ANC Today 3 March 2023

Conversations with the President

South Africa’s Grey Listing is an opportunity to strengthen the Fight Against Crime

n By Cyril Ramaphosa

Last week, South Africa was put on a ‘grey list’ by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for falling short of certain international standards for the combating of money laundering and other serious financial crimes.

The FATF is a global body that aims to tackle global money laundering and terrorist financing.

Address by the Deputy President of the ANC, Comrade Paul Mashatile, on the occasion of the NUM Special Congress

South Africa has been a member of FATF for the last 20 years due to our commitment to fight these criminal activities both at home and across the world.

The listing of South Africa as a ‘jurisdiction under increased monitoring’ – commonly known as grey listing – has caused much concern about the state of our financial institutions, law en -

forcement agencies and investment environment. The situation is concerning but less dire than some people suggest.

We have gone through a rigorous process of addressing the issues that FATF has raised with us. The fundamentals are in place and we know what we need to do to get off the grey list. We are determined to do this as quickly

ANC Caucuses must put in place legislative agenda to improve performance of the ANC led government

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT

as possible. This is important not only for our international standing, but also for our own ability to fight these crimes in our country. Since the dawn of democracy in 1994 we have sought to build credible, independent institutions and implement effective laws to deal with complex financial crimes of this nature.

We have also forged collaborative relationships with transnational entities and global bodies in the financial sector, including the FATF and Interpol. During South Africa’s last regular mutual evaluation of its measures to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, a number of deficiencies were identified.

The mutual evaluation was conducted in 2019, when the country was emerging from the state capture era, which had a particularly detrimental impact on

institutions like the South African Revenue Service (SARS), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks.

Since the results of the mutual evaluation were published in 2021, we have made great progress in addressing the identified shortcomings. Of the 67 recommended actions emanating from the mutual evaluation, we have successfully addressed all but eight strategic deficiencies.

For example, we have addressed significant weaknesses in our legal framework, through the enactment of amendments to laws on anti-money laundering and combating terrorism financing. When it comes to developing world-class expertise, legislative reform and strengthening state institutions to combat complex financial crime, we have come a long way. This is notwithstanding deliberate attempts to erode the

state’s ability to detect, investigate and prosecute such crimes during the state capture era.

We have restored credibility to key institutions like SARS and the NPA to enable them to fulfil their respective mandates. We have bolstered the powers of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) by establishing a Special Tribunal to recover public funds stolen through corruption and fraud, and an Investigative Directorate in the NPA to investigate serious corruption.

Last week, Minister of Finance

Enoch Godongwana announced in the Budget that additional funds will be allocated to the police, NPA, SIU and Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) to strengthen the fight against crime and corruption.

One of our most effective tools for combating money laundering

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT

criminal assets worth R86 million.

Like all countries we are dealing with the shifting sands of globalised crime and criminal syndicates. The challenge facing authorities is to anticipate criminal innovation and to respond swiftly and effectively.

and other financial crimes is the multidisciplinary Fusion Centre we established in 2020. The Fusion Centre brings together bodies like the NPA, SIU, SARS, the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, State Security Agency and the FIC. Since its inception the work of the Fusion Centre has led to the preservation and recovery of approximately R1.75 billion in criminal assets.

It is noteworthy that the strategic deficiencies identified by the FATF do not relate directly to the country’s financial sector. This means that financial stability and costs of doing business with South Africa will not be seriously impacted by the grey listing.

Partnerships between government and the financial sector have played a valuable role in efforts to address serious economic crimes. The South Africa Anti-Money Laundering Integrated Task Force was set up in

2019 as a partnership between the banking sector and government regulatory authorities. Between the beginning of 2020 and the end of March 2022 successful interventions by the Task Force led to the preservation of

As a country we welcome the intensified monitoring by FATF. We have a focused action plan in place to address the remaining deficiencies identified by the FATF. Most of these deficiencies relate to the implementation of our laws. For example, we need to be able to demonstrate, among other things, an increase in the investigation and prosecution of serious and complex money-laundering and terrorism financing, an increase in mutual legal assistance requests to other countries, an increase in the use of financial intelligence by law enforcement agencies, and the effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions.

Our action plan to address these deficiencies is aligned with the work we are doing to implement the recommendations of the State Capture Commission as outlined in our submission to Parliament in October last year. As a country that both values and enforces the rule of law, the grey listing is an opportunity for us to tighten our controls and improve our response to organised crime. This will ultimately place us on a stronger footing to effectively fight these damaging and dangerous crimes n

With best regards,

Last week, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced in the Budget that additional funds will be allocated to the police, NPA, SIU and Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) to strengthen the fight against crime and corruption.

Address by the Deputy President of the ANC, Comrade Paul Mashatile, on the occasion of the NUM Special Congress

INTRODUCTION

Ibring to you warm and revolutionary greetings from the leadership and membership of the African National Congress.

We send our best wishes to one of our trusted allies, the National Union of Mineworkers, as it holds this Special Congress. We look back with pride at the history of the National Union of Mineworkers which to us represents the history of class struggle in our country.

Up to this day, we recognise the NUM as the progressive and pre-eminent voice of workers in the Mining, Energy, Construction and Metal sectors of our economy.

You are part of the motive forces of the National Democratic Revolution; for you are among those who stand to benefit the most out of the successful execution of this revolution.

You are also among the unifying forces of the working class, whose strength lies in the awareness of its interests and preser -

vation of class unity.

Building working class consciousness and unity, therefore, remains critical. We expect this union of James Motlatsi, the founding President of NUM, and

Elijah Barayi, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Kgalema Mothlante and our National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe, to take a lead in this regard.

UNITY OF THE ALLIANCE, UNITY OF THE ANC

Linked to this is the work we must do, collectively, to build the unity and cohesion of the tri-partite alliance. Our presence here today is but one practical demonstration of our commitment, as the ANC, to a strong and vibrant alliance with all our allies.

As we undertake this work, we are guided by the words of President O.R. Tambo that: “Ours is not merely a paper alliance, created at conference tables and formalised through the signing of documents and representing only an agreement of leaders.

Our alliance is a living organism that has grown out of struggle.” Even as we may face challenges within the Alliance, we must never lose sight of its historic and strategic importance.

Accordingly, as the ANC, we will never abandon our revolutionary task to work ceaselessly towards the unity of the Alliance, for in our view the unity of the

Alliance is of paramount importance.

It is only through a united Alliance – guided by a joint programme of action – that we can deliver on the objectives of the National Democratic Revolution: to build a truly united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, and prosperous South Africa.

We are conscious of the reality that unity cannot and should not be equated to the absence of differences. Indeed, unity does not mean sameness! Ours is unity of purpose. Unity in action. We also expect members of our trusted ally - the NUM - to play a significant role in the renewal, revitalization and unity of the ANC. While, we have made some progress in renewing and rebuilding the ANC, we must act with greater purpose and urgency going forward.

We need to renew the ANC in order to restore its relevance, and to narrow the social distance with the people. Renewal will also enhance the ANC’s ca -

pability and credibility as an effective force for transformation and a trusted agent for change.

A renewed ANC is one that is not pre-occupied with itself and its internal dynamics. It is an ANC that is in touch with communities – an ANC that is responsive to the needs of the people – an ANC that spends more time resolving problems of the people.

Renewal requires that we also build a strong alliance with the SACP and COSATU. It is also about renewing our commitment to the values of the ANC including hard work, honesty, selflessness, democratic debate, discipline, criticism and self-criticism.

Renewal is about strengthening the organisational culture and building an ethical movement. It is about modernising our movement.

It is also about winning the fight against corruption and unacceptable conduct within its ranks and in society.

A renewed ANC will demand accountability from its leadership and deployees in government. Within a renewed ANC, members will be able to debate issues without retribution, in appropriate forums of the organisation.

Part of the renewal process must also include strengthening branches of the ANC – with NUM members at the forefront of this endeavour in their communities.

As we renew and revive our movement, let us also recommit ourselves to uniting our movement and the alliance. Let us remember that unity is the very basis upon which our organization and alliance was founded.

Unity is, therefore, sacrosanct! It is a fundamental principle and pillar on which we stand or fall as a broader revolutionary movement. Without a unity, there can be no renewal, and there can be no unity of the Alliance.

A CHALLENGING TIME FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY

This NUM Special Congress is taking place at a time of increased volatility and uncertainty in the global commodity markets. This is a time where, as stakeholders, we are called upon to respond to a series of severe and mutually re-enforcing shocks.

