A former Security Branch (SB) informer who defected to the African National Congress’ armed wing uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) as an intelligence operative – and who left the ANC after 32 years to form his own party – is one of the opposition leaders who will be at the upcoming national convention of “pact” members. He is Neil De Beer of the United Independent Movement (UIM). He speaks to BizNews about what he fought for in the past and what future he is fighting for now. De Beer gives his reasons for joining the “Moonshot Pact Coalition”, and says the 2024 election is about “numbers” and “logistics” – not politics. De Beer also speaks about what drives him, his epic cancer battle, and his relationship with God. – Chris Steyn
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Relevant timestamps from the interview
00:09 – Introductions
00:29 – Neil de Beer on his journey in politics
01:04 – On what made him leave the ANC after 32 years
03:20 – His journey from security branch spy to defecting to the MK all the way to being Madiba’s security advisor
06:40 – On if restorative justice is possible
08:15 – On the reason he joined the coalition
10:47 – On if he’s in favour of a coalition government between the pact on one end and the ANC on the other end
13:24 – On what drives him
14:28 – The battles with his health
15:45 – His views on SA’s stance on the war between Russia and Ukraine
21:50 – Conclusions
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Highlights from the interview
A former Security Branch (SB) informer who defected to the African National Congress’ armed wing uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) as an intelligence operative – and who left the ANC after 32 years to form his own party – is one of the opposition leaders who will be at the upcoming national convention of “pact” members.
He is Neil De Beer of the United Independent Movement (UIM).
He speaks to BizNews about what he fought for in the past and what future he is fighting for now.
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De Beer gives his reasons for now having joined the Moonshot Pact Coalition: “I might not like the people I’m sitting around. This is a fact of matter. If I liked any one of them, I would have chosen to join one of them. I don’t like them. And it’s as clear as daylight. They did not succeed. They failed after 30 years. But they’re not bad people. So Mandela always used to say ‘find what you agree on, and build on that’. And once you’ve built on what you agree on, the disagreements will seem futile. So I went into the Moonshot Pact, not because I agree with everybody, but because it makes absolute political sense… I believe that the Pact at this moment can provide an alternative government.”
As for the 2024 elections, De Beer says “it’s numbers, it’s not politics”.
“Let’s be honest. I always tell the people the secret of defeating the ANC is not via political strategy. And here I’m telling it on a programme for the first time. I’ll tell you straight. Next year has got nothing to do with politics, Chris. It’s about logistics. Shall I say that again? Next year has nothing to do about politics. It’s about logistics. In other words, the African National Congress moves people. They move them via truck, tractor, buggy or combi. They move people to go vote. So if logistics is the truth, then that’s a chance.”
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Asked whether he would ever be in favour of a coalition government between the pact and his old party, the ANC, De Beer’s “No” is non-negotiable. “I mean this is saying that you are going to effectively say that whomever destroyed and destroyed this country, which they did, because of my oxygen has got another lifetime. No Chris, the African National Congress was an unbelievable liberation organisation …it brought liberty to this country. But this is now the end…Thank you for freeing the country. Now retire, get out and let us govern.
“Never again, in my opinion, should one party have the power in its hands as a monopoly. Because look what they’ve done with it Chris, look what the National Party did with it and look at what the ANC is doing.”
“Commenting on the ANC government’s “neutral stance” on the war between Russia and Ukraine, he says: “Yeah, it’s a cowardly stance. And I don’t have time for cowards. You know, when you’re a Christian or a son of God, you cannot be a coward. You either rise for the light and stand in the right, or you fight amongst evil.”
Read more: 2024 Elections: Opposition parties face an uphill battle in dethroning ANC
De Beer also speaks about what drives him; his epic cancer battle; and his relationship with God.
“I think before I nearly die that I have to get my house in order…I got my soul in order. I got my mind in order. Now dammit, I want to get my country in order. So we fight. We will never stop.”
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