Forgive South Africans for they know not what they do, By Ahmed Aminu-Ramatu Yusuf

The author expresses a strong critique of the African National Congress (ANC) government in South Africa, arguing it has tolerated leaders who inflict harm on fellow Black citizens. The piece questions the ANC's leniency towards figures like Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Andile Somgxada, Sandile Dube, who are described as "self-haters" causing pain and violence within the Black community.

The article posits that the ANC's response would differ significantly if such actions were directed at powerful White capitalist entities. It draws a parallel to past events, such as the 2012 Marikana massacre where 34 striking miners were killed, and the 2025 Stilfontein incident where 78 illegal miners died after rescue operations were allegedly delayed. The author implies that the ANC's tolerance for internal conflict among Black individuals contrasts with a potential stronger stance against perceived external threats to White-owned businesses.

According to the author, the ANC's inaction stems from its "deradicalisation and bourgeoisification." This transformation is linked to historical events, including the assassination of Chris Hani, a prominent anti-apartheid leader, and the subsequent treatment of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The article suggests that Hani's murder by a far-right extremist, followed by the "measured blackmail, trials, humiliation and ‘disgrace’" of Madikizela-Mandela for her uncompromising stance against the ANC's perceived capitulation to White capital, marked a turning point.

Furthermore, the expulsion of Julius Malema, former ANC Youth Leader, in 2012 is presented as another instance of the party's shift away from radicalism. The author contends that Malema's expulsion was not for sowing division, but for openly challenging the ANC's compromising positions on national and foreign issues. This shift, the author argues, has led to the silencing of crucial socio-economic issues outlined in "The Freedom Charter," resulting in persistent mass poverty and unemployment for Black South Africans.