Chris Hani: We Have to Destroy that Regime

Chris Hani: We Have to Destroy that Regime

(Message from the Army Commissar, Chris Hani, to cadres of the People’s Army, Umkhonto we Sizwe, Luanda, Angola, June 1984)

“We are winding off a year of momentous events, a year of mass popular struggles. 1984 has been a year of popular victories as witnessed in the UDF-led (United Democratic Front-led) massive boycott of the Indian and ‘Coloured’ elections in August. The year was also marked by a militant boycott of schools by students and the drawing of the education charter. We observed a remarkable growth of trade unions in the background of trade union unity talks which are nearing fruition.

“We have died for these achievements. We are proud of them. It is Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) who launched attacks against an enemy which seemed impregnable. Had we not have been there all the time, systematically attacking the regime, we would not be speaking of these achievements. It is through a combination of these operations that we are where we are today.

“Our organisation has infused a new spirit in our people. They see themselves as their liberators. The African National Congress (ANC) has never enjoyed such massive support. We have never received such a response to our message of the year. Our people are responding to calls made by the ANC to build popular organisations and render enemy control over them impossible. Dummy institutions have been rendered powerless while in some townships the regime has not been able to exert its authority.

“The period ahead will be difficult for our army Umkhonto we Sizwe is faced with a crucial challenge to jerk up our military operations to correspond with the level of the people’s mass struggles. Our army must continue to expand internally. It must train and equip units thrown our by the mass struggles of the people. We must deepen the process of making the country ungovernable. To do this effectively, we must launch an offensive against the enemy institutions and its vital installations.

“Our army has a historical responsibility to make the enemy pay five-fold for the wanton loss of the lives of our people. The army must spread its activities to the rural areas. We must clear the bantustans and rural areas of puppet elements. This would be part of the process of making the country ungovernable.

“We take this opportunity to salute our combatants who have risked everything to intensify and escalate our attacks against the enemy. We are proud of the glorious tradition of our army which they have upheld and defended.

“We have done reasonably well in the face of the regime’s concerted efforts to isolate us in Southern Africa. We have rendered useless what the enemy thought would be the gains of Nkomati and secret treaties with Swaziland. We have clearly demonstrated that the decisive factor is our people.

“We have carried out impressive operations which among others include ambushes, attacks on police stations and car bombs. The operations came at a time when the enemy was boasting that it had finished us off. We salute our combatants and people who have made these operations effective and possible.

“The struggle will demand more commitment and effort in the coming year. Our people are crying out for more MK actions. The time for serious sacrifices and serious action against our enemy has come. We have no alternative but to clear the enemy from certain areas. To match these tasks, we must have stamina to withstand the difficulties that are coming.

“The best tribute we can pay to those who have laid down their lives in the course of our military activities is to have more attacks on the enemy until we seize power. South Africa must be a theatre of widespread military confrontations.

“Our basic task is to forge a soldier of a new type, imbued with total commitment to the revolution, and equipped with sterling revolutionary attributes. We shall demand maximum political, mental and physical preparation that will produce a cadre that will cope with all eventualities – a soldier that is ready to give everything for our struggle, and understands that our lives, our people, our social and national emancipation depends upon destroying the enemy.

“We must therefore master the skills of guerilla warfare. We must attain mastery in all weapons, mines, explosives, grenades and landmines to hamper the movements of the enemy. We demand that our army should be part of the oppressed – it must enrich the mass struggles of the people as well as the struggles of the working class.

“Umkhonto we Sizwe as an army of the ANC takes its political line from our organisation through its leadership. Therefore, the army has a special responsibility to neutralise the activities of wedge-drivers and provocateurs. We must ensure that out of the conference of the ANC will emerge out a strong, coercive organisation, capable to lead the politico-military offensive against the enemy.

“We represent the highest in political consciousness, the highest quality in our organisation. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that the struggle forges ahead. WE HAVE TO DESTROY THAT REGIME.”

TO MOVE FORWARD WE MUST ATTACK, ACT IN UNITY AND UNITE IN ACTION!

Source:
Editorial Comment, “We Have to Destroy That Regime: Message from Army Commissar”, Dawn – Monthly Journal of Umkhonto we Sizwe, Vol. 8, No. 6, June 1984.

Castro Khwela
Good day fellow Compatriots!