2023: THE YEAR OF (RE-)DEDICATION, COMMITMENT AND HARD WORK
Comrades, 2022 has been a long year of recovering from the ground lost as a result of the global COVID-19 disruptions. Our resilience in advocacy and campaigning made us bring some changes and improvements to the lives of millions of public healthcare users, PLHIV, Key and Vulnerable Populations, as we can safely and proudly point to these.
In 2022, TAC was able to hold its 7th National Congress, where a new leadership emerged from all levels of the structures of our organisation with a fresh mandate. This followed the 212 Branch AGMs and 8 provincial congresses.
Through our hard work over the past few years, we have been able to open doors and get a seat around the decision making tables with policy makers and duty bearers. These are some of our stories of success that didn’t come easily, but through our concerted efforts we were able to make it happen.
As we wrap up the year 2022 and prepare for 2023, let us all fasten our seatbelts and get ready to start a new year. 2023 is not going to be an easy year. It will require more hard work, dedication and commitment from all of us. 2023 will require all of us to move out of our comfort zones, roll up our sleeves and do things differently for the advancement of the cause of the people and what our movement stands for. We cannot retreat but we are required to soldier on.
2023 will require all of us to work together as TAC, Ritshidze and the PLHIV Sector because without each other we might not achieve what we want. We must all roll up our sleeves, get on the ground, get dirty and work with communities more, especially those who are denied access to quality services.
As we continue with our work of saving lives, we must not turn a blind eye to the challenges people living in South Africa and the world in general are still confronted with. It is our noble duty to stand up, speak out and fight back against gender-based violence on children and womxn, against xenophobia, corruption, injustice, and abuse of state resources and machinery, the world and majority of the downtrodden masses are subjected to on daily basis by those in positions of power.
2023 will require all of us to spend most of our time and energy in ensuring that we double our efforts at local and district level by strengthening the District Campaign Teams (DCTs). From 2023, we must invest our time, resources and energy in ensuring that we attend and address issues affecting our communities from healthcare facility and district level, because this is where service delivery takes place. If we can champion and master community issues at these levels, we will make a significant impact on improving the quality of healthcare services and delivery of all other basic services.
There is nothing about us without us.
As human rights activists, we are required to integrate our struggles with the daily struggles of our communities for social justice, equality, quality service delivery, against GBVF, abuse against children, xenophobia, corruption, defence of our constitution and protection of human rights. As Audre Lorde once said, “there is no such a thing as a single issue struggle because we don’t live single issue lives”.
As we are marching ahead, we must always remember that victory is certain and our victory is the victory of the people. We must position ourselves to unite with real friends, allies and partners in order for us to identify the real enemies of the people and the cause we stand for. We are required to play a meaningful and leading role in changing the political landscape of our country and the world. “What matters today, the issue which blocks the horizon, is the redistribution of wealth. As Frantz Fanon said, “humanity will have to address this question, no matter how devastating the consequences may be.”
In 2023, TAC will continue to lead the struggles and campaigns to fix the broken public healthcare system, monitor the implementation of HIV, TB and COVID-19 response, Fix the Patent Laws, monitoring the availability of medicines and medical supplies, Building Activism and Advocacy at all levels. This is a historic mission we are not prepared to betray as a movement.
We wish you and your families a Happy New Year, filled with energised Activism, Advocacy and Revolutionary character.
Issued on behalf of TAC National Council by the General Secretary – Anele Yawa.
