ANC segsman se ope brief oor Swart Maandag

Zizi Kodwa 1

Zizi Kodwa. Foto: Instagram.

Zizi Kodwa, ANC-woordvoerder, het hierdie ope brief aan die organiseerders van Swart Maandag-veldtog geskryf:

Dear Daniel Briers and Talita Basson

I take this rare opportunity to write this personal letter to you as fellow South Africans, to commend you for having organized and raised the issue of farm killings, which concern all of us.  I commend you because what was implicit in your action is your love for your country, South Africa.  Your commitment to the new South Africa was palpable and commendable.

The struggle against apartheid and injustice was never a struggle of black people against white people. It is in this context that throughout the history of the liberation struggle against apartheid, many white compatriots served in the commanding heights of the ANC and its military wing, Umkhonto weSizwe, because they wanted a just, democratic and better future for their children.

At the dawn of our democracy, President Nelson Mandela, delivering his inaugural State of the Nation Address in May 1994 said: The time will come when our nation will honour the memory of all the sons, the daughters, the mothers, the fathers, the youth and the children who, by their thoughts and deeds, gave us the right to assert with pride that we are South Africans, that we are Africans and that we are citizens of the world.  The certainties that come with age tell me that among these we shall find an Afrikaner woman who transcended a particular experience and became a South African, an African and a citizen of the world.  Her name is Ingrid Jonker.  She was both a poet and a South African. She was both an Afrikaner and an African. She was both an artist and a human being.  In the midst of despair, she celebrated hope. Confronted with death, she asserted the beauty of life.  In the dark days when all seemed hopeless in our country, when many refused to hear her resonant voice, she took her own life.  To her and others like her, we owe a debt to life itself. To her and others like her, we owe a commitment to the poor, the oppressed, the wretched and the despised…

And so we must, constrained by and yet regardless of the accumulated effect of our historical burdens, seize the time to define for ourselves what we want to make of our shared destiny.”

President Mandela’s words echoed what OR Tambo said 14 years earlier, an articulation of ANC policy and unequivocal embrace of all South Africa’s citizens as equal under the law across the racial divide.  Ours is to rally a nation behind a common vision and collectively eradicate the ills that continue to keep us apart.  The demon of racism has no place in our society and we must use every legal instrument at our disposal to bury it, once and for all, in all its manifestation.

Daniel and Talita, we may come from divergent political persuasions, but I am proudly of a liberation movement whose ideological disposition has always been premised on a principle that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white.  This ideology was formalised in the Freedom Charter, adopted in 1955 in Kliptown, and has since been a grounding platform for all policy positions of the ANC and all progressive forces that rallied under its banner.  Throughout our liberation struggle history white compatriots fought in the trenches side by side with fellow blacks and equally share the credit in the liberation of South Africa.  When delivering the January 8th statement in 1980, which also marked the 25th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, OR Tambo said, “We said we want freedom for all our people as equals, brothers and sisters in one united and democratic South Africa…”  This was a bold characterization of our struggle against apartheid, which forms the umbilical cord that binds all of us as South Africans.  Our painful and shared history, which knows no racial boundaries, should be the basis for us to reject the demon of racism in all its manifestations and embrace our common responsibility to build a nation-state truly at peace with itself.

An eminent group of 52 white Afrikaners who, led by Dr Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert met the ANC in exile in 1987.  Their desire and quest was to be part of a solution to usher in a democratic, non-racial and prosperous South Africa.  Whilst the colour of their skin ensured that they were beneficiaries of white privilege, they nevertheless had more faith and trust in the leadership of the ANC to bring about the winds of change and build a non-racial South Africa.  In a similar move, JP de Lange, who was a leader of the Broederbond and Vice Chancellor of the Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit (RAU), met with ANC leaders in New York in 1986.  His too, was a quest for a political solution towards the creation of a non-racial society.

I have no doubt that you are genuine in your efforts to fight the scourge of farm killings despite the spoilers who hijacked the event for their narrow interests.

At the height of apartheid repression, young, gallant white South Africans were forced to join the army.  Many resisted the conscription and formed the End Conscription Campaign, a bold campaign led by white compatriots who refused to fuel the engines of apartheid repression. The brutality visited upon these white compatriots who defied apartheid laws by the state was vicious, as they were seen as traitors who chose to fight alongside their black compatriots against “their own”.  In 1988 the ECC became the first white organization to be banned by the apartheid state.  Our history is littered with many stories of bravery demonstrated by our white compatriots against racial oppression, which includes the heroic role of organisations like the Black Sash and many others.