These have profound implications for the global economy, our own national and regional economies, industries, firms

and households. The mining industry, in particular, has seen its fair share of highs and lows over the past decade, including last year.

Intransigence from the mining bosses have seen the industry facing prolonged industrial action early in 2022. Continuing energy supply challenges, global supply chain disruptions and a volatile commodities market have also hindered growth and employment in the sector.

For this year, the sector faces improved prospects. However, the risks are tilted towards the downside. These include a slowing global economy.

THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF MINING IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMY

As you know, South Africa is exceptionally well-endowed with mineral resources. We are home to the large reserves of the platinum group metals, gold, chromate, manganese and vanadium.

Historically, mining was an im -

portant catalyst for the development of other economic sectors, and a principal driver of our current infrastructure network. The sector remains an important contributor to the fiscus, economic growth and job creation. It is also a major earner of foreign exchange.

To us mining remains a sunrise and not a sunset industry. In this we are reassured by our vast mineral endowments, our leadership and expertise – across the mining value chain – the tenacity of our workforce, as well as our advanced technical skills.

Going forward, therefore, we expect South Africa to remain a global mining powerhouse. We are fully cognizant of the reality that the transition to a low-carbon economy will also create new opportunities for the mining sector.

Our country must grab these opportunities with both hands. Accordingly, as the ANC we will ensure that legislation and

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regulation for the mining sector remains predictable and stable; and that it allows the country to remain competitive globally.

We also urge the ANC government to deepen the linkages between mining and other economic sectors including upstream and downstream producers. Equally, The ANC will ensure that South Africa develops and enhances legislation and the regulatory environment so that mining attracts investment and remains a key pillar of the economy.

It is our view that government must place priority on implementing an intensive programme of minerals exploration. This will allow for new mines to be opened and new minerals, some of which are critical for the energy transition underway globally, can be discovered.

DOMESTIC CONTRAINTS ON MINING AND UNLOCKING INVESTMENT

In recent years, the South African mining industry has experienced falling levels of investment and exploration, job losses, and increased cost pressures. Also disturbing is that South Africa has been unable to take to full advantage of the massive increase in demand and prices for commodities.

In the six months to June 2022, the mining sector contracted by 7.3 per cent, compared with the same period in 2021. The final six months of 2022 are likely to reflect a similar downturn.

The ongoing energy crisis as

well as serious challenges in our logistics sector remain the biggest constraints to mining performance. It is in these areas where we are required to take the most urgent and decisive action.

For instance, it is estimated that up to 40 per cent of our economic underperformance can be attributed directly to the ongoing energy crisis. According to the South African Reserve Bank, load-shedding likely lowered 2022 third quarter real GDP growth by 2.1 percentage points.

Against this background, the ANC government remains single minded in its resolve to end loadshedding within a much shorter timeframe than originally projected.

Government’s approach, in this regard, focuses on the following 3 things:

• Improving Eskom’s opera -

tional efficiencies.

• Bringing more power to the grid, including from other sources of energy such as solar, gas and renewables; and

• Strengthening demand management measures, including taking more people out of the Eskom grid.

To ensure Eskom’s long-term financial viability, government will take over a significant portion of the utility’s R400 billion debt. A lower debt burden will enable Eskom to implement a viable unbundling process.

It will also make resources available for investment in critical electricity supply and transmission infrastructure, to end loadshedding. Government is also implementing the Energy Action Plan and has established the National Energy Crisis Committee.

This committee oversees the implementation of the following five key interventions:

• Fix Eskom and improve the availability of existing supply;

• Enable and accelerate private investment in generation capacity;

• Accelerate procurement of new capacity from renewables, gas and battery storage;

• Unleash businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar; • Fundamentally transform the electricity sector to achieve long-term energy security.

In the short-term the Energy

Our approach remains that of accelerating inclusive growth, encouraging investment, including in local manufacturing...

Action Plan aims to reduce the severity and frequency of load shedding, through immediate measures to improve the performance of Eskom’s existing power stations and stabilise the energy system.

Among the key achievements made in implementing the Energy Action Plan are amendments to the Electricity Regulation Act, to remove licensing requirements for generation projects of any size.

This will enable private investment in generation at a much larger scale. A new Ministerial determination has been published for over 18 000 Mega Watts of new generation capacity from wind, solar and battery storage. Project agreements for 19 projects from Bid Window 5 and 6 projects from Bid Window 6 will soon proceed to construction.

A team of independent experts has been assembled to work closely with Eskom to diagnose the problems at poorly performing power stations and take action to improve plant performance.

As the ANC, we welcome the planned establishment of the Ministry of Electricity. It will ensure that there is dedicated capacity and resources aimed at addressing one of the biggest challenges of our time: energy insecurity.

The crisis in our logistics sector has also had a deeply negative impact on growth, especially on exports by the mining indus -

try. This is happening at a time when global conditions are conducive for increased production and sales, and the wider socioeconomic benefits that come with it.

Mining firms, as well as other manufacturers, are struggling to move their goods at the pace and scale needed. One example of this is in coal mining.

At around 54 million tons, coal miners are now shipping close to half of what they were shipping five years ago, at a time when international coal prices have soared to all-time highs. The same story can be told of other minerals in the sector.

To address problems at Transnet, government has allocated the company R2.9 billion to ensure the return of out-of-service locomotives. This will be complemented by a further R2.9 billion allocation to deal with flood damage that affected Transnet operations in eThekwini.

Third-party access to the freight rail network, to raise competitiveness, lower logistics costs and encourage investment is being facilitated. In the area of ports, the Transnet National Ports Authority has been corporatized.

This is an important first step in raising competitiveness and efficiencies in our ports. Private-sector partnerships are being enabled at the Durban Pier 2 and Ngqura container terminals. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that our state-owned companies, in this case Transnet, has

a sustainable business model and is able to honour its obligations without constant state financial support or bail outs. We reiterate that the ANC is not in favour of the privatization of key state-owned enterprises. As directed by our Conference resolutions any restructuring of SOEs will be done on a caseby-case basis.

There is no one size fits all. As community members first before being members of a union, NUM members cannot turn a blind eye to the hardships faced by many South Africans because of the rising cost of living.

In this regard, we must applaud ongoing efforts by the ANC government to cushion the most vulnerable in our society by continuing to expand the social security net. The social security net now accounts for over 65% of non-interest spending by government.

Our approach remains that of accelerating inclusive growth, encouraging investment, including in local manufacturing, while providing sufficient cover to the vulnerable. This includes considering the roll out of a Basic Income Grant for the poor and vulnerable, as directed by the 55th National Conference of the ANC.

CONCLUSION

Once again, I wish the NUM our trusted ally well in this Special Congress. May this union of James Motlatsi, Elijah Barayi and many other pioneers of such high caliber, grow from strength to strength n

STATE OF THE PROVINCIAL ADDRESS BY THE PREMIER OF THE FREE STATE MXOLISI DUKWANA (ABRIDGED)

A call on Our People to Become Agents of Change and Put their Energies at the Disposal of Communities

We deliver this State of the Province

Address under tremendous pressure given the challenges that beset our province. Some of these challenges are historic, flowing from our colonial and apartheid past.

Others are due to our subjective and objective failures as government. Recently, our people began a penetrating dialogue with government about the quality of service delivery. They conveyed their discomfort with the overall pace of transformation.

To address this, we call on our people to become agents of change and put their energies at the disposal of communities. We urge them to support our efforts to combat corruption, malfeasance and maladministration.

Today marks the beginning of the end of such an era. The period

ahead will be characterised by courage and decisive action to set the Free State on a new path of development. This will involve a focused recruitment of capable public servants to transform our ideals into pragmatic actions.

Our single biggest task is to ensure that our people live in quality houses, their children play and

learn in safe environments, our healthcare provides quality services and every person has equal access to opportunities.

We have developed eleven economic sector Master Plans and we are now reviewing the Free State Growth and Development Strategy. This will deepen our initiatives to create an enabling environment

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for inclusive growth, investment attraction, economic transformation and job creation.

One of the key drivers of economic growth and job creation is our Small and Medium Enterprises. In the current financial year, 869 enterprises were provided with financial and non-financial support of which 472 were youth-owned.

We will undertake a substantial review of the current state of our public entities and reposition them to be proactive and responsive to the investment and development needs of the Free State economy.

