Nkosentsha Shezi backs RET movement to tackle land question

ANC member “in good standing” Nkosentsha Shezi has come out strongly in support of his comrade Carl Niehaus after he launched the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) political movement on Tuesday.

Niehaus was expelled by the governing African National Congress (ANC) on claims of misconduct in December 2022, having served the party for 43 years.

In a statement released on Thursday, Shezi says South Africa can never be prosperous and free when the Natives of the land are still landless.

It is therefore exciting, he said, to announce the support for the formation of RET Movement, adding that he is pinning his hopes and dreams of a prosperous and non-racial South Africa on this movement.

The concept of RET was first branded in October 2017 by ordinary citizens and various business forums, with the aim to organize support for former President Jacob Zuma as he was going to appear in the Durban High Court on charges related to arms procurement.

This move was done to counteract the decision by the ANC which banned its members from wearing party regalia during Zuma’s court appearances.

Since then, the “RET” phrased has received a lot of backlash from capitalists and other influential agents of imperialism – going as far as using mainstream media to push propaganda that RET is a codeword for theft.

“It is against this background that today we declare our willingness to join hands with thousands of South Africans who participated in Cde Carl Niehaus’ Twitter Space and decided that a new broad mass-based movement must be formed for the purpose of championing RET and land issues.

“It is our view that such a movement is necessary and must allow broad participation of our people across political parties and religious divides.

“It must be both a shield to protect our vulnerable people and a spear through which they can attack the remnants of apartheid and injustice that is emitted against the poor marginalized black majority of South Africa,” Shezi said in a statement.

He further explained that such a movement will not be registering as political party initially. However, members of the movement, according to him, may want to discuss the option “especially if the ANC fails to hold Cyril Ramaphosa to account to his alleged crimes”.

A radical shift towards this position is growing immensely within ANC structures as well as among ordinary members of the public who have been clearly stating that they will no longer vote for the ANC that is lead by Cyril Ramaphosa.