Durban - Former Prasa chief executive officer, Lucky Montana has pleaded with long-serving former ANC member Carl Niehaus to return to the party.
Montana says last week’s decision by Niehaus shocked him, as the latter is a hero of the liberation struggle.
Last week Niehaus shocked many of his supporters when he abandoned his appeal against his expulsion from the ANC and decided to call it quits after being with the party for 43 years.
But Montana believes Niehaus still has a role to play in the ANC and the country.
“He has become the face of a grassroots movement yearning for real and meaningful change in our country and the world.
“He continues to speak out against injustice irrespective of who is the perpetrator and on all issues affecting the daily lives of ordinary people in our country.
“Mpangazitha (Carl) had demonstrated in word and action that he is rock solid and an example of why we should sacrifice our souls only for social justice and true freedom.
“Unfortunately, these calls had over the years fallen on deaf ears. Attempts to denigrate Cde Carl and reduce his contribution to that of a ‘fanatic’ or ‘left-wing extremist’, will simply not succeed,” Montana said.
In the end, he said Niehaus must come back to the ANC.
“I fully agree with Mpangazitha that an ANC pursuing radical socio-economic transformation is the only hope for the people.
“I know I speak on behalf of many committed revolutionaries, we call on Comrade Carl Niehaus to return to his home, the ANC,” Montana pleaded with Niehaus.
In an open letter on Wednesday, Niehaus said no, he is not going back to the ANC and his decision was well thought out.
“Let’s be clear, each one of us joined the ANC voluntarily as individuals, and it follows that it is for each one of us, on the basis of our own voluntary conscience, to leave the ANC when one feels that it is no longer the embodiment (expression) of the ideals that led one in the first place to join.
“As I have stated in my earlier media statement: For me to remain any longer in the ANC will be the total, ultimate, betrayal of my lifelong participation in the liberation struggle, and all the liberation ideals that I have dedicated my whole life to,” he said.
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