History Matters

. HISTORIC SLICE: Thandi Modise, Gwede Mantashe, President Jacob Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Jeff Radebe and Mathews Phosa cutting the ANC centenary cake at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein during the ANC’s centenary celebrations, which will be marked by another 12 months of commemorative events Picture: Elmond Jiyane The ANC celebrated its 100th [...]

On trial for his life in 1964, Nelson Mandela explained his movement’s policies and the objectives that inspired the actions that placed him in the dock, saying: “The most important political document ever adopted by the ANC is the Freedom Charter. It is by no means a blueprint for a socialist state. “It calls for [...]

It was George Bush senior who, while campaigning for the 1988 US presidential election asked voters to “read my lips; no new taxes”. There are those who claim the slogan helped Bush win the election. Afterwards, of course, he promptly raised taxes. The lesson? The last thing you should be reading, when you are trying [...]

The birth of the African National Congress a century ago, on January 8, 1912, was a landmark in the history of Africa, marking the beginning of the end of centuries of exploitation and humiliation of the continent. It received hardly any attention at the time internationally or from the white establishment in South Africa. M.K. [...]

by Raymond Suttner With Ma Albertina Sisulu’spassing, many feel they havelost a political figure, but alsosomeone who meant much more thanthat, who sensitively but where necessary firmly, guided others on a path thatwould help them as human beings.Ma Sisulu was warm and generallysmiling while she hugged and kissed allher children. She combined this withstrict ethical norms [...]

The temptation to deploy identity politics is always tempting, but should be resisted, writes Mamphela Ramphele May 29, 2011 Sunday Times The contest for power in the run-up to the May 18 local elections raised a very sensitive issue of the ownership of national symbols, including former president Nelson Mandela. I had hoped that the [...]

by Ferial Haffajee news24 The first reason it lost the coloured and Indian vote is that the ANC sees it as a coloured and Indian vote – when it didn’t, the ANC was much more successful in these former strongholds. I’m black, as defined by Steve Biko, but apartheid meant that I spent my childhood [...]

by  Blade Nzimande – Jeremy Cronin 17 May 2011 – Tomorrow’s local government election Tomorrow, South Africans will be going to the polls for the third, non-racial local government election in our country’s history. Much is at stake. As the SACP we are confident that once more the ANC, supported by its Alliance partners, will [...]

By Dr. Saleem Badat Reflection on how far we have come requires us to clarify our notions of ‘subject’ and ‘citizen’ and subjecthood and citizenship. First, as with notions such as democracy and development, there are ‘thick’ and ‘thin’, notions of citizenship – notions that reduce citizenship to the formal, legal and primarily political dimensions [...]