Documents: Africans Acting Alone

DOCUMENT 48m. "I Appeal to the African Nation." Article by Pixley ka Isaka Seme, in Umteteli wa Bantu, November 10, 1934

The success of my policy and administration of the African National Congress must depend upon the success of the African Congress Clubs. All that I have ever said about the necessity of building our future upon a sound economic foundation should be realised by Africans through the success of these African Congress Clubs.

Young Africans should ignore all the useless squabbles of their leaders and concentrate upon establishing these local clubs in every district or town throughout South Africa. I ask every young African to make up his mind to join a local African Congress Club and help in every way to make it as strong as possible. It is your duty and it is your great privilege to make these National Clubs as popular as possible in your own district. They are the official residence of the African National Congress in your own town. They bring to the door of every African home the messages of Hope, Co-operation and Good Will from every corner of South Africa.

Property Of The Nation

In my previous articles I have tried to show that these National Clubs will cater for all economic needs of our people, in the towns as well as in the country. Beside giving hotel facilities and providing recreation rooms the "A.C.C." will keep general stores, groceries and meat for the benefit of its members.

The clubs will be maintained from the General National Funds of the African National Congress, and all the monies which each Congress branch contributes must remain with each branch under the control of its own local officers and the trustees of the African National Congress duly appointed by the Provincial Administration by authority of the General Conference of the African National Congress.

The amended constitution of the Congress ensures general uniformity and the undoubted security of the funds and all the business of the "A.C.C." The very fact that they belong to the nation as a whole and are not the property of any private individuals, will give a powerful reason for their general support. Every African will be able to point to them with pride as the property of the African Nation--an institution which has been estab­lished and is maintained by their own efforts.

After any "A.C.C." has been duly estab­lished, under the authority of the African National Congress, the General Conference of the Congress will assume the responsibility of helping to keep them going by granting loans from   the   General National Fund on application.

Old Loose Methods

The advocates of the old constitution want to go back to work under the old loose methods which permitted them to go about the country collecting monies in the name of the Congress. The new constitution wants to plant the Congress tree in every district and centre of our Native population.

The "A.C.C." will encourage all Native business enterprises. It will help the Native shopkeeper, the hawker and the pedlars by giving them supplies through the wholesale departments. The chiefs will be able to get their motor cars more cheaply and the Native transport service will be much improved owing to the supervision of the motor car mechanics of the "A.C.C." It will pay our motor mechanics to join these local clubs so that they may get their supplies through the general garage of the Congress.

Management Of Clubs

In conclusion I wish to point out that the "A.C.C.," like every institution, will be capa­ble of great growth. It is a great national insurance system against unemployment and it should ensure the steady progress of the African nation. For this reason we must take every precaution to make it a success and to avoid all chances of failure. Therefore I shall propose that we start by employing the very best and most reliable Europeans to assist us in managing the Congress's business under­takings.  The  Revenue  Department for instance, should be placed under an ex-senior officer of the Native Affairs Department, who shall enjoy the full confidence of the African National Congress.

And we should always remember that it is the duty of the Congress to satisfy the Minis­ter for Native Affairs of our good intentions. We must always try to win his confidence as the father appointed by the Government to watch over our interests as well as our pro­gress. The Minister has proved in every respect that he is very worthy of all our confidence.

Meeting Place For The People

Our policy shall be to make the "A.C.C." a meeting place for a busy hardworking and anxious people who are doing their best to get into the world markets. They shall not be encouraged to become mere offices for receiv­ing complaints and grievances. The African must be taught to build himself up and not to expect all other people to get out of his way and give him an open road to progress. He has to fight for his freedom so as to learn its great value.

The qualified young men and young women who will be drafted into the Congress National Services (C.N.S.) shall not fail to inspire the African audiences in the halls of the "A.C.C." with the new spirit of fellowship and to help to break down this cursed racialism. I ask all African leaders to remem­ber the initial success of the old I.C.U. They fell upon this country like a mighty army. The Basuto leaders were drafted to Zululand, the Zulus to the Transvaal and the Xosas and the Coloured people all worked under one African spirit of Fellowship. I urge all you young men and women to seize your opportunity today and help me to build up the "A.C.C." under the constitutional authority of the African National Congress.

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