Madiba backs ANC at rally

[Angelo]

2009/02/16

SOUTH Africa’s iconic statesman, Nelson Mandela, broke his pledge to stay out of party politics with a dramatic surprise appearance at an ANC rally in the Eastern Cape yesterday.

He called on African National Congress supporters not to break ranks and support the Congress of the People (Cope).

Braving cold and heavy rain, the aging Nobel Peace Prize winner and face of South Africa’s struggle against apartheid joined ANC president Jacob Zuma at a mass ANC rally in Mbashe (Dutywa).


Together they addressed about 20 000 supporters encouraging them to vote for the ANC in the forthcoming national elections scheduled for April 22.

Mandela’s appearance at the rally was particularly significant as Dutywa is the home town of former president Thabo Mbeki, whose recall by the ANC led to the formation of Cope.

The town is also also seen as Cope’s stronghold.


In his unexpected and rare public appearance for the ANC event since retiring from public life, a frail-looking Mandela said in Xhosa: “iANC mayiphile ngonaphakade (the ANC should live to eternity)”, in a move that clearly threw down the gauntlet to Cope.

Link

 

[Albereth]

He is entitled to his opinions and view and if that's what he wants to do, so be it.

And the fact that the ANC dragged him out shows just how scared they are. He quit when he was at the top and now has allowed himself to be dragged into the same boat as Zuma.

New book out soon: 'How to Piss your Legacy Away for Dummies'.

 

[marine1]

Really sad. I wonder if he knew he was even there. He is so old and fragile.

 

[Alan]

OMG what a surprise. I fear the brainwashing is so far gone the lemmings will let him get away with urging people to vote for Zuma who they supposedly despise.

What are the odds of a Zapiro cartoon lambasting Madiba for supporting his shower head nemesis he loathes so much?

 

[ben dover]

Well as the current president said yesterday:
"We have not made any promises to date that we have not kept"

 

[Lycanthrope]

Ouch... Mandela

That's disappointing

 

[sox63]

Well the ANC had to bring out the biggest gun they had to hold on to the Eastern Cape, IMO. After that appearence for Madiba, I count the EC in ANC's pockets.

But I still think COPE will be the official opposition in most provinces and maybe even national.

 

[sox63]

Ouch... Mandela

That's disappointing

I think its to be expected given his history with the organisation. He has always been a party man, and by his own admission was just thrust into the spotlight.

 

[killadoob]

This makes me rather sad because i did not think Mandela was like the rest of the ANC but i guess i was wrong.

Very very sad to hear this news.

 

[shadowfox]

There goes my respect ....

 

[Alan]

I'm getting this "I told you so" feeling again.......

 

[RandomDesign]

I saw a clip of this on the news last night. My first thought is he hasn't got long left. He looks extremely frail, and was being supported even as he stood. Second thought... predictably disappointing. To have him unquestioningly back the likes of Zuma is just so disappointing. I'm starting to wonder if history might not look at the world's celebration of him with an emperor's-got-no-clothes-on attitude and wonder just what it was that was celebrated, when future historians examine the slow collapse of southern Africa into a total economic and humanitarian disaster.

The other thing was, there was a short interview with Zuma in the clip, during which I couldn't help noticing he pushed his glasses back up his nose using his middle finger, and gave the camera a brief glance afterwards. Almost like he was saying... something.

 

[BBSA]

Ja, this is really sad. I always has respect for Madiba

 

[sox63]

The other thing was, there was a short interview with Zuma in the clip, during which I couldn't help noticing he pushed his glasses back up his nose using his middle finger, and gave the camera a brief glance afterwards. Almost like he was saying... something.

Its becoming a trademark of his. Always does it.

 

[Alan]

This makes me rather sad because i did not think Mandela was like the rest of the ANC but i guess i was wrong.

Very very sad to hear this news.

How exactly can a leader of a party be different from the rest of the party?

 

[Fuma]

The other thing was, there was a short interview with Zuma in the clip, during which I couldn't help noticing he pushed his glasses back up his nose using his middle finger, and gave the camera a brief glance afterwards. Almost like he was saying... something.

Its becoming a trademark of his. Always does it.

LOL. Yeah. I always laugh when he does that. He does that deliberately to those who don't like him.

 

[Buddha]

You know im really happy about what Mandela did for SA. however the fact that he is now coming back saying that the ANC is the way for the people to vote shows he doesn't care about the country anymore.

the fact that he is putting his name behind the ANC right now... shows that he agrees with the way the random idiots are running the country. its with great respect to madiba that i say: "thanks for what you have done, but if you stand behind the ANC now, you stand behind corruption in govt, their aids policy's and their mindsets on crime in SA. And if that is the case... then honestly gtfo" :-/

 

[Alan]

You know im really happy about what Mandela did for SA. however the fact that he is now coming back saying that the ANC is the way for the people to vote shows he doesn't care about the country anymore.

the fact that he is putting his name behind the ANC right now... shows that he agrees with the way the random idiots are running the country. its with great respect to madiba that i say: "thanks for what you have done, but if you stand behind the ANC now, you stand behind corruption in govt, their aids policy's and their mindsets on crime in SA. And if that is the case... then honestly gtfo" :-/

Do you thank Mugabe for what he did for Zimbabwe. Removing the racist Smith regime and bringing 'democracy' to the country for 20 years before destroying it.

Around 100 000 killed by criminals and billions wasted on military hardware. You thanking Madiba for that too?

At least you're now starting to see through the propaganda. 15 years too late but better late than never......

 

[Buddha]

i think mugabe started off good but then went bad.

and now seems same with madiba :-/

thats all im saying is that him coming back to the ANC basically says he agrees with what they say.

 

[shadowfox]

Do you thank Mugabe for what he did for Zimbabwe. Removing the racist Smith regime and bringing 'democracy' to the country for 20 years before destroying it.

Around 100 000 killed by criminals and billions wasted on military hardware. You thanking Madiba for that too?

At least you're now starting to see through the propaganda. 15 years too late but better late than never......

I'm sure that isn't what he was saying. We needed someone like Mandela after the '94 elections - he had a solid vision of what the country needed and he set out to do it.

You can't really compare him to Mugabe ... and besides - Mandela served his one term and then bowed out - Mugabe didn't - he became a power-hungry dictator who didn't give a cr@p about the people he was supposed to govern.

Anyways, its only after Mandela left that corruption became as bad as it is now - it wasn't non-existent before, but these days no-one even blinks if some government official gets busted. There's a "that's still news?" apathy going about now.