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Mail & Guardian
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
PAC's Jaki Seroke: Sobukwe would have supported the GNU
Former president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. The spirit of goodness in the heart of the former president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, continues to manifest nearly 50 years after his death. According to Jaki Seroke, secretary of the PAC, there was no doubt that if Sobukwe were watching, he would be proud about the relationship his party has forged with the ANC and would be 'urging the PAC to push on until total liberation is attained so that in the end, Azania benefits from fruits of collaboration in the government of national unity [GNU]'. The spirit of restoration between the two parties continues to manifest itself through the invitation the ANC has extended to the PAC to form part of the Liberation Movement Summit taking place in Johannesburg from 25 to 28 July. The letter of invitation, signed and delivered by ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula to his counterpart, Apa Pooe, is a sign of the fraternal embrace the former liberation movements display to each other. Part of the letter, among other pleasantries displayed, read as follows: 'We are delighted to formally notify you of the forthcoming Liberation Movement Summit which will be convened by the African National Congress in its capacity as the chair of the Liberation Movement. This is an esteemed summit … with the participation of all six Liberation Movement parties, under the distinguished leadership of His Excellency Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa as the chair of the summit.' The parties referred to include Zanu-PF of Zimbabwe; Frelimo of Mozambique; the MPLA of Angola; Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania; the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, a political party that spearheaded the liberation movements in both Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. The PAC, despite holding only one seat in the National Assembly, Ramaphosa gave it a cabinet position above other bigger parties, with its president, Mzwanele Nyhontso, serving as the minister of land reform and rural development. That possibly explains why the PAC chose, without any strings attached, to work and support the ANC in the unity government. Seroke expressed disappointment in the behaviour of the Democratic Alliance in the GNU, saying he wished the DA could do better. Rather than being obstructive and turning to the courts, matters could be dealt with through dialogue and constructive engagement. 'The DA in particular is misbehaving in public with their dog whistle politics aimed at polarising rather than uniting South African people. 'The ANC has lost the zeitgeist they had in 1994. It is seemingly easy to attack their leaders. 'It will take a great effort and time to get the internal politics right. That is why the splits of EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters], MKP [uMkhonto weSizwe party], the South African Communist Party and we, as the PAC, see this as opportunistic and harmful to the agenda of unity. 'Nation building cannot go smoothly when its enemies are embedded and ready to sabotage the GNU,' said Seroke. Seroke said that Sobukwe would have sought 'a meeting of minds' between the two liberation movements to thrash out differences. This, he said, was despite the differences that caused the separation of 1958, which triggered the formation of the PAC in 1959 to chart its own liberation path in the 'midst and whirlwind' of apartheid violence against the oppressed people in this country. The Africanist members of the ANC walked out over what they regarded as insufficiently radical policies to bring about liberation. Seroke said the fact that Sobukwe, with his other Africanists comrades, split with the ANC in the 1950s, should not, in 2025, with new thinking and spirit of cooperation emerging, hinder the PAC from supporting the ANC in projects such as the GNU. He warned against a destructive strategy that ignores new political realities of cooperation and constitutional democracy. Seroke said: 'Coalitions wear many different apparels but the essence is the same. Social forces from a range of political perspectives gather on a common cause, at times even to repel a threat that aims at delivering a scorched earth outcome.' He said now was the time for all South Africans, whatever their political stripes, to strive to help build a better South Africa, and to hold hands towards that end. 'We must try to shy away from political parties that are mostly grouped around cult personalities or driven by a strongman mentality with no discernible principle, but keen on politics of brinkmanship.' Seroke said that in keeping with the spirit of Sobukwe, 'we must be willing to work towards a common agenda, recognising that if we do not, the politics of throwing stones at each other and destroying goodwill will not take us far'. He said despite the breakup in 1958, 'the PAC and the ANC have always had a symbiotic relationship that goes as far back as 1943, when the ANC Youth League was formed to propagate the ideals of African nationalism as a guiding philosophy'. Seroke said the PAC is committed to working and supporting the ANC in the GNU. 'Our aim is not to score political points as we identify mistakes, and reversals of the African revolution gains.' He said the relationship between the PAC and ANC should be mutually beneficial, 'which is to say that when the ANC grows, the PAC should not be stunted'. Seroke said the PAC was willing to work with South Africans from all walks of life and from all political perspectives. 'The time of throwing around our toys, and seeking to wish away other people, is gone. We must, as the PAC, reach out to all South Africans. 'Sobukwe was a man of God, a man of prayer, a visionary who understood there is only one race, and that race is a human race. 'The ANC and PAC will work to ensure that the GNU succeeds, contributing to reshaping our society for the better, and it is unfortunate that organisations and those who are taking potshots at the GNU may be failing to read the signs of the time.' Jo-Mangaliso Mdhlela is an independent journalist, a social justice activist, a former trade unionist, and an Anglican priest.
