Fakude-Nkuna, Mpumalanga ANC Veterans League chairperson, calls for unity in the ruling party

The ANC Veterans League’s provincial chairperson, Dr Nora Fakude-Nkuna, has called on all ANC members to defend the liberation movement at all times and at all costs.
Speaking during the party’s 111th anniversary at KaMhlushwa Stadium on January 8, Fakude-Nkuna said the organisation has a huge task ahead of unifying all members, especially ahead of the 2024 national and provincial general elections.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the rebirth of the movement of the people. This is not just a January 8 celebration, but a celebration of the renewal of the ANC.

“Allow me to reminisce a bit about this party, which many of you may have come to know and actively participated in after 1994. During the ANC’s tenure as a liberation movement and working underground, our elders, the youth and student political activists of the time were inspired and motivated by the spirit of political freedom, social justice, dismantling of apartheid laws and freeing our motherland from the yoke of colonialism and oppression.

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“We were united in our different ethnic, tribal, religious or race domains towards that goal. We were united under the Freedom Charter, believing that South Africa belongs to all who live in it. At every interaction and gathering, we went through the teachings and political mobilisation programmes, which underscored the values of patriotism, freedom, hard work, the spirit of ubuntu, unity as well as respect and support of our political leaders.

“We felt the warmth and sense of intensity, unity, loyalty, camaraderie and oneness. We felt the sense of intentional living to contribute to the liberation of our country from the yoke of apartheid and colonialism, oppression and a derogatory apartheid system through our political activism and radicalism,” she said.

“Comrades, that is the ANC I joined and have always been committed to serve. We must as members be at the forefront of defending this movement at all times. We must encourage debate, but we must despise anarchy. Let’s defend and protect our party from inside and outside against enemies that are hell-bent to tarnish its image.”
Fakude-Nkuna continued by saying that the ANC needed leaders who will serve the interest of the party and of the country as well, and not just their own.

“We need leaders who will implement the provisions in the party constitution, and rules and procedures correctly and to the letter, and be spirited without any fear or favour, prejudice or impartially,” she said.

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“We have a huge task ahead of us to unify our organisation as we approach the 2024 general elections. We cannot go into those elections divided as a party. We need the leaders of the ANC to refrain from attacking one another in public. This does not in any way help to unify the party. The time has come for every member to reinvent, refocus, redirect and reinvigorate themselves towards the goal of making the ANC the people’s party that had been loved so much and had even been admired and envied by the opposition because of its popularity and vibrancy,” she concluded.