The Free State has always prided itself on its agricultural sector and its contribution to the provincial economic activity. The sector, comprising 4 500 commercial agricultural entities and employed in excess of 73 000 workers in 2021, is a critical driver of job creation. There are new emerging opportunities in deciduous fruit production that will be explored in the Eastern Free State.

In June 2022, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development reported that from inception of the tenure acquisition programme to March 2022, 139 farms were acquired in the Free State.

The audit of unused and under-utilized land owned by the provincial government must be finalised to enable the provincial government to make land available for redistribution.

The growth and prosperity of the Free State is dependent on the

quality of our infrastructure. Whilst some progress has been made with the expansion and upgrading of infrastructure, we have not consistently kept up with the required maintenance.

It is time for a fundamental and comprehensive rethink of the way in which we plan and implement our infrastructure investments. We have initiated a process that will ensure that we create a fair, competitive and transparent process at every stage to maximise the value we gain from infrastructure investment whilst closing out the internal and external syndicates that have bedeviled the infrastructure environment.

The ravages of climate change, leave no doubt that sustainability, conservation and efficiency are pathways to the future. We continue to work with the International Labour Organisation, to determine opportunities and challenges to address climate change.

We have established an Energy Security Command Centre coordinated by the COGTA and all relevant stakeholders such as Eskom, MISA, Department of Water and Sanitation, and national and provincial departments. The Command Centre will coordinate and implement the provincial response plan on the energy security. This includes the provision of generators to hospitals by the Department of Health.

We are part of the Integrated Resource Efficiency Programme to reduce electricity and water consumption through various measures at government buildings and schools.

The Free State is blessed with natural resources that include gold, diamonds, salt and sand, with a huge potential to transform our economy. Recent discoveries of natural gas serve as motivation for us to collaborate with the Council on Geoscience to remap provincial natural resources.

The ongoing work with the Department of Mineral Resources to support small-scale miners will continue. The award of mining permits to artisanal miners will be pursued. This intervention will help to curb illegal mining activities, and will usher in a new dawn in this industry in the province.

The deteriorating state of our road infrastructure, is a stumbling block for economic development. Whilst we will spend approximately R1.9 billion on upgrading and maintaining our road infrastructure this year, it is imperative that we change the ways and means in which road service delivery happens.

We are enhancing our Operation Vala Zonke initiatives to eradicate potholes. Our focus must be multipronged, include the private sector and the rebuilding of capacity within the public sector.

Social Protection, Human Development and Safe Communities

Our social protection programmes are a reflection of a caring government. Our social safety net is a conduit to economic inclusion, poverty alleviation, but most importantly, improved quality of life.

Of the 2.9 million population of the Free State, one million people are receiving social grants. Most beneficiaries are recipients of child support grants followed by the elderly and persons living with disabilities.

Community Nutrition Development Centres are committed to ensure access to safe and nutritious food. We will continue to provide access to food and developmental programmes to 7 406 poor and vulnerable persons who benefit on a daily basis from our 55 Centres in the province.

Our criminal justice system has illustrated its intent to deal decisively with the perpetrators of gender-based violence. Successful convictions and imprisonments include 18 cases where life sentences were imposed and 13 cases which resulted in imprisonment of 20 years and longer.

We are on course to implement the Gender-based Violence and Femicide National Strategic Plan.

Psycho-social support is provided through our Thuthuzela Care Centres, Safe Houses, Shelters and Victim Friendly Centres. In August last year, a newly built Gender-Based Violence Centre was launched in QwaQwa and is now operational.

The Early Childhood Development function now resides under the Department of Education and continues to promote school readiness of children. 1 443 ECD sites are funded by the Department of Education.

Our education achievements remain impressive. We take pride in our number one position as the leading province in the country with an 88.5% Grade 12 pass rate. We have maintained a Grade 12 pass rate above 80% from 2019. We are also the top performer in a number of subjects, including Accounting, Business Studies, Geography, Economics and History.

We are confident that we will maintain this position!

We are continuing to expand our 4th Industrial Revolution Programmes in schools to meet the challenges of the future. The Department is committed to support 4 791 Grade 8 and 3 632 Grade 9 learners in equipping them with Coding and Robotics skills.

The 23 secondary schools that offer Coding and Robotics will be supported to become fully equipped Coding and Robotics schools in the future.

Our work with the SETAs have led to the provision of 4 389 internship, learnership and apprenticeship opportunities for young people since 2019.

We are working with the Development Bank of Southern Africa as an implementing agent for the removal and replacement of asbestos roofing in about 36 000 houses across the province.

Another priority remains the upgrading of the registered 166 informal settlements. The improvement package includes the provision of basic services, access to amenities and security of tenure.

A campaign to accelerate the issuing of title deeds will commence next month to ensure the security of tenure for home owners.

Our people have suffered the indignity of the bucket system for far too long. The state of sanitation in many of our towns requires us to put in place urgent intervention measures.

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Our prosperity is dependent on the provision and quality of our healthcare facilities and services. There will be renewed focus to strengthen our primary health care facilities and services, including specifically pre-and ante-natal care.

Beyond bridging our racial divide, our social cohesion programmes are intended to foster unity in diversity. They form the basis for a life more fulfilling, a life more inclusive, and a life worth living.

The arts, culture, heritage, sport and recreation landscape of the Free State offers endless possibilities for the individual and collective pursuit of talent and passion. We need to create an enabling environment within which our programmes find expression.

Processes are advanced to establish a provincial Film Commission this year as part of the efforts to create a thriving creative industry. We must leverage off this opportunity to develop the value chain of this sector, particularly the technical and related industries.

The 2022 Mangaung African Cultural Festival continued to provide an opportunity for 145 local artists to participate in the Homebrew Development Programme. We will reimagine this Festival to drive culture, arts, heritage and economic growth with a focus on local artists.

We applaud the Department of Education’s introduction of Magnificent Wednesdays which has resulted in the revival of

school sports. The Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation supported the school sport initiative through sport equipment and attire to 75 schools.

Of concern is the fact that drug-related arrests in the Free State increased by 41.8% when compared with the same period in the previous year. These statistics motivate us to prioritize the finalization of the Provincial Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy.

in compliance with good governance principles, systems and processes. Our human resource capacity falls short of expectations and requirements.

We will establish a new Fraud and Corruption Task Team that will bring together key stakeholders such as the Office of the Auditor-General, Public Protector, the Public Service Commission, the criminal justice system and key provincial departments such as the Office of the Premier, Provincial Treasury and COGTA to drive the anti-corruption programme of government.

Governance, State Capacity and Institutional Development

A capable, ethical and developmental state is important for us to create an effective, transparent and accountable public service. It has become abundantly clear that there is an urgent need to conduct skills audits throughout the provincial and local government sector. We must ensure that the skills set, qualifications, experience and competencies of all public officials are aligned with the needs and requirements of the public sector.

An intensive skills audit and realignment process will therefore unfold.

We have experienced the painful truth that fraud and corruption are not victimless crimes. The financial management and performance information audit outcomes of the Free State provincial and local government sector, clearly indicate our shortcomings

The professionalization of the local sphere of government is a continuous process. We will intensify our approach to ensure drastic improvement in our compliance with the appropriate regulatory frameworks, including the Municipal Staff Regulations 2021, through targeted support, monitoring and evaluation as well as intervention measures.

Together we must resolve to make our province great. Yet again, we have a possibility to move forward and we dare not fail.

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Our local government sector must pay attention to local economic development as they start their IDP processes. This process will be supported to ensure that we meet the required standards of compliance.

We will play a more proactive role to ensure that provincial and national government and the private sector contribute to the IDP process.

We will assist municipalities to improve the functionality of municipal Planning tribunals in order to expedite development applications. We will also review administrative processes and remove red tape, which is a stumbling block to the ease of doing business and investment.

District municipalities and the Mangaung Metro have developed their first Generation One Plans, which were subsequently adopted by their councils. By April this year, 2nd Generation One Plans will be completed. We will institutionalise the District Development Model to embed the implementation of One Plans and cooperative governance.

Successful service delivery at provincial government level also requires an improvement in professionalization. Doing so will entail the implementation of the National Framework Towards the Professionalization of the Public Sector.

We appreciate the selfless service of committed government officials who execute their duties and responsibilities with diligence and dedication. These are the officials

who live and breathe the Batho Pele principles. They restore public trust and a sense of pride in government. We are entering a new chapter where there will be no protection of officials who fail to perform according to the requirements and expectations.

