HAS THE ANC SOLD OUT?
Since taking office, the African National Congress
has broken key promises to the Black working class and poor who
elected it. This is the result of a incorrect political strategy, not
corruption. The way forward is not elections and "nation-build-ing"
but class struggle for a stateless socialist (anarcho-syndicalist)
society.
A BETTER LIFE?
COSATU organised millions of votes for the ANC. But by mid-1994,
the new government sent police to attack peaceful strik-ers. By 1996,
the ANC stated its support for privatisation and "free market"
policies- policies that, by the way, lead to massive retrenchments
and attacks on workers.
Students voted for the ANC and better education. But most
townships schools have not improved, and thousands of teachers have
been retrenched. Students in higher education have been arrested and
told that tertiary schooling would never be made freely available.
Squatters and poor communities voted for ANC. But the ANC has
ordered squatter evictions, and enforced rent/service charges through
campaigns like "Masakhane". Police recently killed 4 people
protesting electricity cut offs in Eldorado Park. The ANC lacks a
workable land reform programme.
The ANC promised democracy and justice, but has expelled or
sidelined those who out of favour with the leaders, such as Patrick
"Terror" Lekota. Racist killers from the police are promised amnesty.
WHATS GOING ON?
How did the ANC end up doing this to its supporters?
Some comrades say it is because certain ANC leaders are
undemocratic sell outs who must be disciplined. Others say the
National Party is sabotaging transformation.
There is some truth to these positions. But most ANC leaders are
not corrupt and still believe they are acting to help the masses. And
the ANC is too strong in parliament to be held hostage by the NP.
WRONG ROAD TO CHANGE
Two more important reasons provide the answer.
* First, ANC always argued freedom must come through the State.
That is why it ran in the elections. But the State (parliament, army,
civil service) is not a "friend of the people". It is a hierarchical
(top-down), bureaucratic structure of coercion which serves the
ruling class of bosses, top government officials and military
leaders.
While it was a massive advance to replace the racist dictatorship
of apartheid with a parliamen-tary system and Bill of Rights, the
State cannot act against the ruling class's need to make profits and
keep power. In the 1990s, this requires "free market" policies.
Power does not lie in parliament, but in the bureaucracy, the
military and the big company boardrooms. Also, top govern-ment
officials (like MPs) live a privileged life-style (the gravy train)
which makes them identify with and join the ruling class. The State
is therefore un-accountable to, and the enemy of, the Black working
class. It does not matter which party is in power.
* The second reason is the weakness in ANC politics. The ANC
always believed that State power is the key to freedom (which is
incorrect). It also always favoured capitalism and opposed class
struggle. But capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working
people by the bosses and rulers. It is a key cause of racism- racism
was created to divide workers, and "justify" genocide, colonialism,
and the super-exploitation of Black workers.
The ANC calls on all South Africans- bosses and workers alike- to
join together to form "one nation". But the bosses and rulers, and
the workers and the poor, have no common interests- they are locked
in a struggle that can only end with the overthrow of the bosses. To
hide this contradiction is to lie to the masses.
WAY FORWARD
The ANC has not "sold out"- its politics and strategies are just
wrong and unworkable.
While we must unconditionally defend the democratic gains of 1994,
we must realise that the government structure itself is part of the
problem. Elections are a false choice and should be boycotted.
While we stand for non-racialism, we do not call for "national
unity". We call for class struggle by the workers and the poor
against the bosses and the rulers. For class struggle against
capitalism and the State, for a stateless socialist
(anarcho-syndicalist) society run by the working class through
grassroots worker and community structures. These will emerge from
the trade unions and democratic civics of today.
This page hosted by 
Get your own
Free Home Page
Go to the
CapitolHill GeoPage