Days of Commitment Long Walk Original Manuscript (Image #77)

striking power to he political activities of the oppressed people. The ANC arose in a totally different climate. In 1910 the area over which the wars were fought ws united under one central government, a development which put a new dimension to the aspirations of all population groups in the country, demanding more ambitious programmes and larger organisations. In this new atmosphere African leaders no longer wished to champion the cause of separate and small ethnic states which existed when the whites came and whose independence our ancestors had sought to defend. Now the central task was to unite Africans for common action under one country wide body fighting for their political rights in a united South Africa. The ANC was founded with this aim in mind. Its constitution expressly denounced racialism and tribal feuds and demanded the participation of Africans in the building of a national policy acceptable to all sections of the population. The other political organisations that were established after 1912 were the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) in 1920. `the South African Indian Congress (SAIC) also in 1920, the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) in 1921, the Non European Unity Movement (NEUM) in 1943, the African Democratic Party in 1943, the Coloured People's Organisation (later changed to Coloured People's Congress CPC) in 1953, the Congress of Democrats (COD) in 1953, the Liberal Party also in 1953, the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) in 1959. They differ on questions of principle and tactics and have wasted valuable time and resources in fighting amongst themselves. But they have all at one time or another, formed part of the country's liberation movement and have served as the vehicle through which the people of South Africa have over the