Congress resister, Jul. 1985 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org/. Page 1 of 6 Alternative title Congress Resister Author/Creator Transvaal Indian Congress (Crown Mines) Publisher Transvaal Indian Congress (Crown Mines) Date 1985-07-00 Resource type Journals (Periodicals) Language Afrikaans, English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa Coverage (temporal) 1985 Source Digital Imaging South Africa (DISA) Rights By kind permission of the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC). Format extent 3 page(s) (length/size) Page 2 of 6 THESE FREEDOMS WE WILL FIGHT FOR...The TIC together with other progressiveagartisadone In the country are com-msmoradng Oft year-the 30th arvtiver-sary of the Freedom Charter. Over theyears the goverrxnent has tried to stMethe Freedom Charter begktnhp with themissive 1968 Treason Trial. But we sayto the goverrtrnerd as part of the oppes-sed people of this country that we will con-%s to fight for the heedoms within theFreedom Charter."THE PEOPLE SHALL GOVERN"This opening clause of the Freedom Char-ter aptly visualises the future of SouthAfrica enshrined in the Freedom (barter.It demands the transfer of political powerto ALL the people of S.A.-be they blackor white, workers, peasants, professionalsfit" vtdon of South Africa-free ofwhite minority rule and the Apartheid sWtent - that makes the Freedom Charterswii A'6psMM; Up tothis day for those who strive towards anon-racial and democratic S. Africa. It isthis vision too that scares the governmentof P.W. Botha, Rajbansi and Hendricksecausing them to ban us from celebratingthe 30th anniversary of the FreedomCharter.The Freedom Charter was adopted at theCongress of the People (COP) at Klip-town on June 26 1955. Over 7 000 obser-vers and 2 884 delegates from the lengthand breadth of this country attended thegathering, making the (barter the mostdemocratic document ever produced inthis country.But the most striking feature of the Char-ter was the period before the COP wherethe demands for the Freedom Charterwere being collected.In March 1954, 200 organisationsattended a planning conference where aNational Action Council composed ofCongress Alliance members was estab-lished. Its task was to popularise the COPand the Freedom Charter.Hundreds of mass meetings, rallies andhouse - meetings were held and intensivedoor-to-door canvassing was undertaken.Ordinary people listed their grievancesand demands to be incorporated into theCharter. These were written on sheetsfrom exercise books, on little dog-earedscraps of paper and at the back of COPleaflets. People from every town, farmand factory discussed the changes neededto usher in a free South Africa of thefuture.The (barter therefore is based on thewill of the people and is thereforeregarded as the People's document enjoy-ing widespread popularity today - 30years after it was formulated. AU the1~"r.e I.-- -.-wnclauses within the Charter envisages a soc-iety that is totally different from the pre-sent S. Africa.Examples are "The people shall govern" talks about ademocratic form of government. It says"all bodies of minority rule, advisoryboards, councils and authorities shall bereplaced by democratic organs of self-gov-ernment." Today this could be referring tothe tri-cameral parliament, the Bantus-tans and community councils as these per-petuate the apartheid system and areNOT representatives of the people of thiscountry. "The people shall share in the country'swealth" and "the land shall be sharedamongst those who work it" is a dearreference to a more equitable societywhere there is no vast imbalance betweenrich and poor. This also makes the Charteranti-capitalist because it declares "themineral wealth beneath the soil, the banksand the monopoly industries shall betransferred to the ownership of the peopleas a whole", and "all the land" will be "re-divided amongst those who work it, tobanish famine and land hunger." At pre-sent about 909'0 of this country's wealth isowned by the white minority. We there-fore have a situation where a largernumber of black people are landless,homeless, hungry and poor. "There shall be work and security",envisages a society where "the state shallrecognise the right and duty of all to work,and to draw full unemploymentbenefits." It furthermore recognises theright of workers to form trade unions anddeclares "men and women of all racesshall receive equal pay for equal work." InS. Africa today unemployment is increas-ing daily. Black people