FILE PHOTO: ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile addressing the ANC members. PICTURE: Gallo Images / Beeld / Cornel van Heerden
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0 One of our leaders that have been targeted recently is Paul Mashatile, our deputy president of the ANC, writes EDGAR LEGOALE
South Africa is a country that has had a long history of racial division, exploitation, and suppression of black voices. It is therefore no surprise that whenever a black leader emerges, there is always a concerted effort by white monopoly capital to discredit and ultimately destroy them.
One of our leaders that have been targeted recently is Paul Mashatile, our deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC).
Mashatile has been at the forefront of efforts to transform the South African economy to benefit the majority of the people, blacks in particular. He has advocated for the nationalization of key industries and has called for the end of white monopoly capital, which has been strangling the country’s economic growth.
However, his bold stance on these issues has not endeared him to white monopoly capital, and they have now resorted to a vicious campaign of character assassination against him. The recent attack by mainstream media is a clear indication of their intentions.
They will stop at nothing to discredit and ultimately destroy him, just like they attempted with many of our progressive black leaders.
In addition, they have now unleashed shady and questionable new organizations like Rise Mzansi to write to the public protector to investigate his lifestyle. Can’t a black leader or black businessman live a nice life without being questioned? Why same treatment is not applied to Johann Rupert, John Steenhuisen, or any white politician or businessman?
This is just another attempt to smear his name and discredit his character. It is evident that white monopoly capital is using every trick in the book to discredit Mashatile, ultimately silencing his voice and subjecting him to the party Integrity Commission.
It is concerning that the white-owned media has become the pawns in this campaign to destroy black leaders which has rise concern to some of us. Instead of objectively reporting the news, they have become the propaganda machines for white monopoly capital.
It is not a coincidence that all these articles and reports are being issued in one week. This is a coordinated campaign to discredit Mashatile and ultimately silence his voice. We won’t allow that as leaders of the ANCYL.
The question we need to ask is, why are these people so threatened by Mashatile’s leadership? The answer is simple; they are afraid of losing their stranglehold on the South African economy if Mashatile takes over after President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mashatile’s calls for the nationalization of key industries threaten their control and ability to profit from the country’s resources.
As the Youth of South Africa and the ANC Youth League, we must stand up and protect our leaders like Mashatile who are being targeted by white monopoly capital. We cannot allow the media or any other organization to destroy the reputations of our black leaders. We must rally behind our leaders and support those in their efforts to transform our country.
“Everything for the Revolution, Nothing against it”
The progressive black leaders who challenge the status quo should be protected immediately and it’s worrying even the ANC is quiet when Mashatile is being attacked like this, hence I have decided to speak out.
The history of black leadership under colonial regimes and apartheid showed how brutal the powers that oppose black progress can be, which is why we need to protect our leaders at all costs.
I am calling all youth in South Africa to rally behind Paul Mashatile and other black leaders in both business and political environments who are being targeted by white monopoly capital.
Let us not allow the media propaganda to destroy the reputations of our leaders because if we don’t stand up to these people next it will be you or me. We must fight white media with the same energy that Tata Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Chris Hani fought the apartheid regime.
We must stand together and show solidarity with him and other black leaders who refuse to be captured by white monopoly capital. We must send a clear message to Rupert and his allies that we will not be intimidated or silenced.
Secondly, we must continue to call out and expose the kind of shady tactics employed by these organizations to discredit our leaders. We must demand transparency and accountability from the media, and call for real evidence to be presented before we accept any accusations as truth.
We must support Mashatile by making our voices heard. We must use social media, blogs, picket outside offices of media outlets and other platforms to support and lift up our black leaders.
We are not stupid as South African Youth, we can see what’s happening here and we can recognize the coordinated campaign against black leaders. Because some of the media companies use black youth with huge followership who are called influencers on Twitter to insult Mashatile and we will respond.
Let us all pledge to protect him at all costs, and to stand together against the powerful forces of white monopoly capital that seek to undermine our democracy and silence our voices.
*Legoale is the ANC Youth League Regional Chairperson in the Fezile Dabi Region and a member of the National Executive Committee of the South African Youth Council. He writes in his own personal capacity.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Republic Mail and its associates.
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