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POLITICAL PARTIES REACT TO ZUMA’S TALK ON ARMED STRUGGLE

13/02/2023 08:48:00 Stanley Khumalo

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MANZINI – As former President of South Africa Jacob Zuma shared regrets of participating in armed struggle during the apartheid era, local political parties had something to say.

Some of the political parties were engaged by this publication following that ex-President Zuma on Saturday, during the national prayer service, which marked the beginning of the year, at Mandvulo Grand Hall, said the armed struggle against white supremacy was not necessary and left the nation of South Africa in pain. The former head of State said the war against the Boers left a lot of people dead from both the whites and blacks. He said they had a difficult time during the reconciliation period when families asked the reasons behind the killing of their relatives.

In light of the political challenges that the country has faced since the June/July 2021 political unrest, which the Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration, on October 29, 2021, reported that at least 46 people had died during the protests, while 245 people had gunshot injuries. The Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration also reported that 22 people had multiple gunshot injuries and 118 people had unspecified injuries.

Property

This was subsequently followed by killings of State security personnel, the killing of a chief, arson attacks on properties of personnel serving the State, public and private property as well. Recently, the assassination of Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko in front of his wife and two minor children, has sparked allegations that his killing was politically motivated, while on the other hand investigations are ongoing on the matter. Given the rampant killings, this publication engaged some stakeholders and sought their stance regarding what former President Zuma said. They were asked for their opinion.

Secretary General (SG) of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) Sikelela Dlamini said: “The MSF is opposed to an armed struggle or any form of violence or military activity to resolve the political situation. We embrace a national political dialogue as a peaceful resolution to our problem. It must be expedited. Any other way, will take the country through a difficult trajectory. EmaSwati must sit down and talk.” Also, SG of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Wandile Dludlu said his organisation believed in peaceful resolutions of political challenges.

Settlement

He said it was for that reason that PUDEMO was the only political party which even adopted a policy document called - A way forward to a negotiated settlement - which proposes how a peaceful transition could be handled by emaSwati. Dludlu said, however, his organisation understood that people did not sit down and choose a violent route to resolve political impasse; but their circumstances and the environment forced them.

He supposed that this happened in States which responded to violence, even when ordinary people marched to deliver petitions and ask for simple political issues like service delivery and or, political change. Dludlu supposed that when a State responded with absolute violence resulted in that, over a period of time the ordinary people resolved to taking up arms, to defend themselves.

“That’s our reflection on how and why today we have escalated violence. EmaSwati are tired of being at the receiving end of violence from the same government,” Dludlu purported. He said this was not encouraged, but as long as government believed force was a solution to political differences then violence would breed violence. This, Dludlu said, was not a matter of sitting beneath a tree while drinking coffee and then subsequently choosing violence.

“Otherwise PUDEMO as a movement, we don’t have any armed groups nor support violent resolutions of political differences, but we understand how and why emaSwati today have resorted to respond violently to the principal perpetrator of violence which is the government squarely so,” Dludlu claimed. On the other hand, SG of the Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF) Gift Dlamini said in their founding principles, his organisation maintained that dialogue was the only way out of the political situation the country finds itself in.

Participate

Nonetheless, he said the SFDF understood well the role of political parties; it is to contest power and participate in government representing a defined constituency. He said: “The SFDF is not a movement where there is a mandate to change a regime but a political party that demands opening space for political parties to contest power. The two demands the SFDF has made and will continue to make: dialogue first before elections and no elections while Bacede and Mthandeni are in prison.”

Meanwhile, the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) Spokesperson Thantaza Silolo, said: “I never heard him say he regretted ever joining the armed struggle, but he said they usually ask themselves if it was necessary, for them to go to war as South Africans when dialogue could have done things better for everyone involved.” Silolo said they did not support violence as a movement but understood that those who choose to take up arms, do so under a very difficult position. He purported that those who took up arms found themselves in a position where in the State allegedly monopolised violence and injure activists calling for change.

“In that light some people find themselves left with two options, either to abandon the struggle or fight to the bitter end for their freedom. That is what Msholozi was warning against, the consequences at the end of the day for everyone involved between the State and those calling for change alike,” Silolo claimed. On the other hand, former President Zuma narrated that he spent over 10 years in jail for participating in the armed struggle and was further forced to cross via the informal border in Nhlangano to be exiled in Eswatini for more than 14 years. The former head of State said he was part of those who were in the truth and reconciliation team and he experienced the pain of the people who lost their relatives in the armed struggle.