An Open Letter From Gayton McKenzie To Kenny Kunene For the Love of the ANC. Everyone who read Kenny’s letter and familiar with our friendship has been pestering me for a response or an opinion on it, the more so because he made mention of me being an ANC member for life. I don't agree with Kenny's assertion that Zuma is a tyrant, nor do I agree with the equally offensive monster tag. I also think it was deeply disrespectful of him to address the president as such. I was probably angrier than the President himself after reading the letter. So believe me if I say I was shocked to read that, but not as shocked as I was when looking at how my organisation responded to Kenny. All kinds of statements was released. Both the Secretary-Gener al, Gwede Mantashe, and spokesperson Jackson Mthembu appeared on various radio stations, released two statements, and those statements contained threats and insults. Kenny didn’t write that letter naively thinking that there will be no consequences. I respect his courage, I however don’t agree with his tone, I most certainly don’t agree with the manner in which he went about publishing the letter. No official response from any quarter has yet contained any reaction to the very real and concerning issues that Kenny raised, top of which is Nkandla, with its Astroturf and private clinic, and the Guptas. Kenny's letter may have humiliated the president, but the responses to his letter by the ANC have humiliated every person who truly loves the ANC. Whatever you may think of Kenny, whatever you can say about him to discredit him as a person, it’s always cheap to play the man and not the ball. We attack Kenny the person because we have no idea how to refute his words. Kenny's unanswered letter still stands as a giant elephant in the room. It gives us a chance to ask the honest questions and make the difficult submissions or confessions. We need to admit that many things around the Nkandla project are an embarrassment. Facts around the Guptas and their operations are equally worrying. Hurling insults at Kenny or the media will not make Nkandla disappear. We need to ask why we are bleeding members to the DA. They took Cape Town, and even took Kliptown , a very historic place in our struggle. The coloured voters in Cape Town punished our arrogance. Instead of addressing and listening to their concerns, we insulted them daily. I remember Blackman Ngoro saying that coloureds are a group of drunks. Insults don’t fix the problems. They don’t make the ANC better. By not giving adequate or satisfactory answers we are once again insulting the people. Have we not learnt? The people are angry and impatient with the change we promised. We are in danger of losing Gauteng. How many more blue T-shirts do we still want to see in townships before we wake up? If we believe we did nothing wrong in Nkandla and think every point that Kenny has raised is without merit, then by all means let's have the courage of our convictions and say that. Let's take our cue from the people and not from the benefactors of our largesse, because many people agree with Kenny and the ANC ignores his criticism at our peril. The letter has grown beyond Kenny Kunene the man. We need a more media savvy ANC, not an anti- media ANC. We need to move from an always- reactionary position. We need to become an ANC that the born frees are proud to be associated with. The ANC is full of heroes; the ANC is a glorious movement. We also have in our midst traitors who defend the indefensible, who would just as easily move on to the next governing party when we lose power. They are recognisable by their refusal to speak up in an organisation that was built on different views and vigorous debates. Lastly, in the name of Albert Luthuli, Charlotte Maxexe, Thomas Nkobi, Solomon Mahlangu and all who died for our freedom, can we please rid ourselves of the Gupta family? Lately it has become very hard to mention the ANC without this arrogant family coming up in the same breath. The ANC has brought dignity to all of us, black and white alike, the ANC cannot reverse centuries of slavery in twenty years. The ANC is really much more than the wrongs that we read about daily. It is the duty of the press to bring out our wrongs, it's our duty to show the world our achievements. Can we start having a honest conversation amongst us, we are on a losing path, let's do some introspection. There are many traitors advocating strong illegal action against Kenny, he will fall on his sword. I love the ANC but I love Kenny more. I will never be a spectator in his battle. I will die alongside him if that’s what it takes. I am not a politician, I am just a man that has dedicated his life to speak to and inspire the youth of this country, through my books and my school talks, this is my devotion. 23 minutes ago
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