The Charterists exiled
The ANC has effectively kicked all the ‘concerned’ Charterists out of the party with the sudden suspension of Lekota and Mluleki George. More people are expected to face similar fate when the NEC of the ANC meets on Wednesday (2008/10/15). The purpose of this special meeting will be to discuss the current ‘Lekota’ developments, which will include identifying all the ANC members that have been simpathetic to Lekota’s cause. The great purge is effective in full swing.
The purge, as it is now, will only serve to give credence to the concerns raised by Lekota (that of intolerance of other voices). From now on even those who not openly or had not considered Lekota’s proposition will be forced to take a principled stand against this action. And it should be noted as well that when a cadre (to borrow from ANC speak) is exiled, he is then released to mobilise freely, and Lekota is much capable of this.
The Charterists: I use this word since Lekota and all those who have rallied around him have decried what they see as a dramatic shift of the ANC from its founding principles as outline in the Freedom Charter. The very same document that informed the current constitution. The current discourse in the ANC revolves around this very document and what it means for the ANC today. In weeks to come, before after the proposed people’s convention, there will be much jostling over the legitimate custody of this document.
(NOTE: a sensational take is that all these people are bitter after the Polokwane experience and the recall from Government of President Mbeki).