Talita, I invite you and all young white Afrikaners to embrace this history, which is symbolic of our common destiny, and never allow yourselves to be used as cannon fodder by those who want to undermine the heroic efforts of those generations of Afrikaners who stood up against apartheid tyranny.  All young white Afrikaners may be agitated by a genuine concern, which affects all of us, of rampant crime and farm killings.  It is for this reason that we should find each other across the racial divide and acknowledge our collective responsibility to build safer communities in the farms.  There have been horrendous stories of brutal killings of both farmers and farm workers, from Mark Scott-Crossley who fed his farm worker to the lions to Bokkie Potgieter found hacked in his bakkie in Vryheid or Joubert Conradie killed on his farm in Klapmuts, Stellenbosch.  There can be no justification for these killings regardless of the race of the victims.

President Mandela’s call to forge a nation driven by a collective desire to build a society where future generations live in peace and harmony free of crime must spur all of us into action.  We have a collective duty to build a society where a girl child is able to walk the streets at all hours without fear of being raped or murdered.  The difficulties confronting us as a nation are but fleeting challenges, which should not detract us from this national responsibility.

A genuine concern of farm killings that spurred you to organize the demonstration was overshadowed by what became racial polarization and blatant display of bigotry.  The public display of the apartheid flag invokes painful memories to the black majority and has no place in our democratic society.  Its display as a symbol of nationhood should be rejected by both black and white compatriots with the contempt it deserves.

In our 23 years of democracy we opted for a path of reconciliation and peace towards nation-building, over hatred and retribution.  While countries like Germany banned any public display of Nazi iconography, we chose to allow apartheid iconography to remain part of our public discourse.  This is despite the fact that the scars of apartheid brutality remain fresh in our collective psyche, the need for future generations to learn of our nation’s painful past is far greater and to ensure that future generations never repeat what came to pass.

This is a deeply personal invitation to both of you, Daniel and Talita, and many of those who share your convictions, to join us in this journey towards building a truly non-racial society, alongside many other South African who have embraced this quest.  In acknowledging the invaluable role played by many white Afrikaners, who fought against apartheid and laid down their lives so we can all be free, we must work together and forge lasting unity among our people and build a country we can all be proud of in their honour.

Daniel and Talita, crime knows no racial boundaries.  It is a cancer that requires a collective effort by all South Africans to uproot and bring the criminals to book.  You have taken the tentative steps by saying enough is enough. Let us now build a non-racial front in waging war on crime and only then will we succeed.

Nooi my volgende keer asseblief vir pap en vleis.

Die uwe

Zizi Goodenough Kodwa

ANC Spokesperson

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32 Kommentare

Heinrich ·

Thanks Zizi, please read this letter in the next parliamentary sitting and get all the comrades to acknowledge. Once voice from the masses with not win my trust.

Dan moet ons ook gesels oor die geskiedenis wat onthou moet word, wie se weergawe het jy in gedagte? Ek dink aan Piet Retief met hierdie gesprek…

sue ·

Een honderd persent saam met jou Eish! As ons maar almal so ‘n houding het kan daar ‘n toekoms vir ALMAL wees.

Flip Buys ·

Lanklaas sulke versuikerde ANC-propaganda gelees, met die doel om die Swart Maandag te kaap deur die feite te verdraai en met die ANC se meesterverhaal te probeer vervang.

Christo ·

Dankie Flip,Mens lees soms die heuning voor die bitter.Ek voel in huidige SA net so erg oor die vlag soos mense oor ons Vlag voel.Dit het niks met apartheid te doen,maar wel ons trots in opofferings.Hul kan gerus ophou om dit as verskoning te gebruik sodat hul ñ woord dolk in ons kan steek na mooi praatjies.

Chris ·

Met so ‘n man kan mens hande vat en saam die toekoms van SA inloop! Wat n riem onder die hart om in hierdie tyd van erge politieke struwelinge en oprui tot rassewrywing deur ver regs- en linksgesinde groepe met verskillende agendas so n skrywe te lees. En dit van ‘n man in die binnekringe van die ANC. Dit kon nie maklik gewees het nie en hy gaan sekerlik gestriem word daaroor deur vele van sy kollegas. Hy het daardeur groot waagmoed aan die dag gele en verdien die respek en waardering van almal in SA wat ‘n beter bestel en toekoms vir ons nageslag wil sien. Ons kan dit saam doen! Mnr Kodwa, jy gee my hoop en nuwe krag om die toekoms tegemoet te gaan. Mag dit meehelp tot die begin van ‘n golf van saamwerk en verdraagsaamheid, liefde en begrip ten spyte van ons verskille, tussen alle bevolkingsgroepe in SA wees.

