Magashule says De Klerk was part of the machinery that tortured and killed many.
SUSPENDED ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule took a swipe at the late and last apartheid president FW de Klerk.
He was addressing members of the now-disbanded Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) at a separate celebration of MK’s 60th anniversary in Soweto.
“Today, we don’t know where our fathers, brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters and sons are. We don’t know their graves or whether they are inside or outside South Africa and (yet) people want us to forgive and let De Klerk rest in peace. There is no way he is going to rest in peace when he was part of the machinery that tortured and killed many,” he said.
Magashule sang a song titled “U De Klerk asimufuni, sifuna u Mandela ”, loosely translated as “We don’t want De Klerk, we want Mandela”, referring to FW de Klerk and former president Nelson Mandela.
Magashule added that Umkhonto we Sizwe was an important army.
“Those who don’t know the MK, those who have never participated in struggle will never know where we come from and where we are going. I am happy that all commanders are here, the struggle continues,” Magashule said.
Meanwhile, members of MKMVA were in a jubilant mood, marching and singing Struggle songs. It started with a moving tribute in a wreath-laying ceremony for fallen heroes and heroines, including the late fallen MK Petros Molefe.
The event took place at Petros Molefe Park in Dlamini, Soweto.
The main MK 60th celebrations were held at Freedom Park in Soweto and were attended by Deputy President David Mabuza among other officials.
In the meantime, Magashule, further in his address, said those who had never fought against apartheid would be the ones who claim that reconciliation means what they think it means to them.
“We are happy that we are here and celebrating the way we are celebrating. In every revolution there is counter-revolution, if you think the ANC of yesterday is still the ANC of today, we can only change it if we remain resolute and we continue with our struggle. You as MK comrades in whatever form if we continue… because the intention is to finish the ANC by the enemy and those who infiltrated the ANC.”
Former MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus said MK must be respected all the time.
“There has to be a leadership change, the people have spoken on 1 November, they told us as the ANC that the leadership that we have now has failed. They don’t hate the ANC, they love the ANC, it is the leader of society,” Niehaus said.
Political Bureau
