Mama Limpho Hani led the wreath laying ceremony at the 31st commemoration of struggle icon Thembisile Chris Hani at Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni on Wednesday, 10 April. Video by Happy Mnguni @dailysunsa pic.twitter.com/WodPQ90Ewv
— happy mnguni (@happy_mnguni) April 10, 2024
THE African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, took a swipe at former president Jacob Zuma.
Mbalula said the late struggle icon Thembisile Chris Hani would be disappointed by the formation of the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party.
He said the party led by Zuma had distorted the truth about the original right-wing movement.
Speaking at the 31st commemoration of the assassination of Hani at Thomas Titus Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, on Wednesday, 10 April, Mbalula said Hani was the chief of staff of the MK in conjunction with the SACP while fighting for liberation from the apartheid regime.
“When we go to court and defend, some of you speak and say, why do you do that? We're defending legacy.
“The legacy that was not created by us is that Chris Hani died and was killed because of that legacy.
"The South African Communist Party, the ANC and the formation of uMkhonto Wesizwe, we are not against anyone forming a political party or standing on his own. We are not against that. We are defending our legacy,” said Mbalula.
He described Zuma as an aggrieved opportunist who wants to derail the ANC.
Mbalula urged people who attended the event to go and vote on 29 May.
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The SACP general secretary, Solly Mapaila, said when Hani died, they were in camp.
“We wanted General Lambert Moloi to give us an operation to once and for all embark on a decisive armed struggle for our country after they killed our chief of staff, Hani.
“This was the worst provocation that they gave to our country, but the leadership of our movement calmed us down. Shell house sent the message that we are not going for all-out violence. We were ready but listened to political leadership,” said Mapaila.
The widow of the late Chris Hani, Limpho Hani, said her late husband and other struggle icons never fought for the hardship that Mzansi is currently facing, especially the load shedding.
She accuses the ANC of lacking the political will to solve the many challenges facing the people of this country.
Limpho also called for a leaner cabinet, saying the current one is bloated to many ministers and deputies.
"We don't know some of them, and we don't know what they are doing.
"Next month, we are going to the elections, and we must go out there and vote,” said Limpho.
The SACP Central Comittee member and National spokesman Dr Alex Mashilo remembers struggle icon Thembisile Chris Hani during the 31st commemoration of his passing at Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni on Wednesday, 10 April. Video by Happy Mnguni @dailysunsa pic.twitter.com/x0sTRVJhyU
— happy mnguni (@happy_mnguni) April 10, 2024
The SACP Central Committee member and national spokesman, Dr Alex Mashilo said: "We commemorate this day with mixed feelings. The anger that was there when Hani was assassinated effectively made President Nelson Mandela the president of the Republic of South Africa.
“The assassins wanted to stop our transition from apartheid to democracy, but by spilling the blood of Chris Hani, they failed because Hani's revolutionary spirit was strong that led to the date for the first democratic elections being set,” said Mashilo.