Considering the value we place on the institution of traditional leadership as a constituent part of our democracy, we engaged with the Traditional and Khoi-San leaders in August 2022 regarding matters that affect the institution of Traditional and Khoi-San leadership in the province. The process to fulfill pledges we made to strengthen the institution of traditional leadership will be further pursued.

A number of support interventions have been provided to improve the financial status of our municipalities. This includes the assessment of municipal budgets, the provision of supply chain management support, assessment and monitoring of audit action plans, the capacitation of internal audit and risk management as well as revenue management.

We have signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding to strengthen our relations with likeminded provinces in other countries.

We will revisit these cooperation agreements with the intention to strengthen collaboration on matters of common interest. We will further strengthen our relations with Lesotho on areas of economy, education and security as informed by our national protocols.

We need renewed commitment to serve. We need to be bold, dedicated and attuned to the needs of our people at all times. They are the ones who fashioned the story of our democratic triumph.

In everything we do, we need to take the people along. With their support, we will continue to traverse the path of development in our endless pursuit of a better life for all. This is no distant dream.

The urgency of the moment requires us to do away with our old ways, old practices, and old convictions. The future ahead is filled with beaming dreams of opportunities and prosperity.

The achievements we have made as a province were never devoid of challenges. We are a resilient province that always fights for its survival. That’s the spirit we witnessed during the fight against exclusionary apartheid system, it is the spirit we saw in the recent past when our people rose against state capture.

We know too well that there will always be challenges, but we have become tenacious enough to survive any hardship. Here, we are working towards the future.

Together we must resolve to make our province great. Yet again, we have a possibility to move forward and we dare not fail.

To invoke President Ramaphosa, “whatever the difficulties of the moment, whatever crises we face, we will rise to meet them together and, together we will overcome them” n

ANC KZN Provincial Lekgotla

A Political Overview

INTRODUCTION

By Provincial Chairperson Siboniso A. DumaDurban Coastlands Hotel

26 - 27 February 2023 (Abridged)

We gather on this provincial Lekgotla of 2023, in the year that the National Executive Committee of the ANC has declared “The Year of Decisive Action to Advance the People’s interests and Renewal of our Movement”.

The ANC in Kwazulu-Natal took the same theme and message of the NEC to the people of KwaZulu-Natal on the 5th of February 2023 in our Provincial Statement – which took place in Mpumalanga Township, in Hammarsdale.

Not only did the provincial leadership talk to the Mass of the ANC, as well as our members and supporters on the call for the Year of “Decisive Action to advance people’s interests”, the ANC in KZN further contextualized the message to the material conditions of our context, time and space as a province.

This contextualization took into account our specific problems that what we have emerged from as a province: The July of 2021 Civil Unrest that vandalized tons of businesses and led to loss of jobs, Mass Unemployment in the Province, Long-term Effects of 20202021 COVID-19 lockdown and

lately, the devastating Floods that took the lives of our people and destroyed critical infrastructure.

It is Marx who taught us that “Human beings make their own history, but we do not make that history in the circumstances of our choosing”. This enlightening maxim is relevant for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal in that – “while the ANC makes its own history, the ANC does NOT make that history in the circumstances of its own choosing; we make that history in the midst of other contesting interests”, which are in the main antagonistic to the agenda and priorities

of the organisation.

I am sure you will recall that the past Six Months has ushered in fundamental changes in the Revolutionary Movement of Pixley Ka Seme, Oliver Tambo, Anton Lembede, Lillian Ngoyi, Mandela and Sisulu.

After successfully holding its 9th KZN Provincial Conference in July 2022, the ANC produced a mix of leaders who grew up in the progressive congress movement and the youth league of the ANC at large and rose through the ranks –this however does not negate the

quality of leadership and depth of content and organisational grounding.

After the watershed 55th National Conference of the ANC, at Nasrec Johannesburg December 2022, the Leadership of the Province has worked Tirelessly to Unite the Province behind the Democratically Elected Leadership which emerged from the last conference – as Led by President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa with his collective.

A 111 YEARS REVOLUTIONARY PORTFOLIO – AND THE HISTORICAL TASK OF THE LIBERATION MOVEMENT IN WHICH WE SERVE

As this year marks the 111th year since the birth of the ANC, the organisation to this day is packed with an impeccable folder of strides of revolutionary work. To achieve the goal of ending Land Dispossession which was canonized through the 1913 Land Act, to

achieve the goals of dismantling the nexus of Capitalism and its exploitative nature upon our people, to achieve the goal of ending Apartheid capitalism (in all its coded forms – neo – imperialism and neo – Bretton woodism).

Our icons in the struggle had to survive long prison terms and torture. It took Solomon Mahlangu to be hung, Christ Hani to be brutally assassinated, Oliver Tambo, John Makhathini, Moses Mabhida - to live in foreign lands to attain the goals of the freedoms enshrined in the Founding Constitution of the ANC and in the Freedom Charter.

ON UNITY, COHESION AND RENEWAL

When the 53rd conference of the ANC reiterated the call for the unity and cohesion of the organisation, the ANC was essentially defending and invoking this solid history of the organisation, which should be carefully considered even in this epoch.

As comrade Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has reiterated: “The call for organisational is not unity of defending incompetency, but unity on matters of principle and progressive politics.” I wish to further make the call that, “One is not correct because he or she is in a crowd, not because he or she stands alone, but a comrade is either correct or otherwise because they are aligned to objective facts at hand’.

Organisationally speaking, there are no ‘good factions’ versus ‘evil factions’, it is all the same. And it is unfortunate that comrades believe that some factions are better than others. Comrades tend to believe that the group they belong to is better for different reasons.

OUR POLITICAL ECONOMY AS AN ORGANISATION THAT IS LEADING GOVERNMENT –THE TWO TERRAIN THEORY. The African National Congress has historically claimed the place of leading society. This is in spite of the fact that in our constitutional democracy, there are many political organisations who could make this claim.

The political hegemony of the ANC which was attained from the 1994 overwhelming electoral victory under President Mandela, earned the ANC the status of Leader of Society. Since 1994 and 2023, the ANC has experienced sharp electoral decline; a) [1] At National Elections, [2] Provincial Elections and [3] Local Government.

The organisation must confront with honest and creative thinking the trend that is happening at the

Bi-Elections and the Last outcome of Voting results at Local municipality level. Without this honest assessment, guided by revolutionary theory and a disciplined scientific method – we will remain in illusions and not draw lessons from what the Numbers are telling us, and the People are telling us. This Lekgotla should be able to achieve some basic points that reflect our understanding of the Time and Space that the revolution finds itself in.

We arrive at this Lekgotla being well aware of the Priorities of the African National Congress as Stated in the January 8 2023 Statement in Mangaung, and the Provincial Statement of the 5th of February 2023 - (which was really a context specific to the province). We are also aware of the 55th National Conference adopted vision 2023 to guide the renewal and rebuilding of the ANC over the next ten years - These priorities related

to matters such as:

a) Implementation of the RoadMap Towards Vision 2023-02-24

b) Build Branches as a Centre for Community Development

c) Build a New Cadre AND Raise the quality of Membership

d) Rebuild the Leagues of the ANC

e) Strengthen the Alliance with COSATU, SACP AND SANCO

f) Strengthen the ANC’s Governing Capacity

g) Effective Communication and Social Mobilization

h) Advance the African Agenda and International Work

i) Ensure Financial sustainability and modernize ANC operations.

ON THE IDEOLOGICAL FRONT, BATTLE OF IDEAS AND REMAINING ENCHORED IN THE PHILOSOPHIES BORN OF STRUGGLE

Do we still have a remnant who are advancing a disciplined outlook of the Left? Or have we neglected

that responsibility and space to Social Movements, Radical Opposition, and Interests Groups who are hell-bent to undermining the National Democratic Revolution? As Cde Joe Slovo asked in 1991 – Has Socialism Failed? Is there a remnant that is talking socialism, as an Alternative or different trajectory - in a real sense in the current epoch whether in ANC or Alliance?

This is a question that the alliance has to grapple with. It is a reality that Capitalism has taken over the realm and space – as if the paper of Francis Fukuyama Titled The End of History – The Rise of Capitalism and the Demise of Socialism / Communism (1989) did not warn us sufficiently.

It would appear that the red army is only in existence in our minds only these days. Could we have fallen guilty of having taken the power of the oppressor by main-

PERSPECTIVE

taining wrong power alliances that would perpetuate oppression instead of liberating our people?

