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Hailing the great ... before it's too late |
| Publication |
Cape Argus |
| Date | 2009-03-12 |
| Reporter | Max du Preez |
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Web Link |
Of course Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was right. And if you
don't agree that ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema is a Nelson Mandela in
the making, you're either deeply prejudiced or from another planet.
In fact, we may one day look back and say Malema's great personality and
achievements overshadowed Mandela's.
A prophet is seldom honoured in his own lifetime and country.
Let's cut through all the prejudice and propaganda and honour our great heroes
of today before they get old and retire.
They have sacrificed so much; the least we can do is give them the recognition,
respect and gratitude they so richly deserve.
Malema is top of the list.
What a classy human being and exemplary leader he has proved to be. Someone with
an exquisite sense of timing, saying exactly the right thing at the right time
as if led by a sixth sense telling him when people need to hear what.
Malema has the courage of his convictions. He says it like it is, unlike most
politicians.
Like last week, when he advised students to stick to the ANC, because if you
abandon the liberation movement, you would simply be an ordinary citizen, a
nobody who has to work for his money and never really have enough.
If you stay in the heart of the movement, they will teach you the finer things
in life - like drinking Chivas Regal instead of brandy and coke, drinking the
best red wines instead of papsak, wearing silk shirts and designer suits instead
of Jet store clothes. Isn't that just the plain truth?
Ordinary politicians would say anything to be popular; it takes a courageous one
to cut through the nonsense and say something that would insult half the
population. Like when Malema insulted all women with his remarks about rape.
The man is a tactical genius. Remember his mock charge at Education Minister
Naledi Pandor?
Of course he knew she had a British accent, but by calling it a fake American
accent, he shrewdly confused the issue to such an extent that he achieved
exactly what he wanted without anyone really noticing.
Malema is a national treasure and we should nurture him. We'll need another
Mandela soon.
But it isn't just Malema who we should recognise as a great leader today. Let's
turn to Vavi, the driving force behind Cosatu and saviour of our working
classes.
If Malema is pure Mandela, Vavi is pure Chris Hani.
How many trade union leaders are there in the world who would still have the
inner strength and bravery to stand up and declare that they would kill for
their leader? Not many, I would argue. We're talking man of steel here.
And yet he lives the maxim "I didn't struggle to be poor" to the full, as any
good comrade and revolutionary should.
He could have stayed in the townships where all his worker-followers live, but
no, he stepped out and said, "I will go and live in the affluent suburbs and
drive a 4x4, because the workers and the unemployed deserve the dignity of their
leader living like the oppressors."
A man of deep insight and vision, our Vavi. Who was it, do you remember, who
first warned of the Zuma tsunami that would hit our country? And wasn't that
true - when last did you see a newspaper front page without ANC president Jacob
Zuma on it?
Let's turn to SACP leader Blade Nzimande. An Oliver Tambo in the making, if you
ask me. The rich timbre of his husky voice has reassured the nation, momentarily
restless, many a time. The way he has defended the gains of our revolution from
the front line but without ever trying to push himself into the limelight should
serve as an example to future leaders of our continent.
Schabir Shaik is another man who is misunderstood
and not honoured properly in our country today. But we will never forget how he
took a bullet for his leader.
We will never forget how he looked after the material well-being of the heroes
of our liberation when they had more important things to do.
In the face of ridicule and gossip, Shaik remained a living, shining
example of ubuntu, and who will not agree that we need more of that in our
society in these troubled times?
Talking about ridicule, gossip and being misunderstood, let's pause a moment and
remember the man who has it in him to become the next Beyers Naudé:
Carl Niehaus.
A man of principle and integrity who spent his life fighting for the truth. And
yet a man of exquisite style - wasn't he the only political figure in our
country with enough class to drive around in a Porsche? Mercs and BMWs are so
passé.
Rest assured, we're in safe hands.
With acknowledgements to
Max du Preez and Cape Argus.