By Tshepo Molobi
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) hosted a successful Golf Day and Gala Dinner on 14 December 2021 in honour of the 60th Anniversary of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK). The organisers of this historic twin events included former MK and activists in the mass democratic movement structures. MK was the ANC’s military wing which was established by the late first Commander Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and the ANC leadership in 1961. The celebratory twin events were held at Johannesburg Country Club (CCJ) in Woodmead preceding the annual celebration of the formation of MK on 16 December.
As part of the Golf day all 130 players enjoyed a special moment of sharing Tee box with the Treasurer-General of the African National Congress, Paul Mashatile, during his ceremonial tee off. The players also engaged with Dr Snuki Zikalala, the President of the ANC Veterans League, who is also an ardent golfer.
While event honoured the first cohort of MK trainees, named the Luthuli Detachment, it also paid tribute to the last MK detachment thus interconnecting the first and the last generations of this glorious people’s army as part of marking this important day in the history of South Africa. The event also highlighted the significance of the current role MK cadres play in ensuring unity, renewal and reconstruction of the movement and the country. A necessity of this role was further emphacised by the late Madiba in his speech delivered four months before the historic democratic elections in 1994, during the celebration of the MK 35th anniversary in 1993, when he said the following:
“This is an occasion meant to celebrate our liberation effort on the battlefield and yet, an occasion we have to use in our rededication to peace, freedom and stability. If in the past Umkhonto we Sizwe was the spear of the nation, the time has indeed come for it to assume the role of the shield of the nation, acting together with other democratic formations, to defend the democratic values which we cherish and aim to uphold throughout the difficult but exciting years ahead of us. Concomitantly, we must invite all our compatriots to join us in an all-round commitment to peace by effectively closing the era of armed conflict and concentrate on the reconstruction and development of the country”.
The event attracted a number of sponsors for the waterhole to ensure the golfers didn’t go thirsty during their round of the beautiful game. These conscientious corporates included Assupol, Bhekani Abantu, MWB Seko, MFS,Sydney Kok, Ayo Technologies, Brunel Engineering, Miyayeli Security, Diesel Supply Logistics, Mncedisi NNS Attorneys and Ria Ledwaba Logistics, Nemkor P, Mvest, Mbulase Group, Mwired, Amitasys CC and David Mabotja.
Off Course Golf Promotions came onboard to help the MK to raise funds through an auction of valuable items and memorabilia and proceeds generated were to benefit the military veterans.
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Historical context: Mogomotsi Mogodiri – Tthe sacrifices of our compatriots cannot and should not be in vain
“The time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices: submit or fight. That time has now come to South Africa”.
60 years ago when the colonial apartheid regime had unleashed its brutal killing machine to murder, maim, harass, detain and suppress South African natives, the African National Congress and other components of the liberation movement had to make a choice: either to surrender or fight.
Our country was at the crossroad and leadership was needed from the liberation movement. It is common cause that a decision was taken to FIGHT for the total liberation of our motherland.
This was not an easy decision as it meant that the non-violent tactics were to be deescalated since the political space was closed by the racist junta through massacres, detentions and other suppressive actions.
On the other hand, armed struggle was to be launched and sustained. As natives, armed rebellion was not a new phenomenon as our struggle against colonialism and for liberation was replete with instances where natives took up arms to resist violent land dispossession when colonialists first landed on our shores.
We have been and are still inspired by the gallant struggles waged by our forebears who did everything in their power to protect what was theirs and their children – LAND. We remember the open revolt, rebellion and battles led mostly by kings and chiefs like Sekhukhune, Bambatha, Montshiwa, Hintsa, Ngungunyane, Moshoeshoe, Cetshwayo, amongst others.
Battles were waged, some won and others lost but that did not dampen the quest of natives to reclaim their land. Therefore, when the choice was made to FIGHT rather than die, this was a continuation if not escalation of a well-established tradition of pursuing politics by other means.
Fast forward, today our country and its friends are celebrating the birth of the People’s Army, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) that came into being on the 16 December 1961.
It was on this day back then that fearless and tenacious patriots took a courageous step to defend their people (with arms) from state-sponsored violence aimed at perpetuating their oppression and landlessness that turned them into nomads and slaves in their own land.
As recorded by historians, “units of Umkhonto we Sizwe today carried out planned attacks against government installations, particularly those connected with the policy of apartheid and race discrimination”.
These acts of sabotage were to become a precursor to a series of attacks against the enemy (apartheid) for years to come. This represented a turning point in the history of our struggle for total liberation as organisations had hitherto pursued a non-violent approach even in the face of repression, deaths and extreme provocation from the apartheid regime.
