It's pleasing to note that liberation movements in the region continue building synergies that will help them present a united front to outflank the designs of outsiders in this increasingly globalised world of overt and covert noe-colonial encroachment.

The recent African National Congress Policy Conference that was held at Gallagher Estates in South Africa was providential, coming as it did on the heels of the Summit of Liberation Movements that was held in Harare early last month.

The liberation movements that were invited to South Africa, among them Zanu-PF, Frelimo from Mozambique, MPLA from Angola, Swapo from Namibia and Chama Cha Mapinduzi from Tanzania, were also in Harare for the revolutionary Indaba.

Policy conferences like the recent ANC indaba enable revolutionary parties in the region to keep their eyes on the ball and also speak with one voice on critical issues integral to the economic emancipation of the region.

It was pleasing to hear South African president Jacob Zuma telling delegates that it was time his government took a radical shift towards economically empowering its people. And among the areas he identified as integral to the economic empowerment agenda were land and mining reforms

We urge other parties in the region to follow suit in order to send a clear message to would be rabble rouser that Southern Africa has not forgotten the liberation agenda, is not content with the crown minus the crown jewels.

At their inaugural summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in May 2010, the liberation movements resolved to meet on the sidelines of annual Sadc summits so that they can return to the center of the activities of the regional bloc they forged from the template of the Front Line States.

The communique released at the end of the Dar es Salaam summit, naturally noted that the coming together of the liberation movements had its historical basis in the Front Line States, that spearheaded decolonisation and formed the core of the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference, the forerunner of Sadc.

Since the Dar es Salaam meeting, the liberation movements' summits have been held a week before the annual Sadc summit amid plans to merge the dates from this year onwards.

It is strategic that such meetings precede the annual Sadc summits so that leaders can be reminded of the objectives of Sadc that of late seems open to reactionary forces keen to hijack the bloc for noe-colonial  agendas.

We saw this with the so-called Sadc Tribunal that was Southern African in name only, but was beholden to the interests of outsiders.

The region must be commended for seeing the tribunal for what it was. It is unfortunate that the bulk of the regional bloc's operational budget is met from donor funds.

For instance it is envisaged that only a third of the outlook budget for 2012/13 will be met by member states while the other two thirds will come from donors.

This situation leaves Sadc open to the whims and caprices of outsiders who may attempt to set its agenda as we saw with the Sadc Tribunal.

Liberation movements must thus brainstorm so that they mobilise resources in the region for the benefit of southern Africa, which in turn will be empowered to meet its own budgetary requirements. Donor-dependency is inimical to the liberation agenda.

We have what it takes to fund the operations of Sadc, but fail to do so because our resources are largely held by and benefit outsiders. The struggle continues.