, a few months from now the nation will be going to the polls. The first question we need to ask ourselves is whether we can unite society and rally it behind our programmes when unity evades us. No other force, even at the height of apartheid oppression, no enemy came between us. Surprisingly, we continue to call for “unity in action, a peoples’ contract, working together we can do more” when deep under the belly of the night, like the biblical Nicodemus we plot the downfall of one another, instead of fighting poverty, unemployment and inequality as the new enemy,” Elisha emphasised.
He challenged everyone to tell no lies and claim easy victories by avoiding the basic and relevant question:” What have we done for our people in a province where businessmen use our fellow comrades to derail reconstruction and development?”
“Comrade Ribs fought for justice, access and equality before the courts. She fought for freedom of expression and free press. Yet our victories, the same media, the same courts and our same Black Economic Empowerment interventions have now changed the proclaimed millionaires as enemies of change, using our courts and the media through blatant lies to frustrate change. Tell no lies and claim no easy victories, but this air is eerily cold, “Umoya lo Umakhaza,” as lies are widely spread in order to divide the movement.”
Elisha said that ANC members should be very careful, so that one day they do not replace “Viva ANC with Viva tenders.” He said that leaders and true revolutionary cadres cannot remain silent when the national transformation agenda is under siege.
“When you embark on your last journey to your Maker, you leave an unanswered question why were comrades Oubuti Chika and Moss Phakwe killed?
You leave us without an answer as to who killed our leaders. The cruelty of nature is that one day the answer will come and the truth will be known,” the Acting Premier stressed.
He said that weaknesses and divisions within the ruling party have left a political space which has now been occupied by opportunists who now claim that Nelson Mandela is theirs. Lies are being told that the ANC is worse than or equal to the National Party.
Elisha said that this is an insult to those who laid their lives fighting for freedom and added that this is nothing but representatives of white minority that are still nostalgic of apartheid, taking advantage of the sickness of the old man as he cannot answer.
He said that there was a need to defend and protect the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Sefako Makgatho, Sol Plaatjie, John Dube, Yusuf Dadoo, Lillian Ngoyi, Sister Barnard Ncube, Ruth First, Charlotte Maxeke and many men and women of the revolutionary movement.
The Acting Premier said that the journey towards a better life has always been fraught with many challenges where our people continue to be ravaged by grinding poverty, widening inequality and growing unemployment.
“The African National Congress is under siege. It is under siege from us as we fan the fires of divisions and pretend to be comrades by words and not by deeds. We continue to fight bitterly for the soul of the ANC as if we ourselves have souls,” he emphasised.
Elisha said that the death of Kaseinyane has left a vacuum when her leadership and guidance is needed much as the ruling party seeks answers to communities on the question as to what it has done for them. He said that Kasienyane never praised herself nor took credit for the victories of the ANC and never retreated when confronted by difficult conditions but remained true and loyal to the African National Congress and its people.
“You never castigated the African National Congress and turned your back in difficult moments. You knew and understood you would never undermine the importance of workers as a critical tool to crush monopolistic class capital and class inequality, but you never blackmailed the ANC into petty demands and accused it of having turned its back against the poor,” highlighted in conveying condolences on behalf of the provincial government, prayers, words of comfort and sympathy to the Kaseinyane family, her neighbours, community and the people of the North West province and the entire country and all the corners of which she traversed, leading its people to freedom and justice.
He concluded that the coldness of the air shall subside when everyone is free from the mortifications of poverty and the ANC is fully united to claim its better place under the African sun.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele (Spokesperson)
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 388 3157
E-mail: LKgwele@gmail.com
