In a candid speech delivered at the 40th anniversary celebration of the United Democratic Front (UDF), President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the sentiment of exclusion felt by Indian, coloured and white citizens in South Africa’s political life since 1994.
The President also conceded that the African National Congress (ANC) bore a share of responsibility for the deep divisions within the country.
The occasion, held at the Johannesburg City Hall, centred around reigniting non-racialism and active citizenship to reestablish the supremacy of the country’s constitutional democracy. Speakers at the event raised concerns about the current state of the nation’s constitutional democracy, stating that it was ‘in peril.’
Ramaphosa reminisced about the UDF’s past, highlighting the impactful slogan ‘UDF unites, apartheid divides,’ which played a pivotal role in rallying against the oppressive apartheid regime in the 1980s.
He noted that poverty and unemployment were challenges that needed to be tackled through the lens of non-racialism to improve the lives of South Africans.
However, the President did not shy away from criticising his own party, the ANC, for contributing to the fragmentation of South Africa along ethnic, racial and gender lines.
‘We should use this opportunity to recall the activism that we were taught by the UDF,’ Ramaphosa said.
He further lamented the erosion of non-racialism unity that the UDF once embodied. Ramaphosa cited the rise of ethnic chauvinism and factionalism, even within the ANC, which hindered the spirit of unity that had been championed by the UDF.
The UDF, established in 1983 as a response to the apartheid government’s attempts to create divisions among different racial groups, united nearly 600 organisations, including trade unions, religious bodies and community leaders.
The organisation ceased operations in 1991 after the unbanning of anti-apartheid groups. However, it recently relaunched with the aim of shaping the country’s socio-political direction.
Former North West Premier Popo Molefe echoed Ramaphosa’s concerns, noting that contemporary political parties were exacerbating divisions along racial lines. Molefe criticised these parties for failing to consolidate democracy, accountability and basic services in South Africa.
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel, also a former UDF leader, emphasised the importance of upholding the Bill of Rights enshrined in the Constitution. Manuel regarded the relaunch of the UDF as a reminder of the collective identity shared by South Africans, transcending party affiliations.
The anniversary event saw the attendance of former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, as well as anti-apartheid activist Sophie de Bruyn. As the only surviving leader among the four women who led the historic 1956 women’s march against apartheid, De Bruyn remains a symbol of the fight against oppression.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation on South Africa’s foreign policy and the upcoming BRICS summit in Johannesburg this Sunday night. Don’t miss out on this important update!
Scheduled to start at 8pm, the president’s address is being eagerly anticipated, as confirmed by the department of international relations & co-operation.
The eagerly awaited BRICS summit is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg from August 22nd to 24th.