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IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Cosatu: assessing the SANDF's capacity to fulfil its constitutional mandate
In a few weeks, Cosatu along with many other South Africans celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter drafted at the historic Congress of the People in Kliptown by the African National Congress led Alliance. This visionary document, that declared boldly, that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, provided the foundation for our internationally respected Constitution and much of what government seeks to achieve. A discussion needs to be held on whether the South African National Defence Force is able to fulfill its constitutionally mandated role today of defending the Constitution? The worrying answer that has been appearing over many years is that it may struggle. All nations require the capacity to defend themselves not only from other nations' governments' adventurism but increasingly from non-state threats. These may come in the form of foreign terrorists using South Africa as a training base as was seen with some Libyans in Mpumalanga or Isis or Al-Shabab elements utilising South Africa for money laundering, to foreign vessels looting fishing stock from South African waters. It takes years to build a coherent defence capacity. Having an internationally respected defence capability is equally key to deterring such threats to our sovereignty. South Africa has a long history of being one of the most formidable military powers in the continent, including playing its role in defeating Nazi Germany in North Africa and Italy in World War Two to since the democratic breakthrough playing a leading role in peace keeping missions in Africa. It was natural for government since 1994 to drastically reduce funding spent on defence. Military conscription ended for white men and there was a new democratic state committed to peace with the region and the brutal apartheid regime was over. Equally there were pressing socioeconomic challenges inherited from three and a half centuries of systemic neglect of 90% of the population that needed to be prioritised. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Mistakes were made when the arms deal package were the focus was on arming the SANDF for conventional war and less for peacekeeping missions. As is well ventilated, corruption seeped in. Today the price of those mistakes has become painfully clear, and they pose a real threat to workers, not only those employed in the SANDF but across the economy. The conditions of the SANDF's bases, both at home and abroad, leave much to be desired with buildings falling apart, soldiers living in over cramped and unhygienic conditions, security lax at best and enabling criminals to enter secure premises. Training is often inadequate and more critically, too little is provided. Machinery and vehicles are deteriorating with no funds to maintain or repair them. Air Force pilots are not being provided with the number of flying hours required to remain top of their game, and even placing their flying certification at risk. The air fleet, in particular the Gripens, suited for conventional warfare is barely functioning. the SANDF lacks the airlift capacity to deploy and collect peacekeeping forces in remote locations. Army personnel in these remote areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and elsewhere are unprotected with little if any, helicopter assault or deployment capacity. A similar depressing picture exists with the SA Navy where mistakes were made to purchase a fleet better suited for conventional warfare but with little capacity to protect our waters from the mass pilfering of fishing stock by foreign trawlers, and also by local criminal syndicates for endangered species. The spread of Somali pirates to the Mozambique Channel in the past decade, highlighted the need for a navy with rapid deployment capacity. The tragic loss of three sailors in a training exercise off Simonstown in 2024, was a painful reminder of the real cost in life to SANDF personnel and their families for the neglect of the SANDF. A discussion needs to be held about the age profile of the SANDF. SANDF personnel need to be young and fit to state the obvious. It is not an institution where one goes to retire. Yet over the years, its age profile has risen well past 35 years and has become increasingly top heavy. During the Mandela Administration dedicated programmes were put in place to equip SANDF personnel with the training and skills they would need to find decent jobs in the economy upon exiting, e.g. as mechanics, finance managers, law enforcement etc. The SANDF has begun to revive this programme and also announced its intention to help train unemployed youth as part of its contribution to the economy. The situation is salvageable. The members of the SANDF are patriots and committed to serving the nation. But we need to give them the tools needed to fulfill their mandate. Equally we need to agree on what is that mandate. The SANDF has several fundamental tasks. The first is ensure the security of the state against foreign and domestic enemies. Then we need to give it the funds necessary to train our pilots, to have working planes, radars etc. Second is to support the police as needed. This requires fit and well