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PRESS RELEASE: THE “VOTE NO” CAMPAIGN

There is a clear distinction between a “no vote” and a “vote no”  call. The former is a categorical  “NO” to casting your  vote while the latter is calling on the electorate to vote “NO” on matters directly affecting them.

It is this essential message proclaimed by former ministers Ronnie Kasrils and Madlala- Routledge which is being relegated and misrepresented.

This message, quite simply, is to ” vote no” to corruption, poor service delivery, poor health care, high crime rate, uncontrolled abuse of women, children and the elderly  and the arrogance of power that is now becoming endemic within the ruling party.

These formidable struggle loyalists and advocates are being maligned by friends and foe alike. Their immense sacrifices that gave us our freedom is discarded and disparaged by some unfairly reaping, and raping, the resources of our country.

After decades of enduring the venom of close family, community and friends for the principles of justice and equality, and now being criticized and chastised by those abusing their powers at the expense of the poor, is a betrayal of the trust that ordinary people have placed in the ANC.

The plea that Kasrils and Madlala-Routledge make is most courageous. It is very easy to silently watch the rape of the countries’ resources for the benefit of the elite. As Kasrils stated in his SABC debate with Dr Essop Pahad, there has been no effective visible  move to try and change the rot that has set in the ANC for the last 5 years.

Would those who made the supreme sacrifice to enable us to vote, have approved of the shenanigans of the liberation movement they supported? I think not.

The plea by Kasrils and Madlala-Rautledge  is to demonstrate to the ANC that the people have it in their power to curtail the rampant abuse by voting  “no”.

 

Ibrahim Vawda

Senior Researcher: Media Review Network

011 837 3220 (office hours)

072 295 0088 

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