are still discrimi-nated against, in industries. TradeUnionists like 'Ibozamile Gqweta areharassed, detained and charged fortreason. All this makes this clause abeacon of hope for those most oppressedand exploited by the apartheid regime. To the people in Duduza, Vaal,Kwa-Thema, Uitenhage, Soweto, Crossroadsand other townships where they are battl-ing against insufficient housing, poor liv-ing conditions and high rents the clauseheaded "them shall be houses, securityand comfort" speaks of a society to whichthey (and we) aspire for. It says "all thepeople shall have the right to live wherethey choose, to be decently housed ... rentand prices shall be lowered ... slums shallbe demolished and new suburbs builtwhere all shall have transport, roads,lighting, playing fields, creches and socialcentres ..." All these necessities are recog-nised as the responsibilities of the State. At present the Apartheid regime is atwar with the people of Namibia andAngola. It has recently invaded Bots-wana. It is also at war with the people of S.Africa itself. The SADF is used intownships to quell the unrests there. TheFreedom Charter in the clause titled"there shall be peace and friendship"states that "S. Africa shall be a fully inde-pendant state, which respects the rightsand sovereignity of all nations" and "shallstrive to maintain world peace and settle-ment of all international disputes bynegotiation, not war." The other clauses: "All national groupsshall have equal rights ", "All shall beequal before the law", "All shall enjoyhuman rights", "the doors of learning andculture shall be open" can all similarly bedemonstrated to be of equal importancetoday as when they were drafted 30 yearsago.The Charter therefore is a clear call tothe action for unity and is a fine statementof re-dedication by all freedom lovingpeople to realise a democratic society ofthe future.Hence the preamble states"And we pledge to strive together, sparingniether our strenght nor courage, until thedemands ( here set out ) have been won".At the same time the Charter is a life-longcommitment to the struggle by all whohave accepted the (barter for it concludesby saying : "These freedoms we will fightfor, sideby side, throughout our lives untilwe have won our liberty." Page 3 of 6 Professor Z.K. Matthews raised the idea of a document whichrepresented the peoples' vision of our future South Africa.Let us speak of the rich foods we grow, and the lawsthat keep us poor. Let us speak of harsh treatmentand of children and women forced to work. Let usspeak of private prisons, and beatings of passes.Stta~LET US SPEAK OF FREEDOM.Volunteers collect the demands of the people.F4lfcit~voriForLet us speak of the good things we make and themom, Equat P~ bad conditions of our worklet us speak of themany passes and the few jobs. Let us speak of fore-men and transport and of trade unions; of holidaysand of houses. LET US SPEAK OF FREEDOM.V- Yeedvco,1 ionThe people respond to the "Call to Freedom Document"which asked them to state their demands - at theCongress of the People.A view of one of the proceedings at the Congress of the People.The Congress of the people was held inKliptown in 1955 to draw up the FreedomCharter to express the desires of theoppressed people of South Africa.Delegates from every corner of ourcountry came together to speak of thehardships of their communities and toSPEAK OF FREEDOM. This documenttoday still represents a beacon of hopein our struggle for freedom and liberation.Let us speak ot the wide land, and the narrow stripson which we toil. Let us speak of brothers withoutland, and of the children without schooling. Let usspeak of taxes and of cattle, and of famine. LET USSPEAK OF FREEDOMLet us speak of the dark shafts, and the cold com-pounds far from our families. Let us speak of heavylabour and long hours, and of men sent home todie. Let us speak of rich masters and poor wages.LET US SPEAK OF FREEDOM.The "Call to Freedom" documenturleaders chargedfortreasonforpartthey were all acquitted.Indian women at the Congress of the People- ledby Dr Dadoo's aged mother.Dadoo's mother receives the prestigious Isitwalandwe award onbehalf of her banned son at the Congress of The People.This Is the highest honour bestowed upon any South African bythe oppressed people of South Africa.Recipients of the Isitwalandwe awards - Dr Yusuf Dadoo,Chief Albert Luthull and Father Trevor HuddlestoneHUMBE1956Let us speak of the light that comes with learning,and the ways we are kept in darkness.