trained army personnel with working and secure transport. They need to be trained specifically in law enforcement as maintaining peace during riots at home is different from dealing with enemy combatants overseas. This support includes its role in assisting in domestic disaster management, e.g. floods, fires. Third is to secure our borders in collaboration with the Border Management Authority and the SAPS. We have over 4400 kilometres of land borders and even larger territorial waters. They need working vehicles, drones and field bases as well as a coast guard fleet and radar capacity. Fourth is to support peacekeeping across the continent. This requires extensive training, fit personnel, airlift and defence capabilities, armoured and mobile land transport amongst others. The SANDF has a critical role to play. Its personnel represent the best of us. It is time that we give them our support and the resources they need to fulfill their constitutional mandates. Solly Phetoe is the general secretary of Cosatu. Solly Phetoe is the general secretary of Cosatu. Image: File BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
What Ngugi wa Thiong'o Taught Us About Freedom, Power, and Betrayal
Reflecting on the life and legacy of Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Dr Iqbal Survé explores the profound lessons he imparted about freedom, power, and the ongoing struggles faced by Africa. Image: Independent Media January 5, 1938 – May 28, 2025 Last week Thursday, 28th May, saw the passing of Ngugi, the East African novelist. He was widely regarded as East Africa's greatest novelist and one of the best in Africa. (He coincidentally shared a birthday with my son.) He was unfortunate never to win the Nobel Prize for Literature despite being nominated several times and considered a favourite to be awarded the prize. Perhaps he had angered too many powerful people in Europe and among the elites. Ngugi understood Africa and the politics of the continent better than most. He explored through his novels the class struggles of ordinary people — a reality that remains with us today, as Africa continues to grapple with inequality and poverty. His work brilliantly intersected the personal and the political, a gift that reminds us that storytelling can be a form of resistance. NGUGI AND HIS IMPACT ON MY THINKING ABOUT POST-LIBERATION POLITICS The apartheid years — my formative years — especially the student movement in the post-1976 and 80s, were shaped by writers like Ngugi. For student activists and leaders, Ngugi's works were essential reading. We were fighting the apartheid system, a system of 'racial capitalism', race laws institutionalised to support economic exclusion. As activists and freedom fighters, we opposed this system, envisioning a non-racial society and socialism as a real alternative to benefit the people post-apartheid. While we were imagining a post-apartheid South Africa grounded in the Freedom Charter, Ngugi was imagining a post-colonial Kenya, where genuine freedom would reach the people, not just the new ruling elite. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading THE NGUGI BOOKS I READ AND THEIR MEANING TODAY Petals of Blood (1977)I first read Petals of Blood in my early student years, during my time in the SRC and the Committee of 81. It may even have been banned in South Africa then. We hid these books alongside many other struggle literatures, mindful of the consequences if they were found. Petals of Blood was Ngugi's last novel written in English before he committed to writing in his indigenous language. The novel is set in post-independence Kenya and tells the story of villagers disillusioned by the broken promises of independence. Ngugi shows how the new ruling elite quickly resembled their colonial predecessors, a theme too familiar even today across many parts of Africa. The Trial of Dedan Kimathi (1976)This play recounts the story of Dedan Kimathi, the leader of the Mau Mau uprising, who refused to betray his fellow revolutionaries under British torture. Many South Africans can relate to this heroism, the sacrifices made by anti-apartheid leaders who endured torture, imprisonment, and, too often, death. A Grain of Wheat (1967)Set during the struggle for Kenyan independence, this novel grapples with betrayal, loyalty, and the burdens borne by revolutionaries. South Africa, too, has its stories of betrayal, of those accused of collaborating with apartheid authorities, of the tragic labels of impi and askari. Ngugi was ahead of his time in laying bare the complexities and moral ambiguities of liberation struggles. His works continue to remind us: it is not enough to fight for freedom, what matters is what we do with it after it is won. NGUGI WAS A SAGE If He Could See South Africa TodayThe elites have benefited. The poor remain poor. Unemployment is massive. Racial capitalism, though no longer enshrined in law, endures in practice. Ngugi, a staunch anti-colonialist and communist, might have seen in our reality a confirmation of his warnings: that without vigilance and moral clarity, power merely changes hands without changing society. Though I differ with Ngugi on communism — I do not believe it offers a full solution for South Africa — I do believe that Africa must remain focused on what works, whether that is found in the best of socialism, capitalism, or