"RED" Ronnie Kasrils has never lacked courage, however questionable his judgment may have been at times. He was one of the leaders of the popular revolt against Oupa Gqozo in the Ciskei, which led directly to the collapse of the homeland’s administration and hastened its reincorporation into South Africa as the apartheid system imploded.
The march Mr Kasrils led on Bhisho on September 7 1992, and especially the decision to break out of the stadium and storm the well-guarded administrative buildings, was an example of that lack of judgment. The result was entirely predictable — 28 African National Congress (ANC) supporters and one Ciskei soldier dead — a tragedy known as the Bhisho Massacre.
There was no justification for the use of live ammunition to stop unarmed marchers on that day, especially since the writing was already on the wall for Ciskei and its tinpot dictator. But the fact that the soldiers were armed and under orders to shoot to kill to defend the "sovereignty" of a state only the apartheid government recognised was common knowledge. Any confrontation was bound to be lethal.
Yet Mr Kasrils was on the right side of history, and so never had to answer for his hot-headed call. Only time will tell whether he is still on the right side of history now that he has taken the plunge and come out against President Jacob Zuma’s ANC, which he is urging South Africans to snub on May 7.
He is not alone in growing disillusioned with the direction the party has taken under Mr Zuma — a number of once-senior ANC and government officials, including Business Day columnist and ANC national executive committee member Pallo Jordan, outgoing Planning Minister Trevor Manuel and former home affairs director-general Mavuso Msimang, have been openly critical recently, especially in the wake of the Nkandla scandal.
But Mr Kasrils’ call for voters to spoil their ballots rather than vote for the ANC has raised eyebrows, even though he and other high-profile supporters of the campaign fell out with Mr Zuma some time ago and no longer enjoy much credibility or influence either within the party or among the voting public.
That is one of the downsides of rashness — it makes it easier for former friends to undermine your credibility when you are no longer on the same side of the barricade.
Former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils. Picture: SUNDAY TIMES
"RED" Ronnie Kasrils has never lacked courage, however questionable his judgment may have been at times. He was one of the leaders of the popular revolt against Oupa Gqozo in the Ciskei, which led directly to the collapse of the homeland’s administration and hastened its reincorporation into South Africa as the apartheid system imploded.
The march Mr Kasrils led on Bhisho on September 7 1992, and especially the decision to break out of the stadium and storm the well-guarded administrative buildings, was an example of that lack of judgment. The result was entirely predictable — 28 African National Congress (ANC) supporters and one Ciskei soldier dead — a tragedy known as the Bhisho Massacre.
There was no justification for the use of live ammunition to stop unarmed marchers on that day, especially since the writing was already on the wall for Ciskei and its tinpot dictator. But the fact that the soldiers were armed and under orders to shoot to kill to defend the "sovereignty" of a state only the apartheid government recognised was common knowledge. Any confrontation was bound to be lethal.
Yet Mr Kasrils was on the right side of history, and so never had to answer for his hot-headed call. Only time will tell whether he is still on the right side of history now that he has taken the plunge and come out against President Jacob Zuma’s ANC, which he is urging South Africans to snub on May 7.
He is not alone in growing disillusioned with the direction the party has taken under Mr Zuma — a number of once-senior ANC and government officials, including Business Day columnist and ANC national executive committee member Pallo Jordan, outgoing Planning Minister Trevor Manuel and former home affairs director-general Mavuso Msimang, have been openly critical recently, especially in the wake of the Nkandla scandal.
But Mr Kasrils’ call for voters to spoil their ballots rather than vote for the ANC has raised eyebrows, even though he and other high-profile supporters of the campaign fell out with Mr Zuma some time ago and no longer enjoy much credibility or influence either within the party or among the voting public.
That is one of the downsides of rashness — it makes it easier for former friends to undermine your credibility when you are no longer on the same side of the barricade.
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