The fruits of the ANC liberation have left a bitter taste for some

Drawing on the long history of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and its founding principles of fighting racial oppression, Maharaj sketched a history going deep into the colonial conquest of Natal and the dispossession of the African people to demonstrate that the vestiges of inequality still plague society.

The event’s main theme was that the NIC, which was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1894, played a pivotal role in the fight for the rights of Indian indentured workers and merchants under colonial rule. Its significance, however, went beyond addressing the struggles of the Indian community. It was instrumental in fostering a vision of non-racial solidarity.

Maharaj’s remark – “Forging a nation in which our diversities are an asset is a formidable undertaking when we bear in mind that the poison of racism was nurtured in our country over a period of more than three and a half centuries” – captured both the historical depth of racial divisions and the continuing challenge of overcoming them.

The reference to the “poison of racism” alluded to the systemic racism that was not only practised but institutionalised, permeating every aspect of social, political and economic life. Maharaj’s reflection acknowledged the structural inequalities and divisions that continue to dog the country, despite the defeat of apartheid rule in 1994.

The challenge, he emphasised, is how to transform these entrenched divisions into a unified national identity that embraces the richness of South Africa’s potential.

Maharaj’s address also served as a call to action to the audience of long-time activists of the ANC, the NIC and the United Democratic Front. He stressed the long history of non-racialism in South Africa’s liberation movement as a means of revitalising the ANC and addressing contemporary issues of corruption, factionalism and declining public trust.

He reminded the audience that the founding principles of the ANC, much like the NIC, were rooted in a vision of an equitable and just society. He cited, among others, his former cellmate on Robben Island, Walter Sisulu, who championed the idea that freedom could only be achieved if all South Africans – black, white, Indian and coloured – were part of the fight and shared in the fruits of liberation.

Maharaj’s plea for the ANC to return to these principles might have fallen on cynical ears. In recent years, the ANC has faced significant internal challenges as corruption scandals and political infighting undermined its credibility and forced it to cede power to a government of national unity.

Maharaj’s clarion call was that, by reconnecting with its core values of unity and inclusiveness, the party could once again position itself as a moral and political leader capable of addressing the nation’s most pressing problems, and reassert its dominance.

Central to his argument was that South Africa’s 1996 Constitution offers a blueprint for building a nation that transcends its divided past. But the Constitution, in which Maharaj played a key part in the multiparty negotiations, was the product of compromise and political accommodation.

Implicit in his argument was that the Constitution alone cannot bring about change and required active engagement from the government and civil society to bring its principles to life. This last remark must have left a bitter taste for a populace increasingly disillusioned that the liberation struggle has resulted in fruits plucked by only a few. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.