RE: Masijule Ngengxoxo
Mtsweni, Sifiso (Mr) (s20429560)
From: Dlamini, Bongiwe (Miss) (s20606639)
Sent: Fri 07/11/2008 12:03 PM
To: Siyabulela Gebe; 204295...@live.co.za; 5032...@nmmu.ac.za; 5502...@nmmu.ac.za; akh...@ecsecc.org; ayand...@webmail.co.za; bro...@webmail.co.za; diph...@gmail.com; ecs...@union.org.za; element...@gmail.com; g08l...@campus.ru.ac.za; g08m...@campus.ru.ac.za; g08m...@campus.ru.ac.za; javas_m...@yahoo.com; kgos...@gmail.com; mokoenaz...@yahoo.com; mzanzi-...@googlegroups.com; nonceba...@yahoo.com; rhode...@googlegroups.com; rhodes...@googlegroups.com; run...@webmail.co.za; Mokoena, Zimkhitha (Miss) (s205019749); Sabela, Menzi (Mr) (s20503034); Lehlapa, Kgotsofalang (Mr) (s205051791); sasc...@googlegroups.com; sasc...@googlegroups.com; spoka...@yahoo.com; t_mas...@yahoo.com; wam...@gmail.com; zimkhith...@yahoo.com; zol...@yahoo.com; asanda ntame; Awethu Amandla Zumana; Ayanda Ndinise; Blue Diamond; Brenda; Bubbles; casey nombuyiselo tingo; Chief Justice; Cyril Ramaphosa; Dyani, Siphumezo (Miss) (s205040349); Eddie Levert; Faxi; Fayol; George Kahn; jacob B.W Yeats mbutana; Joe Sample; Jonas, Branton (Mr) (s203018400); Jonas, Branton (Mr) (s203018400); Kgotsofalang (Mr) (s205051791) Lehlapa; kholosa siphe loni; Khwaba Mosia; Khwaba Mosia; Lehlapa, Kgotsofalang (Mr) (s205051791); Lerato; Lesailane, Matome (Mr) (s207070569); Lesailane, Matome (Mr) (s207070569); lu...@webmail.co.za; Lungisa, Ayongezwa (Mr) (s20629995); Lungisa, Ayongezwa (Mr) (s20629995); Luthando; M-Afrika, Thoriso (Miss) (s205028331); Mahlangu, Sisanda (Miss) (s20673339); malixole ntlokwana; Mani, Siphokazi (Miss) (s204049989); Maphuti Mannya; Masixole Mdingane; mkateko lybon mdlhuli; Mohlaki Nkogatse; Mokoena, Zimkhitha (Miss) (s205019749); Mthetho Blom; Mtsweni, Sifiso (Mr) (s20429560); Mtsweni, Sifiso (Mr) (s20429560); musa glen ndzovela; Mvambi, Njongo (Mr) (s50328921); Mvambi, Njongo (Mr) (s50328921); mzoxolo budaza; Nakani, Melumza (Mr) (s206013051); Ndimba, Xolani X; NMMU George Campus Student Council Chairman; NP Mzizi; Ntsiko's; nyoka; Nyondla, Anda (Mr) (s20512807); phetelo-castro zenzile; phicon Mdodana; Poloko Motsoane; Pritchard, Shaun (Mr) (s20517990); Rune, Mawethu (Mr) (s206039981); SASCO BEC; Simphiwe Kanityi; Siphiwe Mgandela; Sol Platjie; Sonwabo Ngqontsha; Spiecho; syanda hypolite ngcobo; thapelo tselapedi; themig...@webmail.co.za; Tinyiko; tinyiko mashabane; TSHEPO WICLIFT; wamuwi mbao; Williams, Mpho (Miss) (s207039505); Winnie Mandela; xolani nyali; Yonela; Zama; Zana, Vuyani (Mr) (s20432998); zikhona nweba; Zumana
Subject: RE: Masijule Ngengxoxo
From: Siyabulela Gebe [mailto:siya....@gmail.com]
Sent: Thu 2008/11/06 03:00 PM
To: 204295...@live.co.za; 5032...@nmmu.ac.za; 5502...@nmmu.ac.za; akh...@ecsecc.org; ayand...@webmail.co.za; bro...@webmail.co.za; diph...@gmail.com; ecs...@union.org.za; element...@gmail.com; g08l...@campus.ru.ac.za; g08m...@campus.ru.ac.za; g08m...@campus.ru.ac.za; javas_m...@yahoo.com; kgos...@gmail.com; mokoenaz...@yahoo.com; mzanzi-...@googlegroups.com; nonceba...@yahoo.com; rhode...@googlegroups.com; rhodes...@googlegroups.com; run...@webmail.co.za; Mokoena, Zimkhitha (Miss) (s205019749); Sabela, Menzi (Mr) (s20503034); Lehlapa, Kgotsofalang (Mr) (s205051791); sasc...@googlegroups.com; sasc...@googlegroups.com; spoka...@yahoo.com; t_mas...@yahoo.com; wam...@gmail.com; zimkhith...@yahoo.com; zol...