The renaming of the North West after an international icon and former SACP General- Secretary Moses Kotane, has continued to spark debate in the provincial legislature.
The debate comes ahead of the reburial of the remains of Kotane in his home village of Pella this coming weekend.
Kotane, together with liberation fighter JB Marks had their remains repatriated from Russian capital, Moscow last month.
In his state-of-the-province address last week, Premier Supra Mahumapelo announced the North West government’s intention to effect the name change.
A heated debate on the contribution made by Kotane on the struggle for emancipation of this country continued within the North West provincial legislature. Although all members of the legislature, are unanimously agreeing on the role Kotane had in the struggle, they however disagreeing on the province being renamed after him.
Learning from lessons
Head of Government Business and ANC member in the provincial legislature, Manketse Tlhape is for the renaming. “Uncle Kotane was not a lazy person like many of us today. He worked hard to implement his responsibilities and he never lamented like many of us will do today. We hope we can learn from these important lessons he gave us. Uncle Kotane never behaved in a manner that sort to make him a populist in this instance madam speaker, we urge all Honourable members and the people of Bokone Bophirima to support the pronouncement made by Honourable Premier, that as part of honouring him for his contribution to our democracy we must name Bokone Bophirima province after him.”
The leader for the EFF in the provincial legislature, Betty Diale, expressed her party’s reservation about the name change.
“Honourable Moses Kotane was a real communist and a true economic freedom fighter. The EFF feels that is an insult for the current ruling party to name the province in the heroe’s name while the province is so tinted with corruption and non-delivery of services. Moses Kotane did not belong to the Western Transvaal, to Bophuthatswana or to the North West only – he belonged to the world. He belongs to the world in that he protected the Freedom Charter as it was done by Nelson Mandela. The national government must honour him and rename some of the national buildings or roads under his name.”
Democratic Alliance’s Sello Motsunyane expressed his party’s view regarding Kotane’s contribution. “Mr Kotane was indeed a great leader, if others could take a leaf out of the conduct of this man, South Africa will definitely be an open opportunity society where everyone has the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives and pursue their dreams, a dream that continues to be deferred by rampant corruption and general lack of leadership.
ANC’s Boitumelo Moiloa says, “Mr Kotane was a true embodiment of the widely used word comrade which many did not know the meaning, but abuse the word comrade. In 1928, Mr Kotane joined the ANC but left it considering it weak and ineffectual but he did not go out and open another political party. He remained disciplined and came back in the ANC to build it to be a formidable organisation and forge relations with other progressive forces of the struggle.”
Meanwhile, preparations are being finalised for the special official funeral of Moses Kotane in Phela village near Rustenburg this weekend. President Jacob Zuma is expected to give a special address at the funeral.
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