SOUTH AFRICA-POLITICS: AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS BACKS CUBA

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

CHRIS LOUW

PRETORIA, Dec 22 1994 (IPS) - SOUTH AFRICA’S RULING AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) THURSDAY BEGAN IMPLEMENTING A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CUBA AGAINST THE U.S. BLOCKADE.

THE RESOLUTION, WHICH MOVES THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ONTO THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE, WAS ADOPTED AT THE END OF THE ANC’S FIRST POST-APARTHEID NATIONAL CONFERENCE HERE ON WEDNESDAY.

IT WAS GREETED WITH ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE BY DELEGATES WHEN READ OUT AT THE CONFERENCE IN BLOEMFONTEIN, 450 KMS FROM JOHANNESBURG, BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY’S RAYMOND SUTTNER.

SOUTH AFRICA’S REPRESENTATIVE AT THE UNITED NATIONS WILL NOW VOTE AGAINST A PROPOSAL CONDEMNING CUBA’S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UN ON DECEMBER 23.

THE CUBAN RESOLUTION WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF FAR-REACHING DECISIONS TAKEN BY ANC DELEGATES AT THE CONFERENCE. MANY OF THE OTHER DECISIONS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE NEXT YEAR AND ARE CERTAIN TO GIVE NEW DIRECTION TO THE ANC/NATIONAL PARTY COALITION GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY.

ALTHOUGH THE CUBAN RESOLUTION IS THE FIRST TO MAKE ITS IMPACT FELT, OTHER SWEEPING DECISIONS WERE TAKEN CONCERNING THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THE MEDIA.

ANC SECRETARY-GENERAL CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ALREADY COMMENTED ON THE UNITY DISPLAYED DURING CLOSING DISCUSSIONS AT THE CONFERENCE.

PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA CONGRATULATED DELEGATES FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR NOT TALKING ABOUT RESISTANCE, BUT RATHER ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

THE SUSPENSION OF THE ARMED STRUGGLE IS NOT A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION ANY LONGER, SAID MANDELA. “WE NOW FOCUS ON THE RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (RDP). THE ISSUE IS HOW TO CREATE BETTER LIVES FOR OUR PEOPLE.”

POLITICAL OBSERVERS AGREE THAT THE CONFERENCE WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS AND THAT THE ANC HAS EMERGED STRONGER, DESPITE PREDICTIONS OF INTERNAL STRIFE AND DISILLUSIONMENT.

THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED HAVE ASSURED THE ANC OF A STRONG PUBLIC PROFILE. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THESE RESOLUTIONS WOULD NOT BE POPULAR WITH ALL SEGMENTS OF THE COUNTRY’S POPULATION, THEY HAVE RE-ESTABLISHED THE ANC’S ROLE AS A “MOVEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE”.