The ANC Veterans League has used what would have been late ANC longest serving President Oliver Reginald (OR) Tambo’s birthday to reflect on global politics, chiefly the bromance between the USA and Israeli regimes.
According to the veterans league president Snuki Zikalala, what US President Donald Trump and his Israel counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu represent in the global arena today is everything that Tambo frowned upon.
Zikalala condemned the rise of right-wing politics as led by the US, describing this phenomenon as a threat to world peace and a multi-polar world.
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Tambo, among other of his heroics, is renowned for the the manner in which he sustained the South African revolution against apartheid on a global scale.
He is also credited for keeping the ANC together and preventing it from collapse and going into the abys during a time in which most of the ANC leaders were jailed and its political activities were banned in the country.
Tambo criss-crossed the world preaching the anti-apartheid word from Africa, to Europe and the US, among other parts of the world.
His work had created in him a true global citizen who dedicated his entire life to making the world a better place.
Tambo would frown upon Trump and Netanyahu acts
Zikalala believes the likes of Trump and Netanyahu are taking the world back to the Stone Age and undoing the strides made by world leaders such as Tambo.
“When a negotiated solution became possible in the late 1980s, at the expense of his own health, he criss-crossed the world to win support for a document that would form a blueprint for negotiations for a democratic South Africa – The Consensus Resolution,” said Zikalala.
“This is the mark of a true leader and shows what is possible when leadership prioritises the will of the people and trusts them.
“In the face of the rise of authoritarian and right-wing governments, irresponsible and uncaring presidents like Donald Trump and the genocidal actions of Netanyahu and his cohorts, one may believe that trusting in the will of the people has been in vain.”
‘A vote for ANC will keep Tambo’s democratic principles alive’
In typical ANC style, Zikalala also used what would have been Tambo’s 119th birthday to rally voters to throw their weight behind the Pixley KaSeme Street-based political party next Wednesday during the local government elections.
In his view, a vote for the ANC would be a fitting honour for Tambo, who fought for the freedom of South Africa for most of his adult life and passed on just when it was time to reap the fruits of his labour.
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“OR Tambo did not live to witness the democratic breakthrough of 1994, but his contribution helped lay its foundations. We honour his legacy by defending our democratic institutions, holding leaders accountable and ensuring that the aspirations of our people remain at the centre of governance,” said Zikalala.
“A vote for the ANC should not be a vote for the ANC’s liberation legacy, but for effective governance for a better life.
“The ANC is the only political party most committed to the constitutional principles that Cde president Tambo introduced and to preserving democratic processes and practices.”
- The ANC Veterans League used OR Tambo's birthday to criticize the US-Israel political relationship, specifically condemning Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Veterans league president Snuki Zikalala described the rise of right-wing politics led by the US as a threat to world peace and a multi-polar world.
- OR Tambo is credited with sustaining the South African revolution against apartheid globally and keeping the ANC united during political bans and imprisonments.
- Zikalala stated Tambo would disapprove of Trump and Netanyahu's actions, seeing them as undoing progress made by leaders like Tambo.
- Zikalala encouraged voters to support the ANC in the upcoming local elections as a way to honor Tambo's democratic principles and legacy.
