April 2011 - Centre for Civil Society - University of KwaZulu-Natal

combating racism, unemployment, poverty and other social issues – could
be achieved within the capitalist system.
The figures listed above give us an idea of the stress and frustrations that
the workers have to deal with every day in order to make a living. Their
experience becomes even more bitter as the hopes they had for the future
under an ANC government slowly begin to shatter.
The workers are realizing the impasse they face under capitalism, not by
reading Marx’s Capital or the Communist Manifesto, but through their daily
struggles for housing, electricity, water, jobs, wages and equality. These
facts are now becoming clear to wide layers of the working masses. Pushed
forward by their own plight and disgusted with the obscene wealth of a
small group of capitalists and corrupt government officials, the workers
are becoming increasingly radicalized.
The South African working class has a long revolutionary tradition. In the
last 60 years we have seen an almost uninterrupted series of mass
movements. But the ANC, upon reaching power, postponed all talk about
socialism to a distant future, while arguing that all the forces should be
mobilized to consolidate bourgeois democracy.
But now that bourgeois democracy has been achieved, it is clear that none
of the fundamental problems have been solved. In fact the situation for
the millions is not even improving. The reason for this is that the capitalist
system as a whole, long ago ceased playing any progressive role. Today,
especially since the beginning of the world economic crisis, it is unable
tolerate even the minimal concessions granted in the boom period of 1995-
2008. Therefore the workers and youth have no other option than to turn
against the capitalism system as a whole. This is also reflected in the sharp
rise in Communist Party membership that has grown from almost 20,000 in
2002 to more than 110,000 today.
The question of nationalizations
This deep radicalisation that is taking place has also been reflected in the
recent call of the ANC Youth League to nationalize the mines. This is an
extremely positive development. But instead of putting the party at the
head of such a campaign and giving it a revolutionary leadership, the
leadership of the SACP has opposed it with its full might. In his speech at
the YCL congress Blade Nzimande, the general secretary of the SACP said:
“The unfortunate part is that some of us in the working class, when this
call about the nationalization of mines was made we jumped onto it and
said yes the left has always been calling for this, we support it.
“Be warned, the working class does not behave in that manner. If you
catch a bus that has written its destination is Johannesburg Park Station
and you simply jump in without checking driver and conductor, you may
find yourself in trouble. The bus may be written Johannesburg Park
Station, but the driver may have another intention. What is the intention?
I want us to debate that.
“Some of these calls for nationalization are not genuine but are aimed at
rescuing the BEE deals that are in debt. Other comrades in COSATU have
criticized us, we don't mind and we will debate that. But, it is our stance
as the SACP. Nationalization for what and for who? If you go blindly and
nationalize the mines today you will actually be nationalizing debt not
mines. Can you imagine government in the Credit Bureau because they
nationalized debt thinking they are nationalizing mines?”