Magashule: economy still in white hands — we are slaves

● ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule says “dark forces” in the ruling party are hellbent on distracting from the struggle for economic freedom and the battle against white monopoly capital.

He was speaking at a memorial lecture in honour of struggle stalwart Walter Sisulu, held at the Waaihoek Methodist Church in Bloemfontein yesterday. In a prepared speech, he said it is unacceptable that the economy is still in white hands.

“The struggle for economic emancipation of our people is and must be unstoppable. We can no longer be slaves in our own nation. We can no longer be counted as the poorest of the poor, while those who hold our wealth through historic theft still enjoy it,” he said.

“It just cannot be that 25 years after our first democratic elections, the control of the resources of our country is still primarily in the hands of white people, who are the descendants of colonists who stole our wealth and land in the first place. We cannot allow a few to be co-opted into the power structure (of the mainly white rich), while many, (indeed most blacks and African people) still remain poor. We cannot defeat white monopoly capital by allowing it to co-opt us.”

He said the ANC has to remain steadfast in the struggle for economic freedom.

“Our mandate is to expropriate land without compensation. Our mandate is to nationalise the Reserve Bank, our mandate is to transform the financial institutions and banks in order to serve the needs of our people. Our mandate is to implement the national health insurance, our mandate is to implement the national minimum wage, to stop privatisation of state-owned resources.”

Speaking in a mix of Sotho and English, Magashule offered support to international relations minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who he said is “under attack” for downgrading the South African embassy in Israel.

“You are going to be under attack by those who don’t want to implement the resolutions [of the ANC]. Stay resolute because you are complementing the highest decisionmaking body resolutions,” said Magashule.

“Stay focused like your father, like your mother, like your brothers and sisters,” he said.

Magashule was referring to the ANC’s 2017 conference resolution that said SA should downgrade its mission in Israel.

Magashule reiterated that the party’s election win was a collective effort and the likes of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma had also contributed.

“The women’s league was there in the campaign. The women’s league was led by comrade Bathabile [Dlamini] and her collective. The ANC’s campaign was energised and re-energised by comrade Ramaphosa,” he said, adding that former president Jacob Zuma had also contributed to the ANC’s win.

Our mandate is to expropriate land without compensation

Ace Magashule

ANC secretary-general