Zach Coetzee ·

Niks anders as (laat) skade beheer nie na ANC’s totaal oorgereageer het op fopnuus ingeklee met hulle vrese vir wit weerstand (miskien omdat hulle weet hulle sou weerstandig gereageer het as hulle so besteel word soos tans aan die wittes gedoen word) As hulle so rasloos is waarom beskerm hulle nie somer almal beter nie? Hierdie is hoog heilige hiper-valsheid in die ekstreem wat net die wat dit intens benodig sal beïndruk.

Willie Nel ·

Die gebaar van Mnr. Kodwa moet verwelkom word. Alleen deur saam te sit, mekaar se pyn te bespreek en waardeer kan ons as nasie vooruitgaan. Intussen moet almal aan die vooruitgang van Suid Afrika werk. Ons het geweldig baie gebed nodig vir wysheid om hiermee voort te gaan.

Wessel ·

“… mekaar se pyn bespreek…” Hoe pateties, toetaal uit voeling met die werklikheid.

Adam ·

Willie, ek het gister die pennevrug van die heer Kodwa as die mees nie-opregte gebrabbel wat ek in my lewe gelees het, beskryf. Dit is so jammer dat Suid-Afrikaners, ook Afrikaners, te lui geword het om vir hulself te dink en gevolglik nie deur die infantiele propaganda van die ANC kan sien nie.

Wessel ·

Daar was al baie gepraat met die ANC regering, oor olossings vir die plaasmoorde. Die ANC se optrede, of gebrek daaraan, wys hulle stel nie belang in die veiligheid van boere nie. Kyk maar net na die houding van die Minister van polisie. Hy beskou dit nie eers as ‘n probleem nie.
“Talk is cheap, actions peak harder than words.”

E.K. die eerste ·

Wat ‘n mooi, goeddeurdagte brief. As hy tog net kan deurdring tot sy president wat frustrasies aanwakker met sy gedrag en sy gberek aan aksie. Ek hoop hy het na Jacques Paauw se onderhoud gisteraand gekyk en besef dat ons almal weet alle vervolgingsgesagseenhede bestaan net op papier. Daarom, ongelukkig sal die walglike dade bly gebeur.

Wessel ·

Julle gryp na stooi halms, word eerder wakker en dink nugter.

Koos ·

Die aantal mense bo wie meegevoer is deur Kodwa se brief wys net opnuut hoe naïef Afrikaners was en steeds is. Sê net ‘n maar mooi goed en hulle is gemesmeraais. Jy kan daardie tipe met ‘n viskop omkoop. As SA aan almal behoort, waarom het ons meer rassewetgewing as wat Nazi-Duitsland gehad het? Hy praat van ikonografie van apartheid. Die feit is die ou vlag was al in 1925 in gebruik geneem toe SA onder Britse bewind was, dekades voor apartheid. Waarom het die ANC so erg op die paar ou vlae gefokus, maar sy mense sing nog altyd struggle-liedjies wat haat aanblaas? Ingrid Jonker het nie selfmoord gepleeg oor haar aktivisme nie maar weens haar talle persoonlike probleme. Scott-Crossley het nie ‘n man gedood deur hom vir leeus te gooi nie, sy werkers het iemand vermoor en hy het van die lyk ontslae geraak deur die leeus in te span, hy was dus ‘n medepligtige, lees die rekord. As Kodwa so besorg is oor misdaad, waarom is hy nog in die ANC terwyl sy leier en die Guptas die land kaal stroop, byna soos ‘n rooftog in stadige aksie? As Cyril ook mooi woordjies spreek wil almal ook om sy voete sit en alles opslurp. Hoe tragies…

dr. Sakkie van der Merwe ·

Koos, Dankie vir jou gedagtes, stem 100% saam. Daar bestaan nie iets soos ‘n nie-rassige samelewing nie. Jy is wit of swart, as jyl nie-rassig wil wees moet jy vermeng dan verdwyn wit en swart maar dan het jy ‘n deur mekaar spul soos Smartie lekkers.

Chris ·

Ek dink dit is beter om te lees wat Mnr Kodwa se en nie bloot die positiewe boodskap wat hy uitdra sinies af te maak as versuiker nie. Wil jul bou ten spyte van verskille of wil julle afbreek juis oor die verskille? Ek het 3jr van my lewe gegee vir die ou SA en baie bloed en sweet gestort in Angola en Suidwind. Saam met Jan Breytenbach en Witkop Badenhorst geglo dit wat ons doen is reg. Net soos my oupa geglo het hy moet die wapen opneem teen Engeland in 1899 en weer tydens Rebellie van 1914. Viskop? Wat se kop Val jy dan voor?

janvanriebeeck ·

Chris jy was nie die enigste een op die grens nie , so as jy nou wil maak of jy iets spesiaals is vergeet daarvan , Koos is reg

Adie ·

Dankie tog! Ek stel voor almal wat so gaande is oor hierdie brief, dit weer en weer te lees en te dink…

Rina Kotze ·

Dankbaar dat Mnr Kodwa sien wat die skade is wat aangerig word. Ek glo meeste mense stem met hom saam! Hy is ook welkom om te kom saam optog hou. Want die meeste wat daar was, was opreg bekommerd oor misdaad in ons mooi land.
Nie net teenoor boere nie, maar teenoor almal!!! En dit moet stop!!!
Swart boere word ook vermoor en hul werkers ook!

