Oliver Tambo: Forward to a People’s Government

Oliver Tambo: Forward to a People’s Government

(Extracts from a Statement of the African National Congress by President Oliver Tambo, 18 March 1980)

“On March 9, 1980, the racist Prime Minister of South Africa, P.W. Botha, surprised the world with the announcement that his Government had decided to summon a conference representative of all races in our country to ‘deliberate about matters affecting South Africa’. He gave as the reason for this decision the fact that the election victory of President Mugabe’s ZANU-PF had changed the strategic situation of South Africa.”

“How should we understand this move? … The answer to the questions was of course given by Botha himself. For in the same speech of March 9th, he reaffirmed his racist Government’s opposition to the democratic principle of one person one vote. He also pledged to maintain white minority domination, declaring that ‘the National Party will defend the white man, his political rights, culture, and his right to self-determination’. A quarter of a century ago Botha’s predecessor, Hans Strijdom, made a similar declaration: ‘Our [the apartheid government’s] policy is white domination, baaskap, separate development, call it what you like’.”

“Botha is therefore looking for ways and means of strengthening his white minority regime and shielding it from the crushing blows the oppressed and exploited masses must and will deliver in the pursuit of liberty. By calling this proposed conference, Botha is inviting the black people to become his political army for the defence of white minority domination. He wants us to lend legitimacy to a crime against humanity, in return for meaningless and inconsequential reforms which have nothing to do with the only real question of South African politics and international peace – the question of the transfer of power to the majority and the reconstitution of South Africa as a united, democratic, non-racial and peace-loving country under the leadership of a People’s Government.”

“We shall not betray Africa and the progressive world. We shall not betray our own heroes and martyrs, the men, women, youth and children who fell in the fight for freedom. We shall not betray the national leaders and captured militants whose release from imprisonment has been and continues to be the subject of worldwide demands and appeals by people from every walk of life.”

“Following the heroic victory of the patriots of Zimbabwe, and the stunning defeat of the forces of colonial apartheid domination, the order of the day for the oppressed and democrats of our country is: Attack and once more attack without giving the enemy the respite he seeks!”

“We call on the international community also to intensify its offensive, to fight harder for the all-round and complete isolation of the criminal apartheid regime and to step up its moral and material support for the African National Congress. The captain of the fascist clique has openly admitted the stunning effectiveness of the world solidarity movement in the struggle against apartheid tyranny and oppression. Now is the time to deliver more telling blows.”

“The independent States of southern Africa remain still under the menace of the sweet-talking Botha and his bloodthirsty generals. The historic victory in Zimbabwe has increased rather than diminished the aggressive intent of the Pretoria regime against the peoples of southern Africa. The commitment of the rest of peace-loving mankind to the strengthening of the economic and defence capacities of these countries must therefore increase rather than diminish.”

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!
VICTORY IS CERTAIN!
FORWARD TO A PEOPLE’S GOVERNMENT!

– Oliver Tambo (18 March 1980) –

Source:
Editorial, “Oliver Tambo: Forward to a People’s Government!”, Sechaba, June 1980, pp. 1 – 2.

Castro Khwela
Good morning fellow Compatriots!🙏🏾✊🏾👊🏾