Monday, 28 January 2008

Activist rejects top SA award

28/01/2008 09:12 - (SA)

Wellington - A veteran New Zealand anti-apartheid campaigner has rejected a nomination for a prestigious South African award for foreigners, saying he is dismayed over conditions in the country, local media reported on Monday.

John Minto, nominated for a Companion of OR Tambo Award by a South African government official, asked for the nomination to be withdrawn, the Christchurch Press newspaper said.

"(South Africa) was the democratic country with so much hope and I think for so many people it's been the deepest of disappointments, and certainly it has been for me," Minto said.

"I'm just deeply dismayed at what's happened," he told the newspaper.

The Tambo award is the highest honour granted non-South Africans in recognition of friendship, co-operation and support.

Previous recipients include Mahatma Gandhi, Kofi Annan, Salvador Allende and Martin Luther King jnr.

A union organiser, Minto was national coordinator of the Halt All Racist Tours movement during the controversial 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand - when an all-white rugby team representing South Africa was strongly opposed by many New Zealanders.

Black South Africans worse off

In an open letter to South African President Thabo Mbeki, Minto blasted the African National Congress government which, he said, had left black South Africans "worse off than they were under (white) minority rule".

"When we protested and marched into police batons and barbed wire here in the struggle against apartheid, we were not fighting for a small black elite to become millionaires," Minto wrote.

"We were fighting for a better South Africa for all its citizens. The faces at the top have changed from white to black but the substance of change is an illusion," he noted.

2 comments:

ghst said...

read these post from news24:

Activist
28/01/2008 09:56
Good on him. - Gary

Non-White Tour?
28/01/2008 10:03
As far as I can remember Errol Tobias was included in the team and did us proud! He was an inspiration to a lot of people. I can only agree with the assumption that SA had so much to look forward to. Where are we heading, ESKOM, disbanding of the Scorpions - most successful anti-crime unit ever in SA's history? Will the SA government ever wake up? When we loose 2010? when more companies withdraw because of electricity supply? Mines laying off thousands? Outsiders are not stupid! - CJD

Activist rejects top SA award
28/01/2008 10:07
.......what a shame to SA? So very very true though! - Red

All Blacks vs All Blacks
28/01/2008 10:09
Whew!! I never thought it would come to this when some bloody Kiwi has cornered the market on statements that really get the message across. I feel the same as you do Minto except I dont mind people getting rich. However, giving everyone a fair shake is non-negotiable. Big-up to you mate. - Bokfan

Not surprising
28/01/2008 10:11
I could not agree more with Minto. What a dissappointment SA has become for ALL its citizens! - Big R

South Africa worst off
28/01/2008 10:11
At last the out side world is seeing what is really happening in South Africa! - Frits

NO TIME FOR SILENT ACCEPTANCE
28/01/2008 10:15
Its about time somebody had the courage to say what we all have been thinking and because it was not politically correct have not spoken out. We are sickend at the state of our land, it is indeed time to "CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY" - Rene Maffeis

Looking in
28/01/2008 10:16
Exactly what most of us have been saying! But I dare anybody on this forum to call that man a racist. The ideals for which the struggle was fought have been lost by individuals jockying for position in lucrative BEE deals. All the while the people have been forgotten and Apartheid enthroned as the makers of the black elite's success. - LJE

So true!!
28/01/2008 10:18
"When we protested and marched into police batons and barbed wire here in the struggle against apartheid, we were not fighting for a small black elite to become millionaires," Minto wrote." This is so TRUE!!!! - Silver_Surfer

Re-Activist rejects top SA award
28/01/2008 10:18
I hope the ANC is listening to what Minto is saying but I doubt that their fat cats can redistribute the wealth to the poor. SMUTS never joined the struggle to be poor but we black south african joined the struggle to liberate ourselves and now we are more poorer and oppressed than before. We are prisoners in our own homes, we play second fiddle to foreigners (Zimbos, Nigerians etc. Where is another BLACK Party we can join??? Rise up Blackmen and women and be heard like you did before. - Tomas

Well done china
28/01/2008 10:19
I am glad to see that there are still principled people not afraid to speak truth to power. - Sbu

Slowly the dreamers are waking
28/01/2008 10:20
What a pity that after ramming their misguided and hypocritical politics down our throats, they are sitting safely in their own countries and we are here in the dark, literally. ?I'm just deeply dismayed at what's happened? Bit of an understatement, but why doesn?t John Minto come over here and help fix the mess he and others like him helped create? What were you thinking John? - Ghost

ghst said...

For those who can see the trend...

sorry to say but South Africa is becoming more and more like the rest of the African countries. It should have been the other way around.