something altogether different. Ideology must not triumph over pragmatism. We must be bold enough to accept uncomfortable truths: that we have, too often, failed to fulfill the promises of liberation. The struggle was noble, but the aftermath requires an even greater commitment to justice and transformation. Ngugi's writings teach us that history will judge us not by our intentions but by the realities we create. If we care, if we truly value our people, we must reduce poverty and inequality, not in theory, but in lived experience. The past should inform us, but it must not chain us. Our focus must be on the now and on the future. * Dr Iqbal Survé is the Chairman of Sekunjalo Group and the Past Chair of the BRICS Business Council & Co-Chair of the BRICS Media Forum and BNN. * Follow Dr Survé's updates via his WhatsApp Channel. * The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
A journey of peace: the significance of the Salt March
Mahatma Gandhi with Sarjojini Naidoo, a powerful leader in the Indian struggle, during the Salt March. Image: Supplied IN 2005, there was a resurgence of interest around the world in nonviolence. It was the 75th anniversary of the famous Dandi March organised by Mahatma Gandhi. Many peace activists began to consider observing this anniversary in some symbolic way and to re-commit to nonviolence and peaceful means of resolving conflict. In Durban, a group of people came together under the banner of the Gandhi Development Trust to re-enact this famous march and dubbed it the Gandhi Luthuli Salt March. It symbolically joined the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, drawn up in 1955 in Kliptown at the Congress of the People, with the 75th anniversary of the Dandi March. The Freedom Charter was drawn up at a time when Chief Albert Luthuli was president of the ANC. This prompted the name Gandhi Luthuli Salt March and in short, the Annual Salt March. This year, we recall that 95 years ago on April 6, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi and 78 volunteers began their nonviolent defiance march from Sabarmathi Ashram in Ahemdabad in India to the coastal town of Dandi. This turned out to be one of the largest and most effective defiance campaigns in the world in which millions of people throughout India participated by defying the unjust monopoly on salt by the British colonisers of India. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The British not only prohibited the manufacture of salt but also imposed a tax on it. Salt is an essential ingredient on the table of every person regardless of status, race, class, caste or gender. This prohibition affected everyone, and the act of defiance against this law spread like wildfire across the length and breadth of India, drawing millions into this nonviolent campaign involving the making of salt. The band of 78 trained volunteers together with Gandhiji walked through hundreds of villages for 241 miles and for 24 days mobilising the communities as they marched, making their way to the seaside village known as Dandi. There they began to manufacture their own salt. Gandhiji led the march and having made the salt, he picked up a fistfull of salt and said to a captive audience of international and local journalists: "With this I will shake the foundation of the British Empire." The impact of this little act was unprecedented. Not only was India shaken into action but the injustice of this law drew the attention of the world. There was widespread publicity throughout the country and the international press covered the stories of this protest. Attention was particularly drawn to the atrocities committed by the police. The unarmed peaceful protesters were beaten up, arrested and imprisoned. Mounted police stormed the marchers and threw blows on their heads but no one raised a hand to retaliate. Instead,, as the wounded fell, survivors continued to march and new bands of people came in. Sixty thousand people were imprisoned as a result of this civil disobedience and eventually the British were forced to agree to negotiate a settlement and the path to freedom of India was charted. India won its freedom 17 years later on August 15, 1947. The Dandi march has served as a beacon of hope to millions around the world who chose to use nonviolent means to attain freedom and it continues to inspire nonviolent resisters all over the world. We in South Africa too, mounted many nonviolent struggles. We also opted for a negotiated settlement. Let us be aware of the fact that the alternate could have been as ghastly and devastating as Gaza. We see the devastation of war in other parts of the world where not only people die but the entire environment is damaged to the extent that rebuilding from the destruction becomes a nightmare. Significantly in 2008, a pledge was made by the participants of the 5th Salt March. We reproduce a summary of it: "War and violence are destroying the lives of millions of people in the world. While thousands are killed, families are left destitute to suffer untold misery and deprivation. Further the violence of greed exploitation and corruption is causing poverty, misery and environmental degradation among millions who are left homeless and without work or shelter. We pledge our solidarity with the millions who have died and the billions who are living a life of poverty and