@yahoo.com; asanda ntame; Awethu Amandla Zumana; Ayanda Ndinise; Blue Diamond; Brenda; Bubbles; casey nombuyiselo tingo; Chief Justice; Cyril Ramaphosa; Dyani, Siphumezo (Miss) (s205040349); Eddie Levert; Faxi; Fayol; George Kahn; jacob B.W Yeats mbutana; Joe Sample; Jonas, Branton (Mr) (s203018400); Jonas, Branton (Mr) (s203018400); Kgotsofalang (Mr) (s205051791) Lehlapa; kholosa siphe loni; Khwaba Mosia; Khwaba Mosia; Lehlapa, Kgotsofalang (Mr) (s205051791); Lerato; Lesailane, Matome (Mr) (s207070569); Lesailane, Matome (Mr) (s207070569); lu...@webmail.co.za; Lungisa, Ayongezwa (Mr) (s20629995); Lungisa, Ayongezwa (Mr) (s20629995); Luthando; M-Afrika, Thoriso (Miss) (s205028331); Mahlangu, Sisanda (Miss) (s20673339); malixole ntlokwana; Mani, Siphokazi (Miss) (s204049989); Maphuti Mannya; Masixole Mdingane; mkateko lybon mdlhuli; Mohlaki Nkogatse; Mokoena, Zimkhitha (Miss) (s205019749); Mthetho Blom; Mtsweni, Sifiso (Mr) (s20429560); Mtsweni, Sifiso (Mr) (s20429560); musa glen ndzovela; Mvambi, Njongo (Mr) (s50328921); Mvambi, Njongo (Mr) (s50328921); mzoxolo budaza; Nakani, Melumza (Mr) (s206013051); Ndimba, Xolani X; NMMU George Campus Student Council Chairman; NP Mzizi; Ntsiko's; nyoka; Nyondla, Anda (Mr) (s20512807); phetelo-castro zenzile; phicon Mdodana; Poloko Motsoane; Pritchard, Shaun (Mr) (s20517990); Rune, Mawethu (Mr) (s206039981); Saki Macozoma; SASCO BEC; Simphiwe Kanityi; Siphiwe Mgandela; Sol Platjie; Sonwabo Ngqontsha; Spiecho; syanda hypolite ngcobo; thapelo tselapedi; themig...@webmail.co.za; Tinyiko; tinyiko mashabane; TSHEPO WICLIFT; wamuwi mbao; Williams, Mpho (Miss) (s207039505); Winnie Mandela; xolani nyali; Yonela; Zama; Zana, Vuyani (Mr) (s20432998); zikhona nweba; Zumana
Subject: Masijule Ngengxoxo
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.
Revolutionary Greetings from the Western Cape
A close friend of mine and a comrade currently at Rhodes University opened our telephonic conversation on Monday evening by quoting some lines from the above quote. He went on to ask if I thought we had reached a period of despondency and gloom (clearly inspired by former President Thabo Mbeki), referring to the resignation of Six ANC leaders earlier that day. I replied without hesitating with a definite NO to the comrade. After we had finished our conversation I set in retrospect, pondering what the comrade had said, about the state of the nation and the on going debate within SASCO. I would like to reply to the comrade now and say YES, I believe we have "entered an era of confusion, in which all of us cannot but lose our way, unsure of our steps, unsteady on our feet, [and] fearful of the future!" that the former President was referring.
I must firstly confess Comrades that I had initially decided not to join this debate that has been going on electronically, not for fear of contradiction or that my views might be defeated but out of the belief that the direction they seemed to assume most of the time is not correct and I still stand by it. Allow me therefore to begin by again quoting the Knight of the order of St Johns and former President of the Republic Thabo Mbeki, when he said "As South Africans we are living through very interesting times. With our own eyes we see the new struggling to be born. During our lifetime we are exposed to the images of the slow death of the old, and its desperate and hopeless efforts to secure its survival.
"And because, for us, every development of significance around us is without precedent, we search constantly and continuously for levels of understanding of our reality and forms of action to respond to this actuality, which would assure us that we are masters, or mistresses, of our destiny.
