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TEACH 'EM YOUNG: ANC secretary general, Gwede Mantashe teaches grade 12 pupils at Thuto Lesedi Secondary school in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, the history of South Africa from 1952 to 1994 during his 67 minutes dedicated to Mandela Day. PHOTO: VATHISWA RUSELO/SOWETAN

UNTOLD STORY: The 1976 student uprising leader Tsietsi Mashinini.

 The spirit of volunteering has died and it's sad for our country. I'm sure if I had to ask anyone of you to carry out a task you would want to be paid 

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The teacher? ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.

Pupils from Thuto Lesedi Secondary School in Vosloorus listened attentively as Mantashe relived South Africa's anti-colonial and anti-apartheid history from 1652 to 1994.

Mantashe arrived at 9am, an hour after schooling began - the time when his 67 minute lesson was due to begin as part of celebrating Nelson Mandela International Day yesterday.

Honouring the former statesman, Mantashe told pupils that Mandela had always worked within a collective.

"Mandela never worked as an individual. He always took decisions as part of a collective," he said.

Mantashe said this was not always the case with today's youth.

"The spirit of volunteering has died and it's sad for our country. I'm sure if I had to ask anyone of you to carry out a task you would want to be paid," he lamented.

The pupils agreed without hesitation.

Mantashe also told them about the history of the ANC and the South African Communist Party.

He said: "The unique thing about ANC secretary-generals, from (Walter) Sisulu to Mantashe, is that they were all communists.

"It's never been said. You don't talk about it. you whisper it but that is a topic for another day."

Asked why little was known about 1976 student activist Tsietsi Mashinini, Mantashe said: "When he went into exile he hoped to establish an organisation that was separate (from the liberation movement).

He didn't go into the ANC, so the ANC cannot tell his story.

"That was the most unfortunate thing about that young man - he disappeared."

Mashinini died in Conakry, Guinea, in 1990.

Mantashe also took a swipe at suggestions that apartheid's last president, FW de Klerk, unbanned liberation organisations and freed Mandela out of the goodness of his heart.

"We didn't get freedom as a favour from FW de Klerk. There was a mess and FW had to clean it up. Actually, in the National Party, he was one of the verkamptes (conservatives)."

De Klerk recently fended off criticism stemming from comments he made during an interview with CNN in which he seemed to defend the homeland system by saying: "They were not disenfranchised, they voted. They were not put in homelands, the homelands were historically there."

De Klerk later released a statement arguing that his statements were taken out of context. - molatlhwao@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sat May 25 22:37:54 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 19, 2012

Memme

Why do I get the feeling that Mantashe was canvassing for ANC at that school???
Anyway rea leboga for making a difference just for a day though.. It's better than nothing.
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Jul 19, 2012

lindsay

so Mantashe because Tsietsi didn't join the ANC then does that means he made no history, does that also means his name should be wiped out from the June 16 massacre because ANC always wants to take credit, were you there to teach history or canvass for the ANC?
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Jul 19, 2012

MommaC

Yip. Cause ONLY the ANC 'liberated' SA. Can't possibly admit that they had a relatively minor role back then. Maybe if they had actually been here instead of playing at being paid mercenaries all over the place, the history wouldn't need to be twisted
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Jul 19, 2012

lindsay

@Mantashe
why don't you ask your corrupt pals to volunteer their ministerial pecks of expensive cars to the public? while you are at it ask them to tone down on extravagant, lavish parties that they throw with taxpayers moola, that would be good sir.
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Jul 19, 2012

Mbedzhana

Jeeerr, all those kids are going to fail 100%.
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Jul 19, 2012

Shredder

Mantashe looks like he could make a good teacher. maybe he must just change his career and go for teaching.
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Jul 19, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Mara our SG if kaak lastag why do you have to advocate the Communist issue of SG's to the pupils was it necessary? You always want to give communist credit they do not deserve as SG of our movement you need to make sure that you keep your fake Marxism trash out of it. This is why Mbalula is the peferct choice for your replacement!Ntjebe wa phapha!!
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Jul 19, 2012

Shredder

@lindsay - so Mantashe because Tsietsi didn't join the ANC then does that means he made no history, does that also means his name should be wiped out from the June 16 massacre because ANC always wants to take credit, were you there to teach history or canvass for the ANC?
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Are you trying to put words into Mantashe's mouth. From what I understand, he didn't want to talk about Tsietsi as he was not an ANC guy. Which is fair don't you think?
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Jul 19, 2012

MommaC

Shredder

Gwede isn't ANC really either so he shouldn't talk about anyone in ANC either?
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Jul 19, 2012

Mandlhakazi

Give this man a Bells, this was the most creative and beneficial job he did as a leader.
I cant wait to see him running for his 2nd term.
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