More than two months after Sunday World broke the news, expelled ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule launched his Action Congress for Transformation (ACT) party.
Magashule told the media during the launch in Soweto on Wednesday that he is only the new political party’s interim leader.
Magashule promised that more prominent figures would join the party by October, spelling out the journey it took to form the party since his expulsion from the ANC.
Magashule was booted out for refusing to apologise after suspending President Cyril Ramaphosa over allegations that he bought votes to become the party’s leader in 2017.
“We have engaged and continue to engage traditional leaders, workers, the unemployed, church leaders, teachers, professionals, lawyers, municipal workers, academics, freedom fighters, and ex-combatants,” he said.
He added that the party exists to uphold African nationalism, cherish and foster pan-Africanism as a liberating creed, and follow self-determination.
He also said the party is a vehicle for socio-economic change aimed at improving the lives of poor people.
“A political party exists as a fortress of hope for the oppressed and downtrodden masses,” Magashule said, noting that the ANC had struggled for its soul.
“There have been contradictions over the years for the hegemony of progressive ideas within the ANC.”
Sadly, said Magashule: “We have seen the oldest organisation move towards the right and abandon its centre-left position.”
He said the struggle for the ANC’s soul resulted in the systematic marginalisation of left-leaning leaders.
“Winnie Mandela was sidelined. Chris Hani was killed in cold-blood. Julius Malema was expelled for demanding the return of land. Jacob Zuma was hunted down for fighting white monopoly capital.”
He added that a new ANC character endorsed by the DA and neo-liberal handlers has emerged. “The sacrifices of our people who went to exile and those who died on the apartheid regime gallows must never be in vain,” he said.
Magashule also said his party is the home for homeless, the betrayed, and the fatigued.
He cited as examples teachers, doctors, students, elderly, youth, taxi drivers, queue marshals, soldiers, traditional leaders, unemployed graduates, and educated and uneducated people.
“Churches and synagogues, join us on the new ship of freedom. Let’s sail together to the true destination of freedom.
“We have suffered collective betrayal as a people and a nation at the hands of people who claim to be our leaders.”
Magashule said Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, and Walter Sisulu’s children have been sold with a few pieces of silver. “The legacy of their leaders has been spit upon with impunity.”
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