Writing in the African National Congress' online publication, ANC Today, he said, at the same time, it took another decision that was by no means inevitable, and that could not but be described as courageous and far-sighted.
"It recommended that its members and supporters should join the ANC.
"Having accepted the inevitability and justice of a non-racial democracy, it took the logical step to encourage its members and supporters to join and support the oldest political formation in our country, which is even older than the National Party, that had for 92 years upheld and fought for the realisation of the vision of a democratic and non-racial South Africa," he said.
By doing so, it gave a new meaning to NP founder General JBM Hertzog's call – South Africa first. It made the statement that the party it led had to die, so that black and white could, together, play their part in building up the country's great future.
"It made the statement boldly and unequivocally – not the party first, not white interests first, but South Africa first!"
Mbeki said these developments might have taken the black majority by surprise, despite the fact that for many decades they had accepted the Afrikaners that the NP led were Africans like themselves.
"But they will not say they are amazed. They will say that, finally, these white Africans, whatever their numbers, have shed whatever remained that still tempted them to regard themselves as Europeans, and a European outpost in darkest Africa.
"Those who have not accepted this historical and historic outcome have already started their campaign to denigrate and belittle this result, as they were bound to, in their own interest.
"What would have best served their interests would have been for the leaders of the New National Party, as they laid to rest the ghost of a party whose time had passed, to recite a funeral oration proclaiming the fears they continue to harbour about the future of those they had represented and led," he said.
But, remarkably, Hertzog's political descendants had taken the decision that they would not be lemmings that "seem condemned to demonstrate magnificent but futile courage".
They had decided they would not engage in a useless and self-destructive exercise to defend as much of the past as they could, simply because they found it impossible to break with a "curious habit they acquired from their ancestors, thus burdening themselves with the destiny forever to remain the unfortunate descendants".
"But others have taken their place, who should learn that perhaps there is much virtue in not knowing when one is beaten, provided that the stubbornness is in a good cause.
"But, like lemmings, they demonstrate a kind of obstinacy that is utterly useless, because the historical setting has changed fundamentally and irrevocably," Mbeki said. – Sapa.
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