By: Carl Niehaus
Ngiyabingelela ngenkulu inhlonipho
Ngifisa ukuthatha lelithuba ngibonge iNJeje yabeNguni Council ngesenzo esingakholakali sokungetha igama uMpangazitha.
Eqinisweni ngizwa ngifikelwa ngumunyu uma ngifunda isitatimende seNJeje.
Ngizizwa ngizelwe kabusha; Ngizizwa nginomdlandla; Ngizizwa ngivuseleleka.
I am pleasantly surprised and humbled that INJEJE bestowed on me the warrior name ‘Mpangazitha’ following your meeting this weekend. I am deeply aware of the significance of being given the warrior name of Mpangazitha as the name of many famous Nguni Kings and renowned warriors. I will do my utmost to conduct myself at all times in a manner that befits the responsibilities that come with this singular honor.
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to INJEJE yabeNguni Council for your gesture. I am inspired to do more for the people of this country – especially the downtrodden, and the masses of our people who continue to be oppressed, and economically exploited. I will double my efforts to ensure that the indigenous people of this country have full access to all economic opportunities, and especially that the land that had been stolen by white colonists will be returned through expropriation without compensation. It can never be acceptable that those from whom the land had been stolen by brute force, literally at gunpoint, have to compensate the thieves.
I remain fully committed to the implementation of Radical Economic Transformation (RET), which is the official economic policy programme of the party that I am a veteran member of, the African National Congress (ANC). The indigenous people of South Africa (black in general, and specifically African) must, as the majority of South Africans, be in full control of our country’s economy. No proud African nation can allow a small minority of descendants of white colonists and settlers to continue to be in control of our economic destiny. This must be our singular life”s task to bring such a travesty forthwith to an end!
This will be the fulfillment of the dreams of President Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani, Harry Gwala, Winnie Mandela, Griffiths, Victoria Mxenge, Nokuhamba Nyawo, and many of our heroes and heroines – too many to mention.
The contribution of other well-known leaders who hail from different communities is well documented and forms part of a very proud history of our beloved country.
Importantly, the statement issued by INJEJE yabeNGUNI Council serves as a reminder that South Africa has been engaged in the struggle for liberation since the first crop of European settlers landed at the Cape of ‘Good Hope’ on the 6th of April 1652. As His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma, so correctly pointed out, the problems of the indigenous people of our beloved country started right then.
The frontier wars of the Eastern Cape where the Xhosa nation was involved in defending their land and livestock against colonialist encroachment were part of the bigger struggle.
The wars of great African kings such as Moshoeshoe and Sekhukhune also fall under the struggle, as they were defending their heritage, rights, livestock, and land.
Inspired by INJEJE, I want to take this opportunity to salute the great sons and daughters of our country, who throughout the history of colonial and apartheid oppression and repression stood firm in their resistance to all forms of inhumanity inflicted upon black people in our country.
I humbly offer to take forward, together with all freedom-loving South Africans, our struggle to ensure economic freedom for all.
Ngiyabonga kakhulu kwi NJEJE. Izandla zidlula ekhanda
A LUTA CONTINUA!
