Nationalisation ‘not promoted in the Charter’

THE idea of nationalisation, which the ANC Youth League is championing, only focused on one sentence of the Freedom Charter, the Free Market Foundation said yesterday. 12 December 2012 | NGWAKO MODJADJI Addressing the media in Johannesburg, foundation executive director Leon Louw said the Freedom Charter does not promote the nationalisation of mines or banks. “In the ’60s the Freedom Charter was regarded as a sellout to capitalists. It was regarded as a right-wing, conservative, liberal document. I was fascinated at how this document, which has not had a single punctuation mark changed, is now regarded as socialist and for nationalisation. The ANC leaders who drafted the document admitted it was not a socialist document,” he said. He said the ANC avoided the word “nationalisation”, because that was not what it wanted. “If it wanted it, it would have said so. Since it was the policy of the National Party, it is much more likely that the ANC took the view that it didn’t want what the Nats wanted,” Louw said. He said the Freedom Charter was consistent with the principles of a free market. – ngwakom@citizen.co.za Kathrada in plea to leaders CALL TO HONOUR THE CONSTITUTION. Struggle veteran ...show more IMAGE 1 of 1 Wits Chancellor Judge Dikgang Moseneke said: ‘The ultimate goal is to serve humanity at large in this developing country.’ 12 December 2012 | CITIZEN REPORTER STRUGGLE icon Ahmed Kathrada yesterday urged government leaders to uphold the Constitution. Kathrada, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of the Witwatersrand, said it was disturbing there had been hints at curbing the powers of courts, which included the Constitutional Court. “Since its establishment, the Court has jealously guarded the Constitution without fear or favour. Some of its judgments have been criticised by individuals in government and the ruling party,” he said. Kathrada paid tribute to former chief justice, Arthur Chaskalson who, with other lawyers, had made their views known about perceived threats to the independence of the judiciary, especially on the Constitutional Court. In response to what Chaskalson fought for, Kathrada said he hoped those in power would uphold the late chief justice’s legacy. The Citizen - - COMMENTS BY SONNY - - - Which part of "freedom for all" DID THE anc MISS?