Dear Comrades, Is there a structure of the YCL that is called the National Office Bearers? As far as I know, the YCL is not fashioned like a trade union where the NOBs function like an NWC. Our constitution gives the top five NO such collective rights. In essence, YCL members cannot be bound by such an unconstitutional statement. But this is a mere technical and perhaps bureaucratic argument, much like the one about Cde Masondo writing in his personal capacity or official YCL capacity. I dont like debates about technicalities as they tend to defocus us from some of the substantive issues.
Are the YCL "NOBs" honestly saying that we must desist from pointing out problematic tendencies merely for the interests of forging some unity and cohesion within the Alliance. I think we must honestly be open and speak about a number of issues: 1. On what premise is this unity founded? Should it not be founded on a common alliance programme? What is the common alliance program at present and how should we be asserting it? Is it the Freedom Charter (minimum programme of the NDR) or are we going in circles really? We cant call for the safeguarding of alliance unity when the Freedom Charter is literally collecting dust on some history's shelves. 2. The YCL Gauteng Provincial Council made an assesment that the communist movement is not aptly raising the property question but that we are instead being bogged down by symptomatic issues which are a result of capitalist relations of production. Our analysis comes close to saying that we seek to give capital a human face without radically reconstituting society. This is a malady that all of us should challenge 3. What should be the YCL's approach to the nascent black capitalist class. Have we adequately assessed how it operates? What is its role in (or even against) the NDR? What is the role of patrimonial relations (family) in maintaining and perpetuating class cleaveges. Sure, we are not under feudalism where if you were born into aristocracy you live and die as an aristocrat. But, if inheritance of family influence and connections was not relevant in mainataining class inequalities then you would not have the ten point programme of the communist manifesto calling for the state of the working class to abolish (immediately) the laws of inheritence. 4. Let us be principled and attack wrong tendencies across the board. Khulubuse, Duduzane etc must get as much vitriol from the formation of working class youth as all others who use the state and our organisations as a fast road to riches. Their activities contribute to the further subordination of the working class. If the YCL "NOBs" feel that the matters raised by Masondo have been raised elsewhere by the YCL then why the need to isolate him? I am just scared that tomorrow we will be told not to criticise Oppenheimer because he would be holding an ANC membership card and perhaps a key position in one of our organisations. Criticising his acctivities will be regarded as a great crime against allaince unity and cohesion. It will be a sad day indeed ..... Marxists know that the interests of communists and the interests of the working class are two sides of the same coin - inseparable. Lets act in a manner that is befitting of this at all times and eschew from elevating ourselves and our immediate interests or need to "look good" in the eyes of certain people above the interests of the working class. On Sep 8, 12:37 pm, Aphiwe Bewana <[email protected]> wrote: > Greetings comrades > > One of our pivotal role in society as activist, progressive activists > I would hope is to interpret society and its event as we see them > without fear or prejudice. I have relayed my views as it relates to > this Article saga. And I still hold those views. And most comrades > have rightfully declared that actions taken by national leadership of > YCLSA to distance and denounce actions by David which in essence he > raises the very views of YCLSA (which is to fight corrupt and all its > related incentives) is erroneous. > > But we, as members we won’t distance ourselves from YCLSA, but rather > we will raised our dissatisfaction with regards to manner in this > issue has been handled. Here I want to vehemently disagree with view > by YCLSA national leadership where it claims “This is an extra > ordinary decision by the YCLSA to denounce the action of one of our > leaders in public, but since this has been done in public, we had no > choice but to take this action in the interest of organizational > cohesion and unity”. This is not entirely true, YCLSA had a choice, > comrade Morgan has alluded to some of the options, we could have > called the comrade concern to find out whether he wrote this under an > official capacity as chairperson or otherwise, and if so are the is > the content of the letter consistent with YCLSA views…engage the > comrade on the merits and demerits of issues he raised…so in simple > treat the matter within the scope of our beloved “organizational > discipline”. Because in essence as much as national leadership want us > to a picture of restoring order, organizational cohesion and unity, we > can’t help but to see the opposite. > > I think out of all this we all are seeing signs of our people, > particularly young people being fed-up with populist rhetoric and > failure of the ANC-led government to remain true to promises and in > delivering change. I have always believed in South Africa there will > come a time that we not quote colonialism and apartheid for failing to > uplift the lives our people. > > I just hope that comrade David is not a victim of sector amongst us > that has decided to substitute rigor for change to being fine with > things as they happen and hoping to benefit as well when their time > comes. > > Regards > > Aphiwe Bewana > > On 9/8/10, morgan phaahla <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Cde Thobela, > > > I do not understand what you're saying as I pointed out clearly that I do > > not agree with the distancing approach as it creates impression that there > > is no organisational cohesion and unity but tension at the top. > > > Please clarify what is