Chikane lambasts SA for not priotising the needs of the people

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Nearly 30 years since South Africa achieved democracy, former United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Rev. Frank Chikane says the country has created a system that doesn’t deal with the needs of the people.

The former UDF leader was speaking to SABC News as this year marks four decades since the establishment of the anti-apartheid body.

Next month, all those who were instrumental in its formation and operation, will come together to commemorate and reflect on the progress made.

Chikane, elaborating on the challenges that remain in SA’s democracy, says, “We lost that cohesion, the unity against the apartheid system and created a system that’s conflictual and doesn’t spend time dealing with the needs of the people, but spends more time about how I win against others. And think what we need in South Africa is a national perspective that says I may differ with you, but when it comes to ending this pain of the people, the sewer in the street, we need to agree.”

40 years since establishment of the United Democratic Front:

Chikane says the liberation heroes who died in the early stages of the country’s democracy, died celebrating, unlike the ones who are still alive now.

Chikane’s remarks come during the year which marks 4 decades since the establishment of the anti-apartheid body. Next month, all those who were instrumental in its formation and operation, will come together to commemorate and reflect on the progress made.

Chikane says that those who were instrumental in the UDF’s formation and operation, that he spoke to in recent years, felt aggrieved.

“Those who died before 2010/2012, are better where they are, because they died celebrating. Those who died after, I have talked to many of them; Sister Bennet , Archbishop Desmond Tutu, etc. Everybody I talked to, Albert Nolan, who passed away last year, all of them were aggrieved that we made such sacrifices and this is what has happened.”