The African People’ Convention (APC) says the current government is reluctant to commemorate the role played by Robert Sobukwe during the apartheid era.
The party held a memorial lecture on Sobukwe at Motlhabe Village near Rustenburg in the North West, on Sunday.
@themba_godi @SydneyMahala1 @FMbhandze @thandeka363 @SABCNewsOnline The APC Treasurer-General cde Mandla Mokoena to address at APC Sobukwe celebrations at Motlhabe village(Moses Kotane municipality in North West)next to Kgalatlowe High school.Thanks to the SABC for the coverage. pic.twitter.com/xCJfKRmnMO
— Freddy Mbhandze (@FMbhandze) February 16, 2020
APC remembering Sobukwe in Limpopo. Sobukwe ‘s ideas will never die. pic.twitter.com/jVGUkWAc5m
— Hlathi Ernest (@HlathiErnest) February 16, 2020
The party says the government is selective about celebrating the life of struggle icons.
The APC was formed in 2007 following a breakaway from the Pan African Congress (PAC). The party is on a month-long celebration of the life of Robert Sobukwe across the country.
Sobukwe is a former member of the ANC. He left the party to form the PAC and became its first president in 1959.
APC’s Mandla Mokwena says the lack of recognition for Sobukwe is a distortion of history.
“We commemorate the life of this great man to show the government that there is a distortion of history. His role in the liberation of Africans was not shown in a practical way. We should have this awareness; that is why we adopted February month to talk about his life.”
Mokwena says Sobukwe would be disappointed at the current state of government.
“To put leadership first and people shall follow so, but in Sobukwe, people must be in the centre of everything that is happening. That is why I am saying he would not be happy and we are not even closer to his ideas and wishes to see Azania being the free country.”
In the North West, the APC hopes to honour Sobukwe by mobilising support for the party ahead of 2021’s local government elections.
APC provincial executive member, Justice Rannye, says they are preparing to rectify previous mistakes.
“As we did not work well in the previous elections, we are now preparing ourselves to rectify the mistakes we experienced before.”
The APC says it will continue to commemorate the life of Sobukwe until his role is recognised by the government.
Watch video on the APC’s call for the recognition of Sobukwe:
