Comrades and compatriots,

The peoples of Africa,

The progressive forces of the world,

Fellow South Africans: 

We bring you warm revolutionary greetings and best wishes from the National Executive Committee for the New Year. 

We gather here in Moruleng, in the heartland of Moses Kotane Local Municipality, in the platinum province of the North West, to mark the historic milestone of the 114th anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress. 

On 8 January 1912, our founders and forebears convened an epoch-making conference at the Waaihoek Wesleyan Church in Mangaung. They established the ANC as a national movement to unite the African people, a weapon of struggle for the liberation of all the oppressed who had been robbed of their land and denied basic human rights. 

On this historic occasion we pay tribute to the warriors, founders and freedom fighters who made supreme sacrifices during the long journey to freedom and democracy. 

We focus particularly on those who emerged from our host province. 

We salute our warrior kings, queens and chiefs who opposed colonialism, apartheid and the Bantustan system: Kgosi Montshioa, Kgosi Sechele I, Kgosi Linchwe I, Kgosi Tidimane Pilane, Kgosi Ramotshere Moiloa, Kgosi Lebone Molotlegi, Kgosi Lekolwane Sebogodi and Kgosi Mabe. We urge present-day traditional leaders across the length and breadth of our country to emulate the example of service and loyalty to the people demonstrated by these outstanding royal patriots. 

We also pay tribute to the founders and builders of our movement who came from, or struggled in, this province from the 1800s through the 1980s. These include Sol Plaatje, the first Secretary-General of the ANC and editor of Koranta ea Becoana in Mafikeng; George Montshioa, the first Recording Secretary and one of the drafters of the ANC’s first Constitution; Moses Kotane, Treasurer-General of the ANC and SACP General Secretary; Dr Silas Modiri Molema, former Treasurer-General and National Secretary; Josephine Palmer Mpama, leading trade union organiser, leader of the SACP and the women’s movements; Ruth Mompati, former NEC member and founding member of the Federation of South African Women; Stephen Segale, former leader of the ANC Youth League and member of the Transvaal ANC Executive Committee; Victor Sefora, a fierce opponent of the Bophuthatswana Bantustan; JB Marks, Treasurer General of the South African Communist Party, President of the Transvaal ANC and NEC member; Job Tabane, also known as Cassius Maake, an NEC member assassinated by apartheid security forces; Edna Molewa, former NEC member, Premier and Cabinet Minister; Dr Sam Motsuenyane, a pioneer of black business and ANC veteran; Essop and Aziz Pahad, long-serving NEC members and Minister and Deputy Minister; Onkgopotse Tiro and Barney Molokoane, MK commander  of the June 16 Detachment, responsible for the SASOL sabotage. 

As we mark the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March, we honour and acknowledge the immense contribution of women to the national liberation struggle. In this province, we highlight the struggles of the rural women of Lehurutshe and surrounding villages, who mobilised and marched against the pass laws in 1957. Under the leadership of Gertrude Mpekwa, an outstanding organiser, and working alongside Mmamorongwa Keebine, Sina Mmadithobane Tsibogo, Mmabophene Sebogodi, Motlagomang Mokatlenyane, Borale Sekgabele and Tsantsarara Konyana, these women demonstrated extraordinary courage. Many of these leaders later joined uMkhonto weSizwe’s revered Luthuli Detachment. 

We also pay tribute to Kgosi Ramotshere Moiloa, a fearless opponent of apartheid. Kgosi Moiloa played a decisive role in radicalising communities around Lehurutshe in the 1950s during his battles with the apartheid regime under Hendrik Verwoerd. He was instrumental in turning Zeerust into a gateway and safe passage into exile through Botswana, supported by an underground network led by Fish Keitseng, Mogajane Ranto, Kwata Senne and Simon Senne. He recruited young people from Lehurutshe to join uMkhonto weSizwe in Tanzania. 

Full speech attached.