MOELETSI MBEKI: A HYPOCRITE OR VISIONARY

In all his work, he distinguished himself as a scholar, a disciplined cadre, a builder and a teacher. Few political activists in our movement have paid such attention to the indigenous application of the science and theory of Marxism to South African realities and conditions. He built and sustained a tradition of excellent political journalism and theoretical writing. His book, The Peasants Revolt was a major historical study of peasant struggles in Pondoland and Sekhukhuneland. He came out of Robben Island having published several books and having written many articles used for lectures internationally. Indeed, he was one of the great Marxist writers of the previous century.

The above editorial was quoted directly from SA History online in which they describe and pay tribute to Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa Mbeki former SA Head of Senate and father to Thabo and Moeletsi Mbeki.

Moeletsi Mbeki is the brother of former State President Thabo Mbeki and the son Govan Mbeki a former journalist, writer, political prisoner, First Head of Senate and National Council of Provinces and a staunch Communist.

Firstly let's look at Moeletsi Mbeki's resume: A Harvard Graduate, Chairman of Endmol TV Production, one of South Africa's biggest  Television Production Companies. Former Commentator for BBC, Director of Comzar (Company responsible rehabilitation of railway networks all over Africa), former Media consultant for the ANC and a writer like his elder brother and father. Currently based at Wits University.
Moeletsi Mbeki is a strong critic of the ANC government and BEE as a policy to bridge the gap between the black and white economic imbalances in South Africa. Moeletsi has continously claimed that he detest BEE and that he is not a product of the system which he says will lead South Africa into the same path as Zimbabwe.
During the launch of his much publicised book "Advocates of Poverty" Moeletsi describe how SADC was ruled by tyrants and used his famous quote "Africa was better governed during colonial rule than it is today". During the same press conference he slammed his brother, then President of SA as a vision-less leader who's economic policies did not benefit the majority and was leading the country on a path of self-destruction.
Moeletsi Mbeki may be a visionary who wants to see this country succeed and grow economically, he may be and answer to most of our problems for which the current government have no direction. In his statement during the lauch of yet another one of his books at the Cape Town Press Club Moeletsi again attacked the current government especially President Jacob Zuma in his address.
This is what Moeletsi said and I quote "The answer is that (President Jacob) Zuma does not have the capacity to deal with the challenges. There needs to be a reform of the electoral system, we need a competitive system in the country. Its up to us to avoid the bottom of the wall,"
It is also ironic that in the same address Moeletsi mentioned that the government should consider privitising supply of electricity and rail infrustructure (a field in which he is well experienced and has interests) and he also lauched another attack at the BEE system, Jacob Zuma, ANCYL and COSATU.
It is no surprise that Moeletsi like his brother Thabo Mbeki spend most of their young lives in exile and were educated in the most prestigious schools in England and that they both attended Harvard University most probably with funds from the ANC and donations while the majority of South Africans who stayed behind suffered the wrath of the apartheid government.
Moeletsi Mbeki has been a member and official in the ANC post apartheid and I believe he had an opportunity to put forward his ideas of a workable economy for our country let alone having had access to his brother while still president whom he should have engaged in order to push forward what he now calls the best economic policies that can help South Africa move forward.

I have no doubt that Moeletsi Mbeki has never experienced poverty and frankly his books are way to expensive for the poor to afford. But I believe Moeletsi Mbeki is continously using a wrong forum to address the most imperative of issues in our country and his ideas can be better used in the ruling party's policies. Moeletsi Mbeki owes service to the ANC and the poor people of this country for making him what he is today and I believe he can render that service by strengthening the ANC policy making structures and refrain from becoming a public critic of what his father has given his entire life to.

It is my conclusion that Moeletsi Mbeki wears many hats and everytime he lauches one of his books he makes sure that he wears the one that fits him best. The man is either a Hypocrite or a Visionary but one thing that I am definitely sure about that Moeletsi Mbeki is not is a PATRIOT.
Oxford Dictionary describes a Hypocrite as:
"a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements"

SABC 3 SHOCKING STATISTICS

According to SABC 3 News at 19:00 tonight "80% of the community of Oukasie Location in Brits, North West are HIV positive. As much as we recognise that the rate of HIV infections in SA is exceptionally high we also need to ensure that statistics that we publish are also accurrate and do not stigmatise a particular community as being a highly infected. I may not be qualified to dispute the accuracy of the report but from a lay-man's point of view it poses a lot of questions as to the source of the statistics which literally mean that 8 in every 10 citizens of that area are living with HIV.

I think this kind of reporting is irresponsible and undermines the Government's efforts in educating the public and dealing with the pandemic. And if the reports are accurate I'm prepared to swallow my words and walk the path of shame while at same time symphathising with the Oukasie residents. HIV and AIDS has led to many South Africans placing a stigma on it's sufferers and it is important that whenever we report about anything related to the decease we should be careful not to label any particular place as a haven for the virus.

It is my understanding that illiteracy and ignorance contribute a lot to the spread of HIV an AIDS which brings me to a point that the report means that the majority of Oukasie residents have been ignorant of all information regarding the spread of HIV and AIDS. Also the Health Department in Madibeng and the North West Province is not doing enough to educate the people in their communities about HIV and AIDS.

The News report was meant to focus on the continuation of the Nelson Mandela Week and the visit of donors to a shelter housing orphaned children in the area but it ended up publishing what I still believe is inaccurate statistics about the settlement's HIV and AIDS infection rate.

The small settlement of Oukasie is the birthplace of Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns top striker Katlego Mphela, the home of the late ANC stalward Billy Mashao, the birthplace of the now disbanded Harambee Womens Network, the scene of resistance against apartheid government's cruel Group Areas Act. Jay Naidoo, John Gomomo, Popo Molefe and many more politicians graced the area during their political puberty and learned a lot about fighting the system from the residents of Oukasie.

If the SABC News report is accurate then the government needs to start acting now to prevent any more infection and stop the erosion of the people of Oukasie. But if the report is inaccurate then the SABC owes the people of Oukasie an apology and the BCCSA must take the SABC to task and ensure that they stick to their commitment of giving the viewers "News that is accurate, Comment that is fair and Programming that is not harmful".