Lim remembers struggle heroes
Economic participation for all into the mainstream will not happen by itself; it will require deliberate, focused and radical action from government.
LIMPOPO – These words formed part of Premier Stanley Mathabatha’s keynote address at the Freedom Day celebrations last Thursday at the University of Limpopo. He said Apartheid was a radical exclusive policy of economic affirmation to the white minority population of the country, and therefore, to reverse the effects of this policy, a radical economic policy that will affirm the black majority is needed.
Mathabatha said that no better place could have been chosen to commemorate Freedom Day than Turfloop.
“Turfloop, as it is commonly known, played a major role throughout the history of the liberation struggle in our country. It was an integral part of resistance against national oppression and a struggle for a free and democratic South Africa,” Mathabatha said. He said Turfloop was an ideological training ground for cadres of the freedom struggle, producing selfless freedom fighters such as Peter Mokaba, Onkgopotse Tiro, Matshotsho Hlatshwayo, Andrew Mehlape, Moss Makwela, Mary-Stella Mabitse-Sexwale, Frans Mohlala, and many unsung martyrs of the freedom struggle whose contributions could never be forgotten. He added that a number of premiers, cabinet ministers and leaders of parastatals and large private sector corporations, are products of the university.
“As students, you are heirs to a great institution. You are associated with a history written in blood, toil and sweat. You have inherited from men and women who refused and could not tolerate any form of oppression,” he told students, challenging them not to allow material attractions, patronage, the glitters of ill-gotten wealth and corruption to corrupt them into the betrayal of what Solomon
Mahlangu and so many young people laid down their lives for.
“We therefore must understand the post-Apartheid struggle as a struggle to restore the dignity of the black masses by delivering socio-economic justice to them. Our struggle is a struggle to reverse the deadly effects of Apartheid on the socio-economic lives of the black masses of this country, hence the emphasis on radical economic transformation,” Mathabatha said. “In 1994 we signed a contract with the people of this country that we will champion the process to redress the imbalances of the past and deliver on the dream of a better life for all. We must never apologise for wanting to right the wrongs of Apartheid.”
He said people must understand that, like any other struggle, a struggle for total economic liberation of the black masses will be opposed.
Mathabatha said the tide has turned, and freedom has come with a lot of opportunities for black people. He listed improvements in the lives of people in the province and said Freedom Day is also about celebrating rights such as the right to freedom of movement, freedom of expression, religious freedom, freedom of sexual orientation, and the right to own property.
“There is a lot that we have achieved since the dawn of our freedom and democracy, however there is a lot that we can and must still achieve. In this regard, we must be committed to fighting and opposing anything that undermines our freedom and democracy. These include corruption, nepotism, maladministration, and related tendencies,” he said and asked all to be defenders of freedom and democracy and shun and isolate those whose actions are calculated to undermine and reserve the gains of freedom.
