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"