ON THE PARADIGM SHIFT AND BUILDING A CAPABLE STATE

To which direction should the paradigm shift? The paradigm shift should begin in our understanding that the struggle terrain in its truest sense has three pillars –

[1] THAT THE PEOPLE SHALL GOVERN as FREEDOM CHARTER dictated.

[2] That the liberation movement must place our masses at the Centre of our revolution.

[3] To guard against the un-intended consequences of living in post-colonial liberal democracies – that is, a fundamental lack of real understanding of POWERNOMICS /CAPITALISM.

Failing to understand the latter comrades, will have us place our people as mere voting fodders and this is not what the ANC fought for.

The ANC fought the struggle to liberate Africans in general and blacks in particular – for these groups to have and exercise their democratic rights of casting a vote.

On the CAPABLE STATE, ETHICAL and AGILE STATE

Do we have a sense or picture of this type of state? Do we have a sense of this setup or it remains a fantasy or some idealism that will never be conceived and delivered in reality beyond our mind?

Warning the advanced detachment of the revolution, which has captured the state and advancing

a political programme, Karl Marx spoke about the danger of a leadership whose role is ‘nothing else but a crop that is managing the affairs and interests of the Bourgeoisie Class”

Some critical questions remain pertinent to the NDR even on our 29th year of the constitutional democracy. Some of those questions pertain to the role and place of the constitution in advancing the liberation of our people, as enshrined in the constitution of the ANC.

ON LAW MAKING

Are we aware that our outlook and legal trajectory that we use and consume remain the trajectory of what is shaped by the MARKET? These are the critical questions that the South African constitution should be continually subjected to by progressive minds – that are looking for constitutional means to transform our country in favour of the poor and marginalized.

ON YOUTH, STUDENT POLITICS AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

The Youth and Student politics is dead - so are the Leagues that set the tone in the 90s [e.g SASCO & PYA in our generation]. If we allow a gap to exist between senior leadership and young people, we will lose the opportunity to shape the mind of the young comrades.

The problem with the mind, especially unattended mind is that it can make you a captive in your own body and as revolutionaries - we must equip our minds correctly because it’s how we see the world. As Rene Descartes said, “The task of the mind, is to absorb in any environment”.

A mind Example: The mind is like a [Scaffold] – The scaffold of a mind is what shape the current state of activism in our communities: The power of words like instilling fear, Bible talks about inkanuko yengqondo and inyama. ANC activists should be trained to care for the need of the people.

The cadre must be disciplined at the level of a thought and that’s how we lead the society.

ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT.

The Russia-Ukraine war has been a year since it started. This war continues to polarize the balance of power in the global north and European alliances. The unfortunate part about this war is that it continues to put pressure on prizes for gas, oil and other critical commodities that are part of our basket of trade with the Euro-Zone.

While China continues to dominate the world through difficult years, and that they have devalued their currency and stabilise their economy and trade as if things were normal, it (China) remains a weak link to the global geopolitics as it remains in tension with most countries of the west.

A China that peacefully coexists with the emerging and big economies remains a good strategic fit in our BRICS Alliance than a China that is facing militarily with the NATO countries, especially because of our trade ties with China n

ANC caucuses must put in place legislative agenda to improve performance of the ANC led government

n By Mlibo Qoboshiyane

NOW that key policy speeches have been tabled by the President, Premiers of provinces, budget speech by the Finance minister, all ANC MPs, MPLs and Councillors have to use our legislative authority to put in place a legislative agenda to improve the performance of the ANC led government.

We know the challenges that torment our country, her people in their homes, those that needle the hearts of every patriot committed to building a better South Africa.

In the sea of these challenges, Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) shows that “employment increased by 169 000 in the fourth quarter of 2022 following an increase of 204 000 in the third quarter of 2022. Official unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 32.7% in Q4: 2022 compared to Q3: 2022.”

Furthermore, the QLFS shows that graduate unemployment has jumped from 4,4% in 2012 to 10,6% in 2022, doubling over the

last 10 years, in Q4:2022, 80,6% of women were in long-term unemployment compared to their male counterparts with 76,1%, unemployment rate among Black/ Africans remains higher than the national average and other population groups. These demand that we do more in our legislative work to speedily address these challenges.

While these job numbers show that the work we are doing as the ANC is bearing fruits, we have to ensure the economy creates more jobs for those still unemployed, skill those who lack skills to be employed or to create jobs, expand business finance, especially grants to more entrepreneurs, including the youth.

Our policies must make sure that there are no barriers to access grant and loan finance for entrepreneurs. We must align all funding instruments to policy priorities in our manifesto commitments.

Proper use and interpretation of data for purposes of fast racking development is one of the things we must do to hasten development, be capable of responding to changing circumstances.

To deal with such circumstances, as law makers we must use our legislative responsibility to ensure that proper plans pronounced by the president, premiers, and allocated funds for implementation by the finance minister are aligned with processes that will help us deliver our manifesto commitments to the people of our country.

We must work together to put an end to crime, violence, gender based violence, murder in our communities and businesses. There will never be a better life in a society tormented by crime, violence, killing of friends, loved ones, business owners, our chil-

dren. We will never have a better society when children and women are raped, attacked and killed.

Section 43 of our constitution provides that the legislative authority of the Republic at the national sphere is vested in Parliament, in provincial legislatures for the provincial sphere and municipal councils for the local government sphere.

Provincial legislatures draw their responsibilities from section 114 of the constitution which provides that “a provincial legislature must provide for mechanisms: to ensure that all provincial executive organs of state in the province are accountable to it and to maintain oversight of the exercise of provincial executive authority in the province, including the implementation of legislation and any provincial organ of state.”

Working with our comrades deployed to responsibilities of MECs of departments, we will continue exercising oversight to programmes of government through portfolio committees that are chaired by our comrades.

All the challenges we face demand that we improve how we conduct oversight, inject more pace in our processes, spend more time with our communities in all our wards resolving their concerns, and connect them to government departments, entities and municipalities for sustainable solutions.

At our 55th national conference we took clear policy resolutions to implement as priority programmes to improve efficiency and performance of the ANC led govern-

ment.

In a nutshell, the 55th national conference tasked all ANC deployees to improve manifesto delivery performance in delivering what we committed to the people of our country.

At the centre of the agenda for the 6th term is to make the Legislative Sector accessible to the people in line with the unambiguous freedom charter commitment that the people shall govern. Having realised the lack of interest in the work of legislatures, we are reconnecting the legislature with the people.

We have realised that in the Eastern Cape Province some people don’t understand the role, mandate of the Legislature and that it is set up to assist or intervene on their behalf with the government.

We are cognisant of the fact that a lot is expected from the Legislature in terms of conducting oversight that will ensure the accountability of the Provincial government to the people of the province; Pass Laws that will ensure that citizens’ rights are upheld to ensure meaningful public partici-

pation.

Our immediate focus is to be the first people our constituents contact to report their problems, be the first people to facilitate speedy and proper solutions to all their problems, work with the executive, civil society and other community structures to speed up delivery, development and transformation of our society.

At the heart of our legislative authority is the responsibility to ensure that the plans put out by our comrades from the president, premiers, and minister of finance are fully implemented for the benefit of the people of our country so that jobs are created, crime is eradicated and for our people to live in safer communities.

The constitution empowers us to put in place a legislative agenda that makes it possible for our people to have a better life and a brighter future n

Mlibo Qoboshiyane is a member of the ANC, MPL in the Eastern Cape Legislature and the Deputy Speaker.

Strengthening parliamentary oversight on Section 139 interventions in municipalities

n By China Dodovu

During the last decade, a sizeable number of South Africa’s municipalities experienced repeated executive interventions invoked by various provincial governments due to their inability to fulfil their executive obligations under the constitution or due to the financial crisis which had reached unparalleled proportions.

More than 80 of these municipalities where either placed under administration or dissolved especially in provinces such as North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape.

Under exceptional circumstances, the NEC had to also intervene due to the failures by the provincial governments to resolve persistent problems in municipalities. Currently, it has intervened in the Mangaung metropolitan municipality in Free State and Enock Mgijima local municipality in Eastern Cape.

The increasing number of inter -

ventions and the way in which they are carried out call for parliament, especially its upper house, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to review and strengthen its oversight role in order to achieve high standards of accountability, transparency and responsibility when the executive authorities exercise their powers and perform their functions.

Throughout the world, especially in all the democratic political systems which uphold the doctrine of separation of powers between the three arms of state, parliaments are traditionally entrusted with the responsibility to perform oversight functions on all actions and decisions of the executives.

