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A song about the struggle, which may destroy itI honestly don't get it! Or maybe I do, in a different perspective from what the ANC and its cheer supporters would like to have us believe. Unfortunately we are not little impotent children, who are somehow, due to the law of human development, unable to distinguish Goose from Gander. The employment of heritage, culture and struggle credentials on the singing of the ‘dubula ibhunu' chant is misleading to say the least, writes Asaph Madimetja Chuene.
There is an ongoing attempt by the ANC to defend the song at all costs, perhaps taking this issue as the battle between the minority right wingers and the ‘mighty' ANC. What I fail to identify in this debate is the objectivity on the side of those who defend the singing of the song.
The apostles of dubula ibhunu are, like I said, quick to claim the struggle, heritage, and culture on the account of singing a song which is purely and clearly divisive, racist and inflammatory in a post-racist era.
Truly, I would not have said the above during the struggle era because I understand that the song was a necessary means to an end: to mobilize support against the apartheid system that was represented by the Boers. The song was therefore intended to produce a desired effect, to incite anger, and thus intensify the struggle against apartheid to the bloody end.
Indeed, it is because of these songs and many others that the struggle was victorious. The purpose, which was to destroy the apartheid system, has been achieved. The Boer is no longer in the Union Buildings calling for racially venomous policies anymore.
The question is, why and for what, in this age and era, should a leader of a youth league sing a song which was purely meant for the struggle purpose? This country is bound to innumerable national challenges which affect the youth the most.
Logically one will expect a national youth leader to tackle and engage in the struggle against those challenges. What desired effect will the singing of the Anti-Boer song achieve for the ‘national democratic revolution'?
I have also observed that all those who defend the song alienate it to the agenda of the organization (ANCYL) and the personality of the person called Malema and the potentially dangerous implications it has for this country should they have their way to the Union Buildings.
ANCYL aka Malema and his shadow backers have rightly pronounced that political freedom without economic liberation is a fallacy. What is rather disturbing with their agenda of "economic liberation in our lifetime" is the means by which they intend achieving that goal. There is a saying which goes: It isn't about what you do or want but how you intend to do it.
By all probabilities, I stand to support the agenda of black economic emancipation by any means possible except for that which is purely guided by opportunism laced with demagoguery at the expense of the masses of our people.
In this struggle, Malema and his backers have appropriated to themselves a mandate of achieving black economic liberation with them as the aristocratic beneficiaries. Of much concern is that, in this struggle, they see the white section of our society as their prime enemies. Malema reiterated this stance during a ‘Hard Talk' interview with the BBC recently.
It is within this context that the singing of ‘dubula ibhunu' must be understood. It has nothing to do with all the momentary justification we are showered with. I was very active during my student years at the University of Limpopo; never did it occur that any of the student political formations there to sing ‘dubula ibhunu' simply because it was not in context. The songs which were sung then where specifically linked to the cause of student politics directly and indirectly.
Under no circumstance did we imagine singing ‘shoot the Boer' when what we were concerned about had nothing to do with the Boers. Instead, we sang ‘Shoot Mokgalong' (the Vice Chancellor) because we rebelled against the administrative system which was represented by him and this way we were able to incite students into demonstrations, anti-management sentiments and sometimes into violent behavior.
When now, people who see the ‘white males' as the prime obstacle of their agenda and thus sing dangerous song to incite racist sentiments to galvanize us into Zimbabwe style anti-white rapture, they must equally have the bravery to say so instead of taking cover under our culture, struggle and heritage.
And see if we support such an agenda. As for me, I despise with the contempt it deserves, any demagoguery whatsover. Africa has long suffered from poverty of leadership. We should not stand idle as the menace of demagoguery is confronting us. We should say No to ill-devised approaches to our economic struggle. The song must be banned, for it is a song about the struggle which may destroy the struggle.
(This article was first published by Politics Web at http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page72308?oid=232622&sn=Marketingweb+detail&pid=90389 )