Persoonlik dink ek daar is al genoeg gepraat. Dis nou tyd vir aksie!!!

Swaarder strawwe moet ingebring word, bv die doodstraf. Veral met die brutaliteit en marteling van slagoffers. Ook hulle wat dit oorleef, hulle leef wel met die trauma daarna saam!

Niemand wil konstant herhinner word aan die verlede nie! Dit bring mens nêrens!!!

Dis nou tyd vir vorentoe! Almal van ons! Elkeen moet maar sy issues los en aangaan.

John ·

Die segsman van die ANC sal nie as sulks in sy pos verduur word as hy nie hul beleid 100% steun nie. Hoe sal die probleem van plaasmoorde, volgens hom opgelos word? Dis die vraag en antwoord op sy skrywe. Dit wil blyk dat die Afrikaner, bes moet gee, erken dat hy steeds op die verkeerde pad is, steeds te slim is en gevolglik te veel verdien en op ‘n ander man se grond boer. Sien af van al jul regte, goed en grond en alles sal goed gaan… o ja, en dan kan julle vir ons kom werk op die plase en dinge aan die roer hou. Soos in ‘1984’ kan julle die skiedenis in opdrag kom oorskryf in goeie Afrikaans, onthou, nes Antjie Krog kon, en dan is ons kiets…en… dan sal ons vir julle nooi vir ‘n braai met pap vanaf jul lande en tjops van jul skapies wat nou ons s’n is… in die land wat nou net ons s’n is…

Nicolaas ·

Zizi Kodwa, waht is the purpose of your letter? You agree that all farm murders are unacceptable. What are you and your government doing to stop these, can you openly provide us an explanation of everything that your governmemnt has done over the past years to prevent farm murders?

Wessel ·

Chris voor jy onvoorwaardelik iemand glo, kyk eers na sy “track record”. Ons moet leer uit die geskiedenis, Retief het ook vir Dingaan geglo.

Chris ·

Ek hoor wat jy se. In dieselfde asem is jy bewus van Retief se track record? Weet jy wat van een van sy grootste beweegredes was om uit die kolonie weg te trek?

Henry ·

Versuikerde snert is inderdaad ‘n baie beleefde beskrywing vir die temerasie wat Nambawhan se “spokesperson” hierbo kwytraak. Die sg ope skryfsel handel meer oor die ‘glorieryke struggle’ van die ANC se bomplanters, as wat dit enige begrip toon vir die wreedhede, pyne, lyding en onregte wat op plase in hierdie droewe land plaasvind en wat oplaas/uiteindelik(!) tot Swart Maandag se optogte aanleiding gegee het.

Dat Kodwa die lesers se intelligensie onderskat, blyk duidelik uit hierdie tipiese en vervelige ANC propagandastuk, wat inderwaarheid nie enige kommentaar verdien nie. Die vergrype van hierdie rampokkerstaat se huidige regime is bowendien reeds wyd bekend.

Mag elke Maandag voortaan deur swart geklede inwoners gekenmerk word, terwyl dit ook die wêreld se aandag op die omvang van die wreedhede vestig wat daagliks tot die geweldadige dood van meer as 50 mense per dag – sedert 1994(!!!) – in hierdie droewe land lei.

Mag die Leipzig voorbeeld vir ons as rigtingwyser en inspirasie dien.

Ella ·

Ja Flip en Henry ek stem saam met julle ook oor elke Maandag se swart drag. Ons land is in rou gedompel.

Marius ·

So veel soos wat ek glo ons almal in vrede met mekaar wil saamleef, en so opreg soos Kodwa se brief klink, moet ek noem dat ook ek van mening is dat die ANC homself al te veel keer bewys het as haters van die witman en selfs meer die afrikaans-sprekende witman. Ek het green vertroue in hierdie gebaar nie.

Veritas ·

Die brief van Kodwa is maar net weer ‘n bewys dat die ANC alles wil hê. Hier probeer hulle die Swart Maandag protesaksie kaap asof dit hulle idee was. Hulle het weliswaar groter geskrik as wat ek gedinj het.

Lynette Schultz ·

Koos, jy is 100% reg. Net soos die Trojane die perd bewonder en dit SELF in hulle stad ingeneem het, so naief is mense nog steeds.

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