Eyewitness News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
There's no link between the name ‘Azania' and the indigenous people of South Africa
Kenneth Mokgatlhe 1 July 2025 | 9:59 The proposal of constitutional amendment by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) to change the name of South Africa to the 'Republic of Azania' is nonsensical, unnecessary, and irrelevant to the inhabitants of this place. We should be asking ourselves where the word 'Azania' originates from, which language, and how it is related to the people of South Africa. There are no cultural, historical, linguistic, or political connections to the name. It was during my time as a young and vibrant activist within the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) that I was firmly convinced that South Africa should be renamed "Azania". I had been persuaded by the existing argument that South was merely a geographical direction and, therefore, did not have substantive cultural and historical connections befitting a nation's identity. However, I later realised that my comprehension of the term "Azania" was very limited to its use within Pan Africanist and Black Consciousness discourses. Never mind my strong ideological conviction and commitment, I was unable to intellectually express a clear historical or cultural justification for the adoption of the name, nor could I trace its relevance in juxtaposition to the people, history, and identity of the country. It is important to note that the name 'Azania' has no historical or cultural connection to my people. It was never part of our vocabulary or identity. The term did not exist in our oral traditions or historical records, and my community had never encountered it before modern political movements began to invoke it. It is important to note that the pre-colonial South African society was home to various independent kingdoms and queendoms, each governed by its rulers. I descend from the Bahurutshe, one of the largest sub-groups of the Batswana people, who previously occupied the area now known as the Marico region or Zeerust. Our ancestors referred to their kingdom as Kaditshwene (a place of baboons) and Tshwenyane (a little baboon), an ancient twin-city settlement that thrived between 1300 to 1884. Like many other indigenous polities, it functioned as a sovereign polity, free from foreign or external domination. There was a dramatic shift in the geopolitical landscape after the Berlin Conference of 1884, where European powers gathered to partition Africa among themselves, which laid the foundation for the modern nation-states we recognise today. As a result, we, descendants of various kingdoms, were forced to adapt to these new political realities and form countries under Western-imposed frameworks. A country known as the Union of South Africa was established in 1910, led and governed by white minority rule. A referendum was held in 1960, where white South Africans decided to leave the Commonwealth, became independent, and referred to themselves as the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961. While the name 'South Africa' is descriptive of a geographic location, the name gives a strong cultural, political, and historical connection. It reminds us of different epochs in our history and how we interacted with other countries. The name South Africa is not unique in the world, as other countries have historically adopted names which are geographically descriptive of their land, such as South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), North and South Korea, North Macedonia, and East Timor. My discomfort at the term Azania was vindicated after I came across one of the compelling writings of South African freedom fighter and journalist Paul Trewhela, who is now based in the United Kingdom. Through his sharp historical analysis, he provides a well-substantiated account of the origins of the name 'Azania', demonstrating that it was a term imposed by slave traders/masters to demean the Black Africans in some parts of East Africa. Trewhela contends that the name 'Azania' does not bear any link to the indigenous peoples of South Africa and carries connotations or implications of oppression rather than liberation. His esteemed scholarship helped clarify that the name 'Azania' lacks authentic historical, cultural, political, or linguistic connections to South Africa and its people, reinforcing my earlier doubts about its relevance and appropriateness as a national name. 'The name 'Azania' celebrates the centuries of enslavement of black Africans by Islamist Arab imperialism down the east coast of Africa. It is a disgrace for reactionary ideologists to be using this concocted name to replace the name South Africa,' he remarked. This name, 'Azania,' is primarily used by individuals who identify themselves as revolutionaries or radicals within South Africa's academic, political, and social spheres. It is largely preferred by black radicals in academia and by political formations considered to be on the far left, such as the PAC, the Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and trade unions affiliated with the National Council of Trade Union (NACTU), among others. Like I once did in the past, many of these individuals adopt the term 'Azania' as a symbolic rejection of apartheid and white supremacy. Their chief motivation emanates from a desire to eliminate any association with the apartheid regime, including the name 'South Africa', which they regard as a legacy of colonialism and racial oppression. Mokgatlhe is a political analyst and consultant.
IOL News
07-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
AfriForum seeks to improve relations with the ANC amid US tensions
AfriForum seeks to rebuild ties with ANC after past tensions and US fallout. AfriForum wants to mend relations with the ANC after it urged the US to punish ANC leaders, while also lying and spreading misinformation about the country targeting white people. AfriForum's claims sparked diplomatic tension and drew global headlines. AfriForum and its allies met with the ANC on Tuesday to discuss matters of 'common interest' in the country. The meeting was facilitated by the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Speaking to IOL, AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel confirmed the meeting, stressing the importance of enhancing cooperation between both sides. Although he could not be specific about what they discussed, Kriel said their discussions were robust and frank. 'We all realised there's a need to find solutions to these issues raised, but of course, we will communicate in due course as the process comes to a point that we have reached something,' he said. 'We actually agreed because this is early in the start of the process that the various parties would not comment at this stage any further than what is in the statement.' The ANC echoed the sentiment in an official statement, noting that all parties are committed to finding 'South African solutions' in pursuit of a diverse and unified nation. AfriForum and Solidarity have repeatedly claimed that white South Africans are in danger. This led to US President Donald Trump imposing 30% tariffs on the country and cutting financial aid. Additionally, Trump offered white people refugee status, which AfriForum and others declined, stating they cannot leave the country to start anew. A likely economic rupture with the US is indicated by South Africa's growing fears over the prospective loss of its trade privileges under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned last month that he will meet with Trump 'soon' to resolve bilateral differences over the status of the country. [email protected] IOL Politics