PERSPECTIVE

Overseeing executive actions is a vital role of parliament which helps to enforce accountability and transparency and to promptly detect and prevent the abuse of power by the executive. It also helps parliament to prevent illegal and unconstitutional conduct by the executive and protects the rights and liberties of citizens.

Additionally, effective oversight helps parliament to hold government answerable for how taxpayers’ money is spent; makes government operations more transparent and increases public trust in the government.

When the executive fails to meet any of the standards above, it is parliament through its oversight function that holds it accountable to ensure that these standards are met by providing adequate mechanisms to challenge the executive for failure to meet them.

In terms Section 139 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), when interventions happen, appropriate steps are taken to ensure the fulfillment of any obligation that a municipality fails to fulfil which include failure to adopt the budget or to raise revenue or a municipality is facing a financial crisis.

The interventions include issuing a directive, assuming responsibility for the relevant obligation in the municipality, imposing a financial recovery plan or even dissolving the municipal council where an administrator is appointed until a new

municipal council is elected.

When Section 139 intervention is invoked, parliament must play an oversight function by receiving written notices of intervention within a prescribed timeframe, taking decisions to either approve or disapprove them, reviewing them regularly and making any appropriate recommendations on the interventions.

The NCOP’s role becomes more pronounced where it becomes a final authority on whether to approve or disapprove the intervention where its responsibility is to ensure that the constitutional, substantive and procedural processes are followed and observed by the executive.

The recent experience about the executive interventions is

that they generally fail to yield the desired positive results. In some instances, where they are invoked, municipalities regress or even get worse off than before interventions.

Another weakness is that the provinces have inadequate or weak performance monitoring systems and do not have early warning systems to detect problems before they exacerbate.

In most instances, provinces cannot show any evidence that prior to the invocation of section 139, they would have sufficiently applied section 154 of the Constitution which obligates them to support municipalities and strengthen their capacities in order to exercise their powers, perform their functions and manage their own affairs.

Where interventions are invoked, they are not proactive but reactive and are weaponised as political instruments to settle factional battles and infightings.

In the North West and Free State provinces where most interventions have taken place, the relevant sector departments have not come on board to resolve specific issues identified as problematic in the municipalities.

The other problems include resistance and obstructionist tendencies where skepticism and reluctance to cooperate with the executive interventions has been identified to an extent that officials destroy documents while senior ones issue illegal instructions to the subordinates.

In order for interventions to have maximum impact, they must be carried out in an intergovernmental way, and using the District Development Model

Due to the absence of legislation to regulate the executive support, monitoring and interventions to municipalities, the provinces use varying and inconsistent approaches to implement interventions.

Even the communities which are subjected to interventions are not often informed and consulted when interventions are invoked or during their implementation.

While national parliament has established mechanisms through Select Committees and Ad Hoc Committees to oversee the executive interventions, all these mechanisms are seen to be haphazard, ineffective and unsustainable. This is because parliament does not have either a framework or model to oversee executive interventions.

South Africa today requires stable municipalities which must in every step of the way, be sensitive, accountable and responsive to the needs of local communities.

It is the responsibility of the ex -

ecutive authorities to support municipalities and to strengthen their capacities to exercise their powers, perform their functions and manage their affairs. The provinces must properly diagnose problems in municipalities and treat them before they become worse. This can be realised if they put up early warning systems to detect problems.

The executive authorities must strengthen their monitoring functions to municipalities and if problems which disable municipalities to perform their functions persist, interventions must be targeted by identifying and treating the areas of concern.

In order for interventions to have maximum impact, they must be carried out in an intergovernmental way, and using the District Development Model could be the best way to accomplish its predetermined goals where local communities play a participatory role.

When an intervention is terminated, the executive should develop an Exit Strategy which must include an After Care Strategy to ensure that the problems

which would have instigated the interventions do not recur.

All the above proposals must be entailed in the intervention legislation which the government must fast-track.

Guided by these imperatives, the role of parliament becomes critical in overseeing the executive interventions. This can be realised if parliament eliminated existing gaps by introducing new innovations and by offering new and fresh perspectives on oversight.

It must be remembered that oversight is not only about parliament holding the executive arm of government accountable on behalf of the people but also, it is an important component of the system of checks and balances that ensures that no government wields enormous power in a democratic state.

The government and its decision-making processes on interventions can only stand to gain from the growing prominence and scope of parliamentary oversight n

BOOK REVIEW

History

End of February marks the end of black history month. What started as Negro Week 95 years ago, and now a yearly event with a footprint almost all over the world. It was in 1915 half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States when Carter Godwin Woodson (Author and Historian) known as the “Father of Black History”, and minister Jesse Edward Moorland founded the association for the study of African American Life and History.

This group focused on researching and promoting the advancements made by the people of African descent. This year’s national theme, “Black Resistance”, explores how African Americans have addressed historic and ongoing disadvantage and oppression, as evidenced in recent overt instances of violence. To date this legacy of racial terror remains evident in modern day policing in the United States. A continued engagement with history becomes a necessity as it helps in contextualising the present. Black History Month is an op -

portunity to appreciate black histories, going beyond stories of racism and slavery to elucidate black achievements. Several factors make Black History

Month attractive in Africa. It allows us an opportunity to reflect on how black history was presented. It is common knowledge that colonialism had very negative effects on every conceivable aspect of Africa’s history.

European attitude toward African history was shaped by exploitation and domination; to legitimize European despoliation of the continent, everything primitive was associated with the continent; even slavery and colonization were justified as a means of “civilizing” the “primitive people”.

Hence, it is no wonder African nationalists and the Pan-Africanist movement worked toward the reconstitution of Africa’s heritage through the study and writing of African history by Africans. It is during this month we look back at the milestones we have made in interrogating and redressing the African historiography.

In South Africa – the idea (black history month) had been embraced though not at a bigger scale. A handful of South Africans embraced the idea as shown by the likes of Dr. John Kani, by bringing to life the classic play, “Fences”, at the Joburg Theatre stage in celebration of Black History Month. Also, the elevation of the work and contribution in the literary realm of Dr. KPD Maphalla born in Bohlokong, Bethlehem in the Free State.

Maphalla is a renowned novelist who published 40 books in Sesotho. The Public Broadcaster brought it by launching ‘S3 its new programming centred around Black History Month of which is important platform considering its reach to South Africans.

The continent (Africa) events are held in commemoration of Black History Month, mainly at U.S. Embassies or study centers at higher learning institutions in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, all of which are predominantly English-speaking, a view accentuated by Zimbabwe based jour -

Black

Month needs to be a tool with which people learn, understand and admire the accomplishments of unsung

BOOK REVIEW

nalist Farai Shawn Matiashe in his recent article titled “Black History : A missed opportunity to celebrate Africa’s achievement”.

“I’ve found that most people are not aware of it,” says Ọbádélé Bakari Kambon, an associate professor and research coordinator in the Language, Literature and Drama Section at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, who initiated a Black History Month Film Festival in conjunction with the African World Documentary Film Festival in 2015, in an effort to raise awareness around the significance of Black History Month in Ghana.

“Because many are unaware of Black History Month, it is not something that has government support in terms of programming.”

Again, in South Africa we cannot talk about black history month without talking about Black consciousness. The two are intrinsically intertwined. In every facet of the black person experience lies the consciousness.

The Black Consciousness Movement centred on race as a determining factor in the oppression of Black people in South Africa, in response to racial oppression and the dehumanisation of Black people under Apartheid. ‘Black’ as defined by Steve Bantu Biko anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, a student leader, who would later found the Black Consciousness Movement which would empow -

er and mobilize much of the urban black population.

While living, his writings and activism attempted to empower black people, and he was famous for his slogan “black is beautiful”, which he described as meaning: “man, you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human being”.

Since his death in police custody, he has been called a martyr of the anti-apartheid movement. It is unfortunate that it is during this month we also learn about the passing of Peter Jones, the struggle veteran - the last black person to see Steve Biko alive.

One of the greatest challenges Africans have is the location of affirmation of their true identity. Whilst I am pondering on immateriality of salvation by a white savior and the materiality of socio-political, economic, and cultural redemption from the racialisation of colour semblance, I am tempted to agree with Edwin Naidoo in his piece published by The African when he says “It’s also critical to hold up genuine role models, not those red-clad politicians who were in diapers during apartheid but masquerade as revolutionaries.

Only when the stories of true African heroes are taught at schools can we inspire change. Then Black History Month would stop being an annual event, like Valentine’s Day.

After all, what is love when humanity’s dead to genuine change?”.

