Illiterate masses knew justice

I WRITE this e-mail in response to Rudzani Musekwa’s article, "Happy birthday to the bad child the ANC birthed” (January 11).

In South Africa it has become the norm to denigrate and label those with whom we don’t agree. As an ANC voter, I take offence at being labelled "uneducated” by the educated Musekwas of this world.

Perhaps they have deceived themselves to the extent that it amazes them that the voters have not bought their lies. Maybe, the learned should tell us who to vote for because all thinking faculties are with them. They should tell us what level of education one should attain before voting and whether that includes a model C accent in English.

The likes of Musekwa forget that voting franchise in South Africa was contested even during the Codesa talks, with one side arguing it should be limited to the learned, which would have favoured white South Africans.

The argument raised by people who share similar views is flawed in that it is based on a false premise that for one to know and understand justice, they must be educated. It forgets that in our areas of study, we might have never come across anything that has to do with justice and, hence, in that area we are as illiterate as the masses themselves.

It deliberately ignores the fact that in South Africa, it was the educated few who never even bothered to challenge colonialism and apartheid, while the uneducated masses fought relentlessly and formed the backbone of what culminated in 1994.

Perhaps Musekwa must inform us as to which university Shaka Zulu, Maqoma, Moshoeshoe and Hintsa went to, yet in all their "ignorance” they had a sense of what constituted justice, hence their fights against colonialism.

We vote for the ANC because of its track record, Rudzani, both as a liberation movement and governing party. We know the liberation credentials of the ANC infuriates naysayers, hence the constant calls for modernisation.

The track record of the ANC includes among many things improving access to education, provision of basic services to poor communities, building of RDP houses, building the image of South Africa in Africa and abroad etc.

All of this you should point out in your criticism. Talking about ANC ancestors, its astounding that the revered Nelson Mandela is still a member of the ANC.

You are correct about the excesses, but remember the ANC is spending its money on these celebrations and not yours.

So please don’t undermine us, argue your point if you feel the ANC has failed and we will listen. Also maybe inform us the illiterate masses who to vote for since you are so intelligent.

Mthuthuzeli Gqokoma, Newton Park