The exc essive use of struggle terms by the ANC in 2012 proves that the struggle against
the CSTs still remains c entral to the ANC's ideologic al armoury. They inc lude terms suc h as
'balanc e of forc es', 'revolution', 'disc iplined forc e', 'motive forc es' and 'battle'.
2.
Balance of forces
In terms of the ANC's c ontinued struggle and 'balanc e of forc es' mindset, the ANC has to
sway the balanc e of power as muc h in its favour as possible in order to suc c eed with the
NDR. The ANC therefore has to inc rease its own power and erode away the minority rights
of its so-c alled 'opponents', in other words the CSTs. This is being done in the following
ways:
The ANC strengthens own power base: The ANC's polic y doc uments expressly state that
the organisation is using its c adre deployment polic y to ensure ANC c ontrol over 'all c entres
of power'. As a result, the ANC has already suc c eeded in gaining c ontrol of most institutions
having signific ant authority. Where the ANC is unable to gain c ontrol, for example over the
independent media, it c onsiders adopting undemoc ratic methods and legislation to try and
c ontrol them.
Stripping minorities of their rights as a minority: The ANC is c urrently using various
strategies to undermine the position of minorities, who are regarded as opponents.
3. Stripping minorities of their rights as a minority
The ANC has, sinc e the end of former President Nelson Mandela's term of offic e, turned its
bac k on President Mandela's rec onc iliatory approac h and has systematic ally begun to strip
minorities of their minority rights in South Afric a. The following are examples of this:
3.1Paralysing the constitutional bodies that minorities may call upon for assistance
In terms of the Constitution of South Afric a various institutions were established that
were supposed to ensure that c itizens, but minorities in partic ular, would be
protec ted from any form -of- abuse -of .power-This -was= c onsidered essential -in
view-of -the- strong-power—base- of the majority. The ANC regards these bodies as
an impediment to the implementation of the NDR and has therefore tried to ensure
that the following bodies regulating the balanc e of power are c ompletely ineffec tual:
The Section 185 Commission: Provision for this c ommission for the protec tion and
promotion of the rights of c ultural, religious and language c ommunities was inc luded in the
Constitution (Sec tion 185) during the politic al transition at the insistenc e of minority parties.
However, in prac tic e the ANC made this c ommission inoperative by initially delaying its
establishment and thereafter by foc using the c ommission's aims on nation building, instead
of the protec tion of c ommunity rights.
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