OR Tambo’s name bandied about by morally corrupt in ANC

I HONESTLY feel sorry for Oliver Tambo, whose name is being abused by those who want to claim they are living up to his high standard of quality leadership, morality, ethics and intellectual acumen.

Even those who have been mired in scandals and controversy are hiding behind his name. During its years of wisdom, the ANC old guard realised that the National Party would ban the ANC and so nominated Tambo to lead the ANC foreign mission.

This was not great wisdom, but strategic leadership by the then wise ANC.

Nelson Mandela became a symbol of resistance inside prison. Ahmed Kathrada, whether in media interviews or leading tourists inside Robben Island, emphasised that inside prison there were no policemen unleashing dogs, throwing teargas or beating anyone.

It was those in exile and inside the country who suffered most but Tambo steered the ship, saw deaths, managed conflicts and watched many of his contemporaries die.

His people were massacred in Matola, Gaborone, Maseru and Swaziland. He witnessed couples being assassinated, for example Griffiths and Victoria Mxenge.

Today, his name is even used by thieves, crooks, hyenas, crocodiles and fraudsters to “colonise” our public purse with foreigners.

Today, the integrity committee, stalwarts and veterans and the Left call on Number One Crook to quit, but the crook unleashes his “political pitbulls”, some of whom were never MK or genuinely ANC, to attack the old guard of Gertrude Shope, Andrew Mlangeni, Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada, Ben Turok, Joe Jele, Alber tina Sisulu, Barbara Masekela, Eric Mtshali and Billy Modise.

Kebby Maphatsoe calls them “empty tins”. If he is a “full tin”, why did he desert MK camps?

They do so without protection from Gwede Mantashe, who too uses every opportunity to lie about his veterans and stalwarts. It is a big lie that veterans and stalwarts wanted an unrepresented consultative conference without branches.

What is common between Mantashe and Zuma is their “chameleon” characters. Mantashe cannot claim to be an honest disciple of Pixley ka Seme, James Calata, Walter Sisulu, Tambo, Duma Nokwe, Alfred Nzo, John Nkadimeng, Jay Naidoo, Moses Kotane, Moses Mabhida, Joe Slovo and Chris Hani, all secretaries-general of the tripartite alliance.

The nation, Freedom Charterists and the genuine Left of Kotane must support a consultative conference as suggested by Mavuso Msimang and Siphiwe Nyanda.

One of its tasks must be to advocate that people of immoral and unethical standards be banned from abusing the good name of Tambo, who, like his predecessor Chief Luthuli, was a moralist and 100% Christian.

It must accept Supra Mahumapelo’s call for a referendum on Jacob Zuma.

Mantashe and Zuma among the chameleon characters

KwaDukuza, KZN