An open letter to Dr Blade Nzimande on Hani
THE American political scientist Adolph Reed jr once wrote about Malcolm X that “… he was just like the rest of us – a regular person saddled with imperfect knowledge, human frailties, and conflicting imperatives, but nonetheless trying to make sense of his very specific history, trying unsuccessfully to transcend it, and struggling to push it in a humane direction.”
Like Malcolm X, Chris Hani, who was also assassinated, should not be made into an ideal type or used to settle political scores in the present.
The principles he stood for no longer reflect in any manner those of the liberation movement he laid down his life for, the SACP.
How sad it is that at a time in South Africa that we need role models, and when legacies of those who have passed on to be protected, that the SACP has failed us by not preserving Hani’s legacy.
All South Africans deserved to inherit this and yet the SACP failed us all.
But it is perhaps Hani’s thoughts on the transition from liberation movement to governing party that are more relevant today than ever before: “The perks of a new government are not really appealing to me. Everybody, of course, would like to have a good job, a good salary, and that sort of thing. But for me, that is not the be-all of a Struggle.
“What is important is the continuation of the Struggle – and we must accept that the Struggle is always continuing – under different conditions whether within Parliament or outside Parliament, we shall begin to tackle the real problems of the country. And the real problems of the country are not whether one is in cabinet, or a key minister, but what we do for social upliftment of the working masses of our people.”
People who are constantly striving to improve themselves will tell you one thing for sure, one thing they all have in common is having good role models in their lives. This is maybe one of the most crucial aspects on the path of self-improvement. As creatures of comfort often times we refuse to abandon our comfort zone, lacking the motivation, not having or not feeling that strong urge within us.
But being also example-driven, we come to realise that all of that can sometimes be found among others, or to be more precise, driven from others, your best role models.
It saddens me to say that at the very time that we need a role model like Hani, the SACP has destroyed it. Based on various news stories, we hear that the Hani Institute is in disarray.
The institute has found itself the subject of a serious investigation by the SA Revenue Service. It has been alleged that the institute deducted PAYE tax and Unemployment Insurance Fund contributions from employees without passing them on.
The SACP then paid Chris Hani’s legacy the ultimate insult by refusing to purchase the internet domain names that could have been used to protect and secure his online legacy.
I would ask three questions of Dr Nzimande. First, what steps have been taken to ensure that the management and administration of the Chris Hani Institute are above board? Second, has any attempt been made to secure and correctly manage Hani’s online legacy? Third, what other initiatives are in place to help secure this all-important legacy?