the "whole issues" and not argue semantics. Is this a > > case of cde David having used his capacity as chairperson? If so, what is it > > that he should have used? > > > It's public knowledge that cde David Masondo is chairperson of the YCLSA > > and therefore this cannot be conveniently hid to please detractors. > > > What you're missing is that cde David has written a plethora of articles > > before and the NOB never find it fit to distance itself from the issues he > > raised. Hence I said, had what cde David wrote be a shared view of the NOB, > > the article would have been parroted as that of the YCL. Is that consistent? > > And that is my point, cde Thobela! > > > It's a matter of principle, not cut and paste when it's convenient. I trust > > you get the drift > > > Regards > > Morgan > > > "Sometimes, if you wear suits for too long, it changes your ideology." - Joe > > Slovo > > > --- On Wed, 9/8/10, Thobela Mahijana <[email protected]> wrote: > > > From: Thobela Mahijana <[email protected]> > > Subject: Re: [YCLSA Discussion] Article by David Masondo, YCL National > > Chairperson > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2010, 2:45 AM > > > Cde Phaahla > > > I think u didnt understood the content of the letter from the YCL Office > > beares. The letter doesnt say they disown the person but the content of the > > letter since the writer used his capacity as YCL Chairperson. Chief u cant > > clarify something that u have nothing to do about it, read the article from > > Songezo Mleqwa may be it will assist u to understand the whole issues. > > > On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 3:50 PM, morgan phaahla <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > Greetings cde Siwakhile, > > > I noted your view on the saga, however what seems to be the problem is the > > manner in which the national office bearers (NOB) dealt with the matter. I > > do not agree with the distancing approach as it creates impression that > > there is no organisational cohesion and unity but tension at the top. > > > It would have been strategic for the NOB to convene an emergency meeting and > > call a press conference thereafter to clarify aspects of the article to the > > YCL and the movement as a whole. > > > For the record, one would have been happy to hear the NOB expressing a view > > that cde David wrote the opinion piece in his personal capacity not to say > > "has never canvassed these views internally within the YCLSA". Because all > > of this means NOB decided to disown its leader in public because it's > > convenient to do so. > > > A lacklustre statement like "YCLSA National Office Bearers wishes to > > distance themselves and the organisation from the views expressed by the > > YCLSA National Chairperson, Comrade David Masondo, in yesterday’s edition of > > the City Press", is not good enough but pure public relations disaster! > > > Unfortunately, damage is done and what is needed is a strategy to > > sort this mess out. The NOB must correct this pattern of humiliating leaders > > in public and learn to attend to the merits and demerits of what has > > been said. There is no doubt in my mind that had what cde David said be a > > shared view of the NOB, the article would have been parroted and the whole > > saga treated differently. Is that consistent? I don't think so! > > > Remain, > > Morgan Phaahla > > > "Sometimes, if you wear suits for too long, it changes your ideology." - Joe > > Slovo > > > --- On Tue, 9/7/10, siwakhile nogaga <[email protected]> wrote: > > > From: siwakhile nogaga <[email protected]> > > Subject: RE: [YCLSA Discussion] Article by David Masondo, YCL National > > Chairperson > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Tuesday, September 7, 2010, 6:23 AM > > > Cdes > > > I have read the article by David and also the statement from YCL National > > Committe. As all of you comrades I vehemently agree that what is written > > in David's article is very correct and it is an issue that should be > > raised. But I am failing to find what is wrong if the National Commitee > > distances itself from that article because it is not its statement and it > > seems as if it was not informed before it release. As the discipline > > members of the organisation we all know that every matters should be > > discussed in our organisational gatherings and through secritaries they > > can be voice out to public by any means. > > > Hic Rhodus, hic > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > South Africa's premier free email service -www.webmail.co.za > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > For super low premiums, click herehttp://home.webmail.co.za/dd.pwm > > > -- > > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > > this message. > > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > >http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forumfor different delivery > > options, pages, files and membership. > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . > > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. 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This footer can help you. > > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > > this message. > > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > >http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forumfor different delivery > > options, pages, files and membership. > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . > > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > -- > > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > > this message. > > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > >http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forumfor different delivery > > options, pages, files and membership. > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . > > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > -- > "It is our aspiration and our aim that everyone should become socially > conscious and effective; but to achieve this end, it is necessary to > provide all with the means of life and for development".- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