Black History Month needs

to be a tool with which people learn, understand and admire the accomplishments of unsung heroes and sheroes, inspiring Black people. It should provide universities, schools, and organizations the chance to boast inclusivity, and commemorate Black excellence through organised activities. At its worst, it fails to cover the entirety of Black history, and instead focuses on few Black historical figures, blatantly erasing centuries of Black history and struggle.

If those educators and leaders adopt an inclusive approach to discussing Black history in further depth, we can begin helping our Black community feel represented as a part of African historical fabric, while white counterparts can assimilate Black culture and recognize its integral role in society. Black history should never be a task or check box for people to complete for one month of the year.

Recognizing and learning Black history should be a constant effort. In his writings, Bantu Biko notes that ‘a people without a positive history is like a vehicle without an engine’ n

Qondile Khedama is a communications specialist, social commentator and an award winning writer.

He writes in his personal capacity

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

4 - 10 March 2023

Source: SA History Online, O’Malley Archives and The Africa Factbook (2020)

 4 March 1890

Architect Gerard Moerdijk born

Gerard Leendert Pieter Moerdijk, of Dutch descent, was born in the Waterberg district, Transvaal (now Limpopo Province). He was one of the first Afrikaans architects and pioneered new designs for churches, adapting them to South African requirements and using local materials. He designed approximately ninety churches, numerous houses, halls and public buildings, and the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria.

 5 March 1955

Birth of SACTU

union co-ordinating body, and ally of the African National Congress (ANC)-led Congress Alliance. It recognized the link between political and economic struggles, organizing against racist and exploitative labour practices and the first national living wage campaign in 1957. SACTU also organized night schools and factory cells for workers. When the banning of organisations of 1960 happened after Sharpeville, its activities went into decline, with many of its leaders forced into exile or victims of bannings and imprisonment. SACTU reorganized in exile, mobilizing support against apartheid amongst working class and trade union organisations and giving support to the emerging trade union organisation inside the country, to the process of trade union unity which eventually led to the formation of COSATU in 1985.

 5 March 1943

Artist Mmakgoba Sebidi is born

change in her work: “First I kept on drawing figures in the studio, feet, hands, portraits; and I kept all this rubbish from the whole year piling up on the carpet. At the end of the year I said to myself, ‘I want to see if I can grow these up’, I took myself away from other people - I said ‘Now break all this in pieces and see what comes out’. Between 1986 and 1988 she worked for the Johannesburg Art Foundation while teaching at the Alexandra Art Centre. She participated in art projects with the Funda Art Centre, and the Thupelo Art Workshop. In 1998 Mmakgoba Sebidi was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the USA and exhibited her work at the Worldwide Economic Contemporary Artists Funds exhibition. Helen Sebidi, as she is known professionally, has become a recognized artist in South Africa and internationally. Her work is exhibited regularly in major galleries across the country and abroad and her work routinely included in standard reference books on South African art.

The South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), was formed at an inaugural congress held in Johannesburg on 4 and 5 March 1955. It became the leading non-racial trade

Mmakgoba Helen Sebidi was born in Marapyane (Skilpadfontein) in the Hammanskraal area. She developed a life-long love for the designs of traditional arts when as a young girl she accompanied her grandmother who was a traditional wall and floor painter. She studied with John Mohl and taught pottery and clay sculpture at the Katlehong Art and in Alexandra. She sold many of her paintings at the art fair, Artists under the Sun, in Joubert Park. Sebidi was a figurative painter working in oils until she began to experiment with abstraction and collage. She described this

 5 March 1975

WHO publishes indictment of Apartheid

The system of Apartheid was not only detrimental to the cultural, economic and emotional wellbeing of those on whom it was imposed , but also on the physical wellbeing of those who bore the brunt of it. This was shown by a study done by the World Health Organization in 1975. The report published on the 5th of March 1975 showed that Apartheid as a system through impoverishing

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

its subjects, exposed many to physical ailments and deficiencies that could be avoided at minimal cost. This degradation was so extreme that there was a marked difference between the life expectancy of White South Africans and Black South Africans. Further, the infant mortality rate of Black South Africans outstripped the mortality rate of White South Africans. This was one of the many contradictions of the Apartheid system that eventually led to its fall.

 5 March 1997

Munitoria building burns down

The Munitoria building, a municipal building in Pretoria burned down in 1997. The fire spread though the building very quickly and was already out of control by the time fire fighters arrived. It took four days and 252 fire fighters to put out the fire completely and was the biggest fire the country had ever seen at the time. In the end, nothing could be salvaged, with damage estimated at R 353, 4 million and thousands of public records destroyed. The building was 44 years old, non-compliant with the South African national building regulations, SANS 10400 and a known fire hazard. There were no casualties as the fire started after hours. The building was demolished in 2013.

 5 March 2020

First SA COVID case

On Thursday March 5, 2020, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirmed that a suspected case of COVID-19 has tested positive. The patient was a 38-year-old male who had travelled to Italy with his wife, along with a group of other ten persons.

 6 March 1957 Ghana gains Independence

On 6 March 1957, the Gold Coast (now known as Ghana) gained in-

dependence from Britain. Ghana became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and was led to independence by Kwame Nkrumah who transformed the country into a republic. The country was the first to gain independence from European colonialism. Before it was colonised, Ghana was made up of a number of independent kingdoms, including Gonja and Dagomba in the north, Ashanti in the interior, and the Fanti states along the coast. The flag of the newly independent state was designed by Theodosia Salome Okoh. The red signified those who had died for independence, the gold is the mineral wealth with the green representing the rich grasslands of the area. The black star is the symbol of the people and of African emancipation

 6 March 1979

Bethal Trial Resumes

The trial of 18 Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) members, which began in December 1977 and had already taken over 100 court sessions, resumed in Bethal (also known as State v Mothopeng and 17 others). The defendants faced charges under the Terrorism Act, and a number of alternative counts under other legis-

lation. Zephaniah Mothopeng, who was also an internal leadership member of the banned PAC, was accused number one. They were convicted and jailed for their alleged role in fermenting revolution and for being behind the Soweto uprising. During the course of the Bethal trial, four of those awaiting prosecution died in police custody. They were Naboath Ntshuntsha, Samuel Malinga, Aaron Khoza and Sipho Bonaventura Malaza. Vusumzi Johnson Nyathi, another trialist, miraculously survived after he was thrown out of the window during an interrogation session. Nyathi, who suffered spinal injuries, was later charged and found guilty of trying to escape from custody. He later sued the Minister of Police without success.

 6 March 2006 Tsotsi wins Oscar

On 6 March 2006, the South African film Tsotsi, starring young actors Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Pheto and directed by Gavin Woods, received the Oscar for the best foreign film at the Oscar awards in Hollywood. Set in Soweto the movie Tsotsi traces six days in the life of a ruthless

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

young gang leader who ends up caring for a baby accidentally kidnapped during a car-jacking. Tsotsi was the third African film to win an Oscar in this category, the other being Z (Algeria, 1969) and Black and White in Colour (Cote d’Ivoire, 1976).

 7 March 1921

Todd Matshikiza born in Queenstown

Todd Tozama Matshikiza was born to a musical family in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on 7 March 1921. He obtained music and teaching diplomas and took up a teaching post in Alice. In 1947, Matshikiza moved to Johannesburg where he established a music school, the Todd Matshikiza School of Music. He was also one of the first black journalists to work for Drum Magazine. Matshikiza wrote the music for the musical King Kong, which became a huge success both locally and abroad. In 1960, he and his family left South Africa and relocated to London. After a few years of performing in night clubs and freelancing for a few London Publications, Matshikiza moved to Zambia. He took up a post as a newscaster and producer for the Zambian Broadcasting Cooperation. Matshikiza missed South Africa and was pained by the fact that he was banned in his own country. He died in 1968 and was survive by his wife and two children. His son John Matshikiza was a well-known actor before his untimely death in 2008.

