The failure of the governing African National Congress (ANC) to live up to the ideals of Madiba has resulted in disillusionment among the people and a sense of betrayal by those who once looked to the party as a beacon of hope, Xiluva President Bongani Baloyi said.
While Baloyi remains adamant that Madiba’s leadership played a crucial role in shaping South Africa’s history, he maintains that the ANC continues to face criticism for not fully embodying his vision and values.
“Their failure to completely fulfill his promises highlights the party’s challenges of maintaining a leader’s legacy after their departure,” Baloyi underscored.
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His remarks come on the day when the former ANC president Nelson Mandela was released from prison by the Apartheid government.
Madiba was released unconditionally on 11 February 1990, after spending 27 years in prison. His release happened after the Apartheid government had previously offered him conditional freedom in 1985, which he refused.
He spent the first 18 of his 27 years in jail at Robben Island. Confined to a small cell without a bed or plumbing, Mandela was forced to do hard labor in a quarry. He could write and receive a letter once every six months, and once a year he was allowed to meet with a visitor for 30 minutes. Later on, the Apartheid regime moved him to another location, where he lived under house arrest.
In recognition of this significant day of Mandela’s release from prison, the president of Xiluva said that the ANC’s deviation from its founding principles has resulted in policies and decisions that do not adequately address social disparities.
Baloyi committed to work tirelessly to drive change and uplift the lives of South Africans, adding: “I’m embodying the spirit of Nelson Mandela and his commitment to justice, equality, and progress especially for black people.”