By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula delivered a keynote address in the North West for a momentous Provincial 113 January 8 Statement rally, celebrating unity, renewal, and the movement’s rich legacy.
Mbalula warned the U.S. against involving itself in the affairs of a sovereign country.
“We are encouraged by the leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa when he said in Parliament, we will not be bullied and we say we must not be bullied America must not come into the affairs of a sovereign country like South Africa, said Mbalula.
SONA overshadowed by diplomatic tensions between South Africa and the US over land, social inclusion and climate policies, Ramaphosa said South Africa would “not be bullied” as it sought to chart a new path in a rapidly changing world.
Ramaphosa made no direct reference to President Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw all aid because of South Africa’s new Expropriation Act, which Trump said was resulting in South Africa “confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people very badly”, but provided no evidence for the allegation.
“We must fight and defend our country against the madness of Donald Trump, we must defend our country we’ve got nowhere to go comrades South Africa is our beginning and the end.”
Trump had signed an executive order to cut funding to South Africa in response to the Expropriation Act and South Africa’s International Criminal Court case against Israel for its conduct in Gaza.
The executive order has a raft of potential impacts, not least of which is the strongly implied loss of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa), up for renewal later this year. Also at risk are US business and economic development loans and other credit facilities for businesses, and SA’s dealings with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, with which the US wields considerable influence.
The immediate loss of $440-million in annual US foreign aid is among the most tangible impacts. The money was channelled through Pepfar, the US government’s flagship HIV/AIDS relief programme, which has played a crucial role in South Africa’s public health system.
The cuts also extend to US-funded educational, business and governance programmes, including the Young African Leaders Initiative (Yali) and USAid-backed SME funding programmes, which have been instrumental in entrepreneurial development, leadership training and economic upliftment.
Looming largest, however, is the implied threat to Agoa. While not explicitly revoked in the executive order, Agoa’s future has been cast into serious doubt, with $4-billion in preferential exports and a total of $20-billion at risk should South Africa be removed from the programme.
Agriculture and the automotive and manufacturing industries, which have benefited from Agoa’s tariff-free access to US markets, stand on the precipice of major losses.
Meanwhile veterans of the ANC’s Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) military wing are spearheading a project aimed at reintegrating former comrades back into the ANC, including former president Jacob Zuma.
The initiative, which is still in the planning stages, is co-led by Langa Dube, the grandson of the ANC’s founding president, John Langalibalele Dube.
This ambitious project was announced during a commemorative event celebrating the legacy of John Dube at Ohlange High School in Inanda, Durban, where KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairperson Siboniso Duma emphasised the importance of unity within the ANC and highlighted Dube’s commitment to reconnecting with those who have left the party.
Duma shared: “Comrade Langa promised to bring back members of MK who left. He said he is targeting them because he knows them since he worked with them underground and he said he would bring them back one by one until they are all back to the ANC.”
The sentiments reflect a recognition of past mistakes and a hope for reconciliation as the ANC faces ongoing challenges and dissatisfaction among its ranks.
Dube, who has an extensive history as an underground operative since 1985, went on to detail the importance of bringing back not only former MK veterans but also Zuma, who was expelled from the ANC after voting for the newly formed MK Party (MKP) while maintaining his ANC membership.
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Vidoe Courtesy of MYANC.