By Wendy Dondolo
The Umkhonto weSizwe Party Youth League (MKPYL) has condemned what it refers to as a "sacrilegious pact" between the African National Congress, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The MKPYL as the youth wing of the MKP, expressed grave concerns over the political alignment, which they claim undermines the legacy of South Africa’s fight against apartheid.
This weekend, the Government of National Unity finally took shape as Ramaphosa announced his Cabinet. The GNU Cabinet consists of ministers and deputy ministers from the ANC, DA, IFP, PA, PAC, FF+, Good and Al-Jama-ah.
The GNU Cabinet has been widely welcomed by many sectors in society, but the MKP youth are happy about the alignment.
"The recent agreement between Ramaphosa's ANC and the DA is nothing short of a betrayal of the democratic ethos our country has fought so hard to establish," said Nkateko Mkhabela, MKPYL spokesperson.
"This coalition desecrates the memory of our fallen heroes and jeopardises the progress we have made towards a truly dignified and free society," he said.
According to the statement, the MKPYL is particularly incensed by the perceived disregard for the sacrifices made by anti-apartheid martyrs, invoking the names of Solomon Mahlangu, Hector Pieterson, and others as symbols of the resistance against apartheid.
The MKPYL said the ANC and DA alliance risked resurrecting an oppressive past, with economic and social implications that could be detrimental to the future of South African youth.
"We will not stand idly by as our history of resilience and resistance is threatened by political greed," Mkhabela added.
"We call upon all young South Africans to join us in this fight, to ensure our forebears' sacrifices were not in vain."
IOL