Polokwane – The enemies of the ANC are going to take advantage of the disunity in the party, Limpopo chairperson Stan Mathabatha said at the weekend.
Addressing the party's provincial lekgotla on Sunday in Polokwane, Mathabatha said this shift in politics meant members had to be more vigilant, focused and united.
"The enemy can only harvest from our disunity," he said.
Mathabatha, who is also the premier of Limpopo, focused his address on late party leader OR Tambo, saying he was selfless and always prized the unity of African masses above any other interest.
"He [had] always been guided by the conviction that the unity of the African people was a necessary precondition to defeating the evil system of apartheid colonialism," said Mathabatha.
'Oliver Tambo hated corruption'
"Without uniting members of the ANC, we cannot win. Without uniting the African majority, victory will always elude us.
"The question for us as leaders and activists is whether we are teaching our new recruits the same politics that Tambo would have taught them."
He said Tambo would have chastised those who violated organisational discipline and protocol, even if they were his personal friends.
He said current leaders should emulate Tambo’s approach that the decisions of branches must not be exploited.
"He would also not go there with a bag full of money in order to sway their democratic decision," said Mathabatha.
Mathabatha said Tambo would not have used underhanded tactics to remain the leader of the organisation.
"We must fight corruption because Oliver Tambo hated corruption," he said.
