Special Hearings — Political Party — 1998-05-06

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Molefe, Mr Lekota.

MASUA GERARD PATRICK LEKOTA: Thank you Mr Chairperson, I think in adding to what the premier has already said, perhaps I would like to start by acknowledging some of the individuals that we drew a lot of inspiration from as part of the context in which the struggle was being wasted that time. The men and woman who had constituted symbols of leadership which we desired for the future of our country.  Many of these individuals are not with us now, very happy though of course our former president comrade Mama Sisulu is here.  Comrade Ghumede who was co-president of the UDF at that time is not very healthy now and so he cannot join us this morning.  Now our third president comrade Mpetha is now late, has passed away but we must acknowledge these individuals and then I would like to remember some of the individuals who were patrons of the front, men and woman who distinguished to themselves in various ways in their walks of life, who were not of course in executive positions of the Front but against whom we measured the correctness or otherwise of our activities against their own judgement. These are individuals we approached and requested to act as patrons.  There were therefore individuals whom we could approach in some critical moments for some advice.  Mr Chairperson I am advised by my colleagues that I should shift my chair so that we can also welcome Mr Stone Sizani who just arrived.

CHAIRPERSON: We welcome Mr Stone Sizani and invite him to take his place with the delegation, thank you very much, you're welcome, Mr Lekota.

MASUA GERARD PATRICK LEKOTA: Mr Chairman I wanted to raise, just put on record the names of Frances Baard, the late Helen Joseph, I add the names of Dr B Asmadia, Dr Alan Boesak, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the other names that I leave out, as I have already said and I do want to underline this because we placed this also on record at the Delmas trial, these were individuals who had no responsibility for our activities at all.
    Now in the executive summary we have set out the origins of the Front, I do want to underline this point that it is important from the point of view of context to understand that the United Democratic Front was not the beginning of the struggle for freedom and democracy in this country, therefore that the UDF emerged against a background of an ongoing struggle.  
     At that time many of those of us who became part of the UDF had been part of other formations, some had come from prison already others had gone for detention and came back so this context is important and yet in spite of all of that, when the government of that time stated that it was striking out on a new path of opening up, of seeking a new deal for the country we accepted this with open arms believing firmly that government would listen to moderate voices coming from within our communities and I must say moderate in that sense because other formations that had gone before had already, even being driven to taking up arms so we must be seen in the context as a formation that emerges attracted by the sweet sounds that were coming from the lips of those who were in power and also the strategy of putting up the UDF as a formation was not new in the history of this country, it had  been tried out in the struggle against heads of bills of 1935 the all African convention essentially was an approach more or less similar.  
 The United Front formation of the closing years of the thirties as the second world war started had also been a similar kind of attempt.  So once again we gathered to say to the government, the laws, the constitution that you are putting forward is unacceptable.  
    Mr Chairperson in doing so we adopted a declaration that constituted the foundation of the United Democratic Front, whatever activity was undertaken by the United Democratic Front was aimed at an objective set out in the declaration of the United Democratic Front.  That declaration in its resolving part stated, we commit ourselves to uniting all our people where ever they may be, in the cities and country sides, the factories and mines, schools, colleges and universities, houses and sports fields, churches, mosques and temples to fight for our freedom.  We pledged to stand together in this United Democratic Front and fight side by side against the governments constitutional proposals and the quarrel of bills that was the resolution.  All the campaigns that we have referred to in our submission must be understood against that foundation document.  The question, Mr Chairperson may well be raised, whether given developments, the risks of human rights violations that occurred should not have discouraged us to take the route we took.  
     I think we should just briefly state that the goal of freedom and democracy for us was far more important and suddenly  we would have been less then human had we a quest in our oppression in the conditions that existed. We think we did our best to act responsibly as citizens and we believe that everything that had been done and that did occur could not have been done in a better fashion and suddenly  now we hold the view that the role of the United Democratic Front contributed to the fruits of democracy that South Africans are now enjoying.  I thank you sir.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Mr Lekota are there any other additional comments before we ask Mr Mpshe to take over, Mr Morobe.

MURPHY MOROBE: As I have indicated that Mr Cachalia would need to take us through the violations aspects and then from there we can then proceed to Mr Mpshe.

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Cachalia.

AZHAR CACHALIA: Thank you Chair, I think the way we've dealt with the violations is really in a sort of question and answer form where you've asked the questions, the commissioner has asked the questions and we've tried to provide brief answers.  I have no doubt that each of our answers are going to generate further questions but with your permission what I suggest we do is, and for the benefit of everybody else I guess just to read the questions briefly and our response if that is alright with you I'm sure that immediately after the tea break you can then take us through further questions and the rest of our delegation will be very happy to answer them.

CHAIRPERSON: Please continue along those lines Mr Cachalia that seems sensible.