ANC must focus on economic rights

The ANC has been opportunistic and politically astute in piggybacking on the efforts of others during the struggle against apartheid… to the point those others have almost been expunged from history.

As the country celebrated Human Rights Day on Tuesday, the reality was that the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960 followed on from a pass law protest initiated by the Pan Africanist Congress of Robert Sobukwe, then a bitter enemy of the ANC.

Similarly, it was angry students and members of the Black Consciousness Movement – and not the ANC – who were behind the Soweto uprising in 1976.

Though the ANC would like to characterise itself as the “sole and authentic representative” of the people, it never was and never will be.

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That should not detract from the need to remember and honour the human rights of all citizens, which have been won after the struggles of tens of thousands of people across different political beliefs.

People are now more free than they have ever been in South African history – to say what they want, love who they want, live where they want.

Yet, the ANC government must now concentrate on economic rights – such as jobs, health and housing.

There is still much to be done in that area.

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