Since then, the armed struggle not only became but also contributed immensely to tilting the balance of forces decisively in favour of liberation. Who can forget the Wankie Campaign – this are historic battles that were waged within Zimbabwe (Rhodesia at the time) by MK combatants under the banner of the Luthuli Detachment together with the Zimbabwean People’s Resistance Army (ZIPRA, the armed forces of ZAPU) against the Rhodesian and apartheid South African armies. The heroism of the combatants involved in the Wankie Campaign is legendary.
MK combatants also carried out attacks on the Voortrekkerhoogte in the heart of the capital city of apartheid, Sasol, Moroka Police Station, Messina and countless other apartheid targets and installations.
Due to MK’s impact, militarily and psychologically, as natives used to celebrate when the limited broadcast of attacks on apartheid installations filtered through, whilst infuriating, it was not surprising that the racist junta became so desperate that it launched cross-border attacks into Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana whilst sending its agents or even parcel bombs to assassinate and maim MK combatants in those countries.
Unfortunately, not only MK combatants fell victims to these fascist attacks but also innocent, unarmed citizens of mostly Southern African countries. In essence, the apartheid regime pursued a scorched earth approach in its desperate attempt to stem the liberation tide.
The combination of mass struggles, underground work, international solidarity and armed struggle pinned the fascist regime to the wall to an extent that they even assassinated the Prime Minister of Sweden, Olof Palme, who was shot by an assassin whilst walking home from a cinema with his wife, Lisbeth, who was slightly wounded.
The Battle of Quito Carnavale that MK combatants fought side by side with compatriots from Angola (MPLA), Namibia (SWAPO) and Cuba was a defining moment and turning point for our region (SADC).
The racist SADF suffered a major, humiliating defeat on the Angolan soil with the rising number of casualties that saw body bags after body bags of young white troops being flown home compelled the intransigent, racist regime conceding to military and international pressures culminating in the independence of Namibia.
The people’s victory at Quito Carnavale cemented a firm foundation for our country’s less-than-perfect negotiated settlement that allowed for a new flag and other limited liberties whilst the economy including the LAND remain in the hands of the white minority whilst natives continue to be trapped in grinding and ferocious poverty, hunger, diseases and landlessness.
As we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the People’s Army, uMkhonto we Sizwe, our country and people are faced with not only persistent triple challenges of ever growing poverty and unemployment levels and yawning inequality gap but also lack, deficiency and crisis of leadership.
The African National Congress is a shadow of its former, glorious self that has been and is being decimated by internecine, senseless factional battles. Political hyenas are on a rampage shamelessly feasting on its carcass and unless and until genuine ANC members rise, the prognosis look bleak for our beloved movement.
It is at this juncture when our movement is under siege and on the proverbial robes fighting for its survival that women and men who were combatants of MK, especially Commissars, that history calls upon us to muster courage, in the face of self-preservation and sycophancy, to not only speak truth to power but also join other patriots who are taking practical steps to reclaim our movement from ruthless, heartless, self-serving and destructive careerists and opportunists that have swelled the ranks of the African National Congress for ulterior motives.
Our country is on autopilot whilst our movement is floundering from one crisis (oft times self-inflicted injuries) into the next. In memory of those of our compatriots who made the ultimate sacrifice, let us contribute to efforts to rebuild, refocus and redirect our movement as this will allow it to reoccupy its place as the revitalising hope and preeminent leader of South African natives who seem to be on their own lately.
Our movement, the African National Congress, has lost its moral compass and it is difficult to fathom how we live peacefully with ourselves when our collective heritage has been stolen from us and we are quiet about this historical injustice. Our country is also being destroyed and we are being sacrificed at the altar of political and economic expediency in pursuance of the so-called new world order.
Like 60 years ago, the time has arrived for natives to fight (this time within the limited legal framework – how the arms of the clock has turned full circle?) to genuinely decolonise our country. History will not be kind to us as former MK combatants especially, should we also be found wanting or derelict. The time to reclaim the ANC is NOW and failure is no option!
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For more information, please contact Vusi Nong, Head of Communications: MK at +27 82 822 2818 or email him at vusi@umkhontowesizwe.org.za
Tshepo Molobi is the CEO of Brandhill Africa Foundation NPC and is reachable on tshepo.molobi@brandhillafrica.com
Mogomotsi Mogodiri is an ANC member, former ANCYL PNYC, AZASO, SANSCO and SASCO member, COSAS Soweto Chairperson and MK combatant.