we rededicate ourselves to the moral, and spiritual philosophy of nonviolent resistance against war, violence, greed and exploitation." From the outset, the Durban Salt March Committee agreed that this march would carry a clear message of peace, nonviolence, ubuntu, reconciliation and social cohesion, that in that spirit the march would be non-competitive and that it would not be a march to raise funds, but to draw everyone, rich and poor, to the march in solidarity. This march carries the message of the Freedom Charter. In particular, it draws attention to the important clause of the Charter which says: "South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiation-not war. Peace and friendship amongst all our people shall be secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities and status of all, within the country, in Africa and internationally." As we witness the inequalities in our society today, the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor, as we see the many challenges that our society faces in terms of access to basic necessities of life such as work, security, shelter, nourishment caring and education, we realise that although we are liberated, there is still much that we need to do to achieve both our dreams and the dreams of our forefathers, who sacrificed so much that South Africa may attain freedom. The Salt March 2025, in celebrating its 20th anniversary, seeks to invoke the spirit of compassion and love that all our scriptures speak about, so that together we can rid our community of corruption, of crime, of violence, and of wanton vandalism and build a strong, peaceful nation where ubuntu can once again prevail across the country among all South Africans. If this is your dream too, then let's get together in this march and contemplate on how we can together make a difference. The march start will start on May 25 at the Gandhi Phoenix Settlement in Bhambayi, Inanda, at 7.30am. Secure parking will be available at the Gandhi Luthuli Peace Park in Phoenix, from where a shuttle will bring you to the Gandhi Settlement. The march is a 4.5km walk from the Gandhi Settlement to the Gandhi Luthuli Peace Park. Ela Gandhi Image: File Ela Gandhi is the chairperson of the Gandhi Development and Phoenix Settlement Trusts. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. THE POST
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
'We will not be distracted', says Ramaphosa on upcoming US trip
Ramaphosa said a key priority for the SA delegation will be addressing trade, diplomatic, and relationship issues, President Cyril Ramaphosa has firmly stated that the South African delegation heading to the United States (US) will remain focused on critical bilateral issues during upcoming talks with his counterpart, Donald Trump, despite recent tensions between the two nations. 'We are not going to be distracted by anything. 'We will just focus on what is important for our country,' the president told the media after an ANC event held in Kimberley on Friday. Ramaphosa determined to address core issues Ramaphosa emphasised that his delegation will approach the discussions with clear objectives centered on trade relations, diplomatic concerns, and broader relationship matters between the two countries. 'I'm going with ministers and there are some other people who are accompanying me. 'We are a sovereign state and we will be conducting our discussions in a business-like manner, representing the interests of our country,' he said. The delegation comprises Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, who is also the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen. The presidency has expressed optimism about resolving current disagreements between South Africa and the US during these high-level talks. ALSO READ: White House showdown? Ramaphosa looks to 'reset relationship' with Trump next week False genocide claims cast shadow over relations The discussions come amid unfounded allegations from the Trump administration about the 'mistreatment' of white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners. Despite no evidence supporting claims of white genocide in South Africa, the US presidency has controversially granted 'refugee' status to 49 Afrikaners, drawing criticism both locally and internationally. Ramaphosa addressed these false narratives directly. 'Every South African knows and agrees that there's no genocide here. 'And the false stories that have been perpetrated or that have been vended around, we all know are not true. They are not a reflection of who we are.' The president further affirmed South Africa's national identity, stating: 'We are a peace-loving country, a country that is committed to transformation, to ensuring that the people of our country have a better life and all of them for that matter without distinguishing whether this one is black, this one is white. 'It's all South Africans set out in the Freedom Charter, as set out in our own constitution.' ALSO READ: Ramaphosa to meet Trump, says 49 Afrikaners headed to US are not 'refugees' Ramaphosa to focus on trade and economic relations A key priority for the South African delegation will be addressing trade issues, particularly tariffs recently imposed by the US. 'We've got a number of issues to discuss. Trade issues, diplomatic issues, and relationship issues. 