The African National Congress (ANC) remembered Joe Slovo thirty years since his passing, Slovo’s revolutionary journey, intertwined with the history of the ANC and its allies, stands as an embodiment of the principles that have guided the struggle for freedom.
Slovo, a committed Marxist-Leninist, leader of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), represented the unbreakable unity of theory and action within South African government.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said Slovo was firm in strategy and action.
“The mission to which he dedicated his life is not yet complete, that we must concede, it is however our shared responsibility as the liberation movement but more particularly as the alliance as well as the broader democratic movement and also as people of South Africa to complete the work that Joe Slovo started and left unfinished. It is our responsibility as the alliance to pick up the spear where it has fallen,” he said.
Whether in the drafting of the Freedom Charter, his essays like “South Africa: No Middle Road”, or his leadership in the armed struggle, Slovo provided clarity and vision during some of the most turbulent chapters in the country’s history.
As the first Minister of Housing, he carried forward his vision of “Housing, Security, and Comfort” for all South Africans, embodying the ANC’s historic commitment to uplift the poor and restore dignity to the most vulnerable.
The commemoration of Slovo’s life coincides with the 113th anniversary of the ANC, reminding us that renewal, discipline, and ideological clarity are central to our mission.
“Communities still burdened by the scars of the past, such as Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Bonteheuwel, are a call to action for us to complete the tasks he so valiantly pursued. In this era of ANC renewal, we look to the example of Slovo to guide our movement’s rejuvenation. Renewal is not only about internal reorganization but a recommitment to serve our people with integrity, humility, and results.
“His legacy challenges us to resist factionalism, fight corruption, and place the interests of the people above all else.Comrade Slovo’s internationalism reminds us that the ANC’s struggle is part of a broader movement against global exploitation and imperialism. His solidarity with oppressed peoples worldwide remains an enduring lesson on the importance of unity among progressive forces in achieving a just world,” read a statement issued by the ANC.