 8 March 1986

Moses Mabhida dies in Maputo

Moses Mbeki Mncane (Baba) Mabhida, trade unionist, politician, Umkhonto weSizwe commander and Secretary-General of the SA Communist Party, died of a heart attack in Maputo, Mozambique, and was buried there in a temporary grave on 29 March 1986. In 2006, Mabhida’s

remains were transferred to South Africa by the South African government for reburial at his home in KwaZulu-Natal. The eulogy at his funeral was done by then ANC President Oliver Reginald Tambo, and he said:

“We have gathered here today to bid farewell to a warrior. We have converged from all corners of the globe to pay homage to a revolutionary. We have convened on this grieving piece of the earth to salute a patriot. We who have walked with the giants know that Moses Mbheki Mabhida belongs in that company too. We who have filed among the ranks know that he was proud to count himself a foot soldier. A colossus because he was supremely human. Like the pure note of a bugle, (his) voice rose from the depths of the Valley of a Thousand Hills, and multiplied. It rose and grew and multiplied, reverberating from Durban`s Curries Fountain until it was heard in Dar es Salaam and Havana, Moscow and Managua, London and Jakarta, Beijing and Rio de Janeiro, Prague and Washington. And in Pretoria the centres and symbols of oppression and repression - the Union Buildings and the Voortrekker Monument - heaved and trembled as they received his message: Death to Fascism! Down with Fascism! Freedom for my People!”

 9 March 1947

Three Doctors’ Pact signed

The signing of the ‘Three Doctors Pact’ between president of the African National Congress, Dr. AB Xuma, Natal Indian Congress president, Dr GM Naicker and Dr. Yusuf Dadoo of the Transvaal Indian Congress, taking forward unity of all oppressed and non-racialism.

 9 March 2015

Chumani Maxwele ignites the #RhodesMustFall Movement at UCT

On 9 March 2015, Chumani Maxwele threw human excrements at a statue of Cecil John Rhodes, situated on the University of Cape Town campus. This became a catalyst for heightened student activism and movements throughout universities in the country, and the birth of what became known by the collective name #FeesMustFall movement. Maxwele’s protest, staged as a political performance, was in response to the lack of attention given to the symbols of White supremacy and Black oppression that is rooted in South Africa. By taking human excrement from Khayelitsha, his action sought to make a connection with the lack of human dignity given to Black people living in townships. Dressed in

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

running shoes and tights, a pink construction hat and carrying a whistle, a drum and a placard reading “Exhibit White @ Arrogance U.C.T.”, Maxwele’s performance was a radical protest against UCT’s institutional racism and the lack of transformation on campus. By midday Maxwele was joined by other students, resulting in the birth of #RhodesMustFall.

 10 March 1922

Miners’ strike turns violence

A white mineworkers strike, which started in December 1921 turneds violent, with workers occupying police stations, railway stations and mines in the Witwatersrand, attacking a power station and main post office. The strike became known as the Rand Revolt, leading to certain positions in mines being reserved for whites, called Job Reservation.

 10 March 1926

Artist Michael Zondi born

On 10 March 1926, Michael Gagashe Zondi, a South African sculptor was born in Msinga, Greytown He was trained in woodwork at the Swedish Lutheran Mission Trade School. During the late 1950s he received instruction in Fine Arts at the UN, Pietermaritzburg. He obtained certificates in building construction

and design and worked at the Appelsbosch mission hospital in Natal, executing the design, construction and decoration for the hospital chapel, whilst doing his sculptors. In 1965, he became only the second black artist to exhibit at the Durban Arts Centre, during the height of apartheid. He worked for the Department of Information until 1972, after which he moved to Johannesburg. Zondi had several exhibitions of his work, and his sculptors are part of art collections across the country and internationally. He has been described as ‘one of the greatest South African sculptors of the 20th century.” Michael Gagashe Zondi passed on 15 March 2008, and was buried in Mtulwa.

 10 March 1978

Journalist Percy Qoboza released from detention

Percy Qoboza, editor of the banned newspaper, The World, was released

from detention, together with nine other Black leaders seized in security raids in October 1976. Qoboza was freed as result of an international campaign for his release. After his release, Qoboza remained in the country for another three years and joined the Black weekly, The Voice, which was later also banned. He then joined the Post Transvaal and Sunday Post, two newspapers established to replace the banned World. Qoboza finally succumbed to the government pressure and left the country to live in United States.

 10 March 1990

Welcome Ncita wins International Boxing Federation title

Mdantsane born Welcome Ncita became the first South African to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world bantam weight title on 10 March 1990, when he beat Israeli Fabrice Benichou in Tel Aviv, Israel. Known as “The Hawk”, Ncita went on to defend the title seven times. He lost the title to American, Kennedy McKinney in 1992n

INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL DAYS

4 - 10 March 2023

Source: www.un.org, www.au.int, The Africa Fact Book (2020), www.daysoftheyear.com

 4 March

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.

UNESCO proclaimed the 4 March as World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development), to raise awareness of the role of engineering in modern life. Engineering is defined as “the branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building, and use of engines, machines, and structures.” The day is also used to promote awareness of

engineering as a career, and the importance of young people, especially girls and women, studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

 4 March

International Day of Mathematics.

Greater global awareness of mathematical sciences are vital to addressing challenges in areas such as artificial intelli -

gence, climate change, energy and sustainable development, and to improving the quality of life in both the developed and the developing worlds. In many countries, 14 March (3/14) is already celebrated as Pi Day because π, one of the world’s most widely-known mathematical constants can be rounded to 3.14. This year, according to UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azoulay, “we are celebrating a universal history which began in Palaeolithic Africa more than 20,000 years ago.”

 4 March

World Obesity Day.

World Obesity Day was established in 2015 as an annual campaign with the goal of stimulating and supporting practical actions that will help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight and reverse the global obesity crisis. “Half of all adults in South Africa are overweight (23%) or obese (27%). And the World Obesity Federation anticipates an additional 10% increase (37%) in obesity among adults by 2030. Overweight and obesity hugely increase the risk of noncommunicable diseases.” https://www. wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/ opinion/2022/2022-09/obesitycosts-south-africa-billions-wedid-the-sums.html

INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL DAYS

 5 March

International Day for Disarmament and NonProliferation Awareness.

Since the founding of the United Nations, multilateral disarmament and arms limitation have been central to the Organization’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. Weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, continue to be of primary concern, owing to their destructive power and the threat that they pose to humanity. The excessive accumulation in conventional weapons and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons jeopardizes international peace and security and sustainable development, while the use of explosive weapons in populated areas is seriously endangering civilians. New and emerging weapon technologies, such as autonomous weapons, have also received attention in recent years. The International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness plays a role in deepening the global public’s understanding about how disarmament efforts contribute to enhancing peace and security, preventing and ending armed conflicts.

 8 March

International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day has its origin in a strike and march by over 15,000 women in New York in 1908, demanding better pay, shorter working hours and the right to vote. In 1910, at the International Conference of Working Women, Clara Zetkin proposed that it be celebrated as International Women’s Day, and the first celebration of the day was held in 1911. The day has been used by women to organize and mobilise against their social, political and economic exclusion and exploitation, and to celebrate the achievements that women have made. A century later, the struggles against gender-based violence, for equal pay for equal work, for representation, and for the recognition of women’s rights as human rights are ongoing.

 9 March

World Kidney Day.

Kidneys are important organs in our bodies, and health kidneys regulate the body’s fluid levels, filter wastes and toxins from the blood, release a hormone that regulates blood pressure, activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones, release the hor-

mone that directs production of red blood cells and keep blood minerals in balance (sodium, phosphorus, potassium).

 10 March International Women Judges Day

Achieving gender equity in all spheres of public life is an important part of the struggle for a non-sexist world, and the judiciary is no exception. In 2017, 40% of judges were female, in comparison with just 5% in 2008. In South Africa, by September 2020 there were 134 male judges (58,5%) and 95 female judges (41,5%). During the recent interviews by the Judicial Services Commission for the position of Chief Justice (the most senior judge in the country), only one out of four candidates was a woman, and she scored the highest. In Africa at the moment, there are, currently just six women Chief Justices, in Ethiopia, Niger, Lesotho, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire and Zambia.

International Mathematics Day, 4 March 2023

Across

6. African slave Thomas Fuller taken to US, also known as Virginia ...

11. First basic maths skills taught for kids

12. People from West Africa who developed their own counting system

13. Oldest examples of the use of geometry and algebra from Egypt known as Moscow ....

14. Part of math with letters and other general symbols used to represent numbers

15. Subtracting a certain number of objects again and again

16. Adding a certain number of objects again and again

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Down

1. Taking things away from a group

2. whole, non-negative numbers used for counting objects.

3. Oldest known evidence of ancient counting board game, Gebet’a or Mancala

4. Mathematical manuscript in these libraries

5. Aryabhatta credited with first using... in the decimal system

7. The power to which a number must be raised in order to get some other number

8. Early form of African currency

9. Oldest mathematical object found here

10. Joining things together in Maths

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