In short, the policy o f apartheid has turned out to be as barren,
negative and retrogressive as the A fric an people predicted it
would be.
The A frican people have, at no time, been taken in by
the promise o f "something better" or "something p o s itiv e "
to come.
On the other hand, amomg the Europeans even outside Government
c ircles we find persons who use specious and p lau sib le argument
suggesting pospible opportunities and b e n e fit s under apartheid, in
order to dupe the innocent and unsuspecting African to swallow the
b itte r p i l l of apartheid.
W hile we lik e a l l other races have a few
opportunists, self-seekers and traito rs who w ill se ll out for a mess
o f potage, it must be made clear that real Africans are uncompromisin­
gly opposed to the policy of apartheid and a ll that i t im plies.
EFFECT OF APARTHEID;
The p o licy of apartheid has had d iffe re n t
nt sections of our people,
effe c ts on d i ffe r e ­
a few have been so cowed by the naked
b rutality of measures taken or threatened by the Government tfratthey
have decided to withdraw from the struggle
for l ib e r a t io n .
Others,
who formerly were vociferous i n th e ir denunciation o f the Government
Native policy in the country have e ith e r gone under ground or have
found a new means of escape by turning their criticism s towards their
leaders and organisations and making them scape—goats instead of
playing th eir parte in the stru gg le.
Others are deluded by the vain
hope of foreign intervention and seem prepared micaber-1 ike to wait
for something, not done by them selves,
perharps,
to turn up.
These are
natural fir s t reactions on the part of a voteless and
defenceless people when faced by c r it ic a l
conditions such as those
confronting the Africans in South Africa to-day.
B u t,
thank heavens,
these firs t reactions must, in time, be followed by 6u llen n e ss,
determination and the sp irit
to dare or to d ie .
Even now, this
p o lic y has put iron in the hearts of most Africans and a clear v is io n
of the course to be followed in the minds of those who r e a lis e that
Africans must liv e or die here - those who believe that the cause
o f the African in South Afric a must triumph because it is right and
just.
It is our duty to remind * a l l
sections of our people that
there can be no escape from the struggle.
people
The mere fact that our
A
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-
3
-
•
are deprived by a superior force oX—their legimate and b irth —rights
does not mean that they are not e n title d
to those rig h ts .
There
must be no surrender or y e ild in g in the determ ination of the people
to achieve National freedom in South A f r ic a ,
their father land.
The A frican National Congress has, since its
for the bu ild in g o f a free
inception , stood
A frican Nation and nothing that has happened
w ill divert its attention from this o b je c t iv e .
The attainment o f th is
objective demands great s a c r if ic e s of tim e, energy, means and l i f e
itself.
It calls for loyalty and devotion to the cause o f fu ll freedom
for a ll men in South A fr ic a .
It
calls upon a l l Africans to be united
and loyal to a well-organised National Association ,
the African
National Congress for the defence of th e ir rights and for promotion of
self- help, in a ll aspects o f our l i f e ,
instead of a fr u itle ss dependence
upon external guidance and lea d ersh ip .
Friends can help but no freedom
is possible unless the people themselves men, women and ch ild ren , make
their own contriDution to th* stru g g le ,
however, sm all.
Every true
A frican must make some personal contribution to the stru gg le.
Uninformed criticism s of one another and competions
leadership instead of co-operation,
for
help those who would keep us down
and hold back the advancement of our people.
Destructive Criticism s
are no signs o f either d ig n ity or i n t e l l ig e n c e .
They are the pastime
of the irresp o nsible with nothing p ra c tic a l to o ffe r .
I charge you to stop t e llin g the World what your l^ad^rs have
not done.
Stop c r it ic is in g others.
whoever you are.
Do something y o u r s e lf.
There is plenty to be done where you are.
a local leader as a stepping-stone to b etter th in g s.
I m**an you
Become
And, above a ll
as your practical contribution in the National stru g g le , build a
strong Branch of the African National Congress in your area to attend
to lo cal problems.
There is plenty o f scope for you there.
The time
and the situ a tio n demands of a ll us inc lud ing you, to show a s p irit
of courage and determ ination,
to talk less and work harder,
that the name of South Africa through right and ju s t ic e
atta in a high place of
to the end
for a l l might
honour, dignity and respect in the Councils of
Nations.
Way I / . . .
May I ,
i n conclusion, emphasize that in our struggle let
be quite clear that we are not fighting Europeans as such.
not fighting any p a r tic u la r party or Government,
as
We are
What we are fighting
is the wicked policy of ra c ia l descrim ination and colour dom iniation.
We reject the theory of white supremacy s i n c e , in p r a c t ic e ,
it 14
synonymous with oppression of non-whites by the w hites.
I urge you th erefo re, in the words of a graat American:
"W ith malice Towards None,
With Charity For A l l ,
And With Firmness In The R ig h t,
Let Us Fight On And F inish The 'A'ork We Are On " .
Remember ttiat people who do not want to make s a c r ific e s
freedom do not deserve i t .
w illin g to pay the fee.
for
Freedom is dear but purchable i f we are
Talking alone w il l never w in us freedom
but deeds of lo y a lty , valour and d e d ic a tio n to the cause w ill win
the struggle.
a .b
. xuma.
PRE8IDENT-GFNERAL,AFRICAN NATIONAL
CONGRESS.
Collection Number: AD843
XUMA, A.B., Papers
PUBLISHER:
Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive
Location:- Johannesburg
©2013
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