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The
officials of the ANC held their normal weekly meeting held yesterday at the
President's residence - Mahlambandlopfu. The officials decided that, in view
of the environment currently prevailing in our country, all our structures
must restrain themselves. The structures have been asked not to engage in
any public debate on the death of Mr Eugene TerreBlanche and leave whatever
matters that need the attention of the ANC in this regard to the
headquarters of our movement. The structures were also asked by the
officials to be circumspect in singing liberation songs that have words that
can be seen and be interpreted to be contributing to racial polarisation of
society.

Our appeal to our members is informed by the fact that we have a
responsibility of ensuring that they are not used as a scapegoat for other
agendas.

The call by the officials regarding our liberation songs does not
amount to banning any of the songs, including the song that is hotly debated
currently. The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC will at its
next meeting on 14 - 16 May 2010, debate and decide on an appropriate
political approach in dealing with the questions raised around some of our
songs. The political approach should, amongst others, also be inclusive of
the recognition by all of us that such songs are part of our history and
heritage.

It is a considered view of our officials that such a restraint
as called upon will help our society see through the disguised attempts by
the right wing groups that seek to reverse the transformation progress made
since 1994. The ANC has up to this point in not raised the questions around
the involvement of a 15-year-old farm labourer in the brutal killing of Mr
TerreBlanche.
We have also not questioned the drive by some sections of the
media to ignore the fact that conflict around non-payment of wages cannot be
elevated a singing of a song. We find it very unfortunate that some sections
of the media together with some political commentators have decided to
politicize a purely criminal matter with regard to the killing of Mr
TerreBlanche.

Equally important is the lack of reporting and equal
sensation around the shooting and killing of a black hunter by a farmer who
is currently out on bail of R5000. We are also dismayed by the little
coverage of the brutal assault of seven farm workers by a farmer in the
North West. We question the objectivity and the motive that drive certain
elements of our media on these matters.

The ANC officials also used their
meeting to congratulate our police for acting with speed in arresting the
suspects in all these instances, including the arrest of those allegedly
responsible for the killing of Mr TerreBlanche, as well as the farmer
responsible for brutally assaulting his workers.