Former minister of safety and security and ANC NEC member Sydney Mufamadi has made an appeal to party members to "take hands" and to heed the lessons of the past in order to put the ANC on a better course.
In a video posted to YouTube Mufamadi explains why veterans and stalwarts are planning a national consultative conference scheduled for 17 to 19 November 2017 to be held at Constitutional Hill. Many veterans of the governing party, including Mufamadi, Cheryl Carolus, Barbara Masekela, Mavuso Msimang, Frank Chikane, Wally Serote and others are expected to attend the conference to discuss the future of the party. The ANC earlier this year refused a number of requests from the party's elders for such a conference.
Mufamadi explains he was influenced as a youngster by the philosophies of black consciousness leader Steve Biko "and his quest for a common humanity". A strapline on the screen says: "Reclaiming our history for the sake of our future."
"The struggle was about the betterment of people's lives. Like many of our people today I am concerned that the legacy of that ethic of service to people is in danger of being betrayed by those who think that positions of responsibility in the new South Africa are meant to serve the self," Mufamadi says.
"It is important to us to appeal to our people as the veterans and stalwarts of the ANC . . . let's join hands, look back at the proud history of our struggle, take the positive lessons from it, uphold the legacy of our struggle to guarantee the bight future that has always been the goal."