'They have imposed tariffs on us, even though they've postponed them. We need to deal with that,' Ramaphosa stated, highlighting the economic importance of the relationship. He elaborated on the significance of bilateral trade. 'We do quite a bit of trade with the United States. Our vehicles go there. Our vegetables and our agricultural products go there. 'They are our trading partner and we, therefore, need to interact with them.' ALSO READ: Will Trump embarrass SA at White House meeting? Pragmatic approach to international relations Despite current tensions, Ramaphosa stressed the necessity of diplomatic engagement, regardless of differences. 'Whether we like it or not, we are joined at the hip and we need to be talking to them. And you don't talk to your friends or negotiate anything with your friends. 'You also negotiate with those that you may have differences with,' the presiding explained, outlining South Africa's pragmatic approach to international relations. 'We will be carrying forward a South African message and we are very, very strong on that and robust as well.' NOW READ: International relations expert says Ramaphosa should not antagonise Trump
Jordan Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Monument to post-apartheid South Africa's founding charter in ruins
Kliptown memorial commemorates the Freedom Charter of principles that guided the fight against apartheid (AFP photo) SOWETO, South Africa — In the shade of a tree on a sunny day, Isac Matate set up a rickety bookstand in a ragged square that was once a beacon for the struggle that ended apartheid in South Africa. Some of the books that Matate packed into the shelves held together with rope touched on the themes of the landmark: Political history, black consciousness, the site in Kliptown outside Johannesburg commemorates the Freedom Charter of principles that guided the decades-long fight that ended white-minority rule in 1994. Around 3,000 people of all races gathered here in a historic act of defiance 70 years ago to draw up the charter, which inspired the liberation movement and lives in the text of the post-apartheid constitution. Its principles, such as "The People Shall Govern", "All Shall Enjoy Equal Human Rights" and "There Shall be Work and Security", are written out around what was meant to be an eternal flame. But the flame has long been dead and the memorial -- included last year in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites of "outstanding universal value" -- is today in a state of neglect, vandalism and filth. "Kliptown square is in a horrible, decaying state. It is getting worse by the day," said local resident Sphamandla Matyeni, who was perusing the titles on Matate's bookstand. "It speaks of the fact that we do not treasure and protect what is deeply special to us as South Africans," he said. Congress of the People When Matate opened his bookshop after the memorial was inaugurated in 2005 by President Thabo Mbeki, his store was in a business complex built around a brick tower that once housed the "flame of freedom". It was a busy time with busloads of foreign tourists arriving every day, eager to learn about the struggle that ended apartheid just years before and see where its guiding text was adopted in June 1955 at the "Congress of the People".Business boomed, Matate said. There was a hotel, an eatery and a conference centre."I sold books to people who attended events during the day and night," Matate said. "Now the square has disappeared to a point of no return." The business centre is stripped of its roof, electricity and plumbing. When the businesses moved out, the homeless moved in. Matate moved his bookstore outdoors, under a tree and reduced to just some shelves. Sales plummeted. "My wife left when she saw I couldn't provide for my family," he told AFP. Known officially as the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in honour of a hero of the anti-apartheid struggle, the monument is listed by UNESCO as one of 14 "Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites" of "human rights, liberation and reconciliation". Downhill Post-apartheid South Africa has battled to realise some of the aspirations of the Freedom Charter, with the legacy of racial inequality keeping the country's levels of economic disparity among the highest in the world. As people weaved between taxis beeping for customers on a bustling street nearby, resident Smangele Mashiya said the Kliptown memorial's fortunes were hurt by the international shutdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Then in 2021 local political unrest "pushed it further downhill", he said. As locals bemoan the lost opportunities of having a key landmark in their neighbourhood, a spokesman for the Johannesburg Property Company, which manages the site, told AFP it was appointing a team to oversee its "adaptive reuse and regeneration". "This place played an important role in our lives as young people," said tour guide Jabulani Nzimande. "I started doing my walking tours here a long time ago and through that I was able to get the opportunity to do the training course," he said. "But visitors are not coming here like they did before," he said, citing fears of mugging as one of the problems. "We work voluntarily with the local police to keep the square safe," he said. "We want to see the place regaining its status." Page 2