"For this reason, and for those among us who see themselves as agents of progressive change, complete and accurate knowledge, representing accurate understanding of objective reality, liberated from prejudice, false assumptions and propaganda, becomes an imperative and inalienable condition for the untrammeled but responsible exercise of the hard-won right to self-determination.
"We have the possibility and latitude and the necessity to speak thus because we live during our own age of revolution. Exactly because it is such an age, all of us face the demand to understand objective reality accurately and objectively, to enable the revolution to decide on the correct strategy, tactics and operations."
I start with these words to say indeed what we are doing by debating issues is healthy and should be encouraged. But we must, as we debate, do so with an accurate and objective understanding of our reality and also be open to the fact that we will all in the process see ourselves individually "as agents of progressive change, [armed with] complete and accurate knowledge, representing accurate understanding of objective reality, liberated from prejudice, false assumptions and propaganda." I'm sure the debates on the fitness or lack of it, to lead of the Comrade Julius Malema and authenticity or lack of it, of Comrades Terror Lekota and Mbazima Shilowa and those supporting the new party, would prove this to be true.
Though I do not agree with the direction these debates assumed I must say that I'm one with Frederick Engels that "everything [must be] subjected to the most unsparing criticism: everything must justify its existence before the judgment-seat of reason or give up existence." I believe that the recent happenings both, in the debates within our movement and developments in society imposes an obligation on all of us to ask many questions not only about the future of the Country but about our movement, SASCO. I also believe that these happenings, and especially the legitimate and necessary debates they have provoked within SASCO, have afforded us the opportunity to truly examine the depth and impact, on SASCO, of the chasms that continue to fracture our society. They also afford us the opportunity to carefully ask the question whether or not we, as SASCO, are also heading to a point when "the falcon cannot hear the falconer"when"the center cannot hold and mere anarchy is loosened upon the world".
Comrades, when we introduce our movement we say it "…is an independent student organisation of South Africa pursuing tertiary education and further education and training transformation, in order to meet its objectives, all members have voluntarily joined accepting its common discipline". We go on in our constitution to declare that "dual or multiple memberships by individuals shall be welcomed provided that policies and programmes of the said organisation, to which a member belongs to or may wish to belong to are not hostile to those of the organisation". We state further state on our SPOT document that we are "…part of the Mass democratic Movement…, but remains an independent student organisation". Now, the understanding is that the Mass Democratic Movement are those organisations that adopted the Freedom Charter of 1955 and are united around the goals of the NDR.
These bold assertions therefore, poses questions around the recent formation of the new party, its relation to other MDM structures and its relation to SASCO as "an independent student organisation" whose members are welcomed to hold dual or multiple memberships as long as the policies and programmes of the organisation, to which a member belongs to or may wish to belong to are not hostile to those of the organisation. The new party, South African Democratic Congress, has adopted the Freedom Charter of 1955 and has vowed to work to achieve its objectives.
What will be the nature of the relationship of this party and other MDM structures, including SASCO? How, as SASCO, are we to respond to a situation where members of this party want to join SASCO at tertiary level or when some of our current comrades also move away from ANC, ANCYL, YCL and SASCP to join this new party? How are we to respond to this situation considering the nature of SASCO's relationship with these structures mentioned above?
Comrades I'm posing these questions out of concern, because I do not think the action by our leader, of just exhorting members trough press conference not to join this party, will be enough to achieve such results. I have been having discussions with comrades both here in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, who have expressed their undying loyalty to SASCO but find themselves at crossroads because they also have an interest in joining the new party. These comrades are members in different branches across both provinces, which brings the question, how many harbour the same feelings but do not have the courage to express them or have not found people or comrades they can talk to.
I am hoping that comrades will debate carefully the contents of this e-mail instead of only looking to expose my flaws, I know they are many. After all as Robert Hutchins say "It is not merely inevitable that we are different and have different views; it is desirable that this should be so. From the clash of opinions truth emerges, and the human race advances." But let's let reason rise above passion. Some storms are so violent that no human structures can resist them; by failing to act now we might wake up later and find that these tempests have increased in frequency and violence so much as to render our movement paralysed. Let's act now and not wait for tomorrow "the future started yesterday, we are already late"
"Oh God, that one might read the book of fate,
And see the revolution of the times
Make mountain level, and the continent,-
Weary of solid firmness, - melt itself
Into the sea!"
William Shakespeare, Henry VI Part 2
"The 21st century is really and African century, Viva Barrak Obama Viva"
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