NUMBER 48 UMRABULOUMRABULO NUMBER 48 | 2020 U March 2020 LET’S TALK POLITICS STRATEGY & TACTICS 1 TACTICS STRATEGY U UMRABULO NUMBER 48 | 2020 UMRABULO CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE NUMBER 48| 2020 UMRABULO was a word used to inspire 3 EDITORIAL COMMENT political discussion and debate on Robben Island. This concept was revived in 1996 when the ANC published the first edition of Suicidal Fault Lines In Our Strategy and Tactics Umrabulo. The journal’s mission is to encour- 5 age debate and rigorous discussions at all by Reneva Fourie levels of the movement. CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS Umrabulo welcomes contributions from readers. 9 Wide-Reaching Growth of Laager Mentalities’ Contributions may be in response to previous Impact On The S&T articles or may raise new issues. Contributions must be sent to the address below. by Dr Oscar Van Heerden SUBSCRIPTIONS This service has been suspended for the time being. Subscribers will be notified when it will 14 At The Root of Capital’s Strategies & Tactics resume. For Power And Control by Malusi Gigaba EDITORIAL TEAM Editor-In-Chief: Nathi Mthethwa Deputy Editor-in-Chief: David Masondo Editor: JP Louw Strategy And Tactics In A Digital Era Editorial Collective 21 2 Lindiwe Sisulu, Naledi Pandor, Obed Bapela, Joel by Dr Yacoob Abba Omar Netshitenzhe, Tito Mboweni, Barbara Creecy and Nkhensani Kubayi. Peer-review team: Tebogo Phadu, Febe Potgieter, Msingathi Sipuka, Tsioane Matlan- Is Today’s A World of Unipolarity or Multipo- yane, Mandla Nkomfe, Dipuo Mvelase, Phindile 28 Kunene, Ashley Mabasa and Andries Nel. The larity or Bipolarity? team supports the work of the Editorial Collective by Thato Magogodi through critically proof-reading and sub-editing submitted articles. Production and Publishing: Donovan Cloete Encountering ‘The People’ in Public Decision ANC DIP Media Production Unit. 33 Spaces CONTACT INFORMATION by Professor Muxe Nkondo Address: Umrabulo PO Box 61884 Marshalltown, 2107 South Africa Tel: 011 376 1000 Fax: 086 633 1437 E-mail: [email protected] The contents and views expressed in Umrabulo do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the ANC, OR Tambo School of Leadership or the editorial collective. Umrabulo on the web : www.anc1912.org.za and www.ortamboschool.org.za UMRABULO NUMBER 48 | 2020 U EDITORIAL COMMENT By JP Louw Twitter: @jaypeelouw EGARDED as one of be caught in a paralysis of analysis; the greatest strategist and when we do act, the actions will and philosophers who be flawed because the base that in- possessed timeless wis- forms it is wrong.” Rdom, Sun Tzu is quoted stating that “Strategy without tactics is the In Wide-Reaching Growth of slowest route to victory. Tactics with- Laager Mentalities’ Impact On out strategy is the noise before defeat”. The S&T Dr Oscar van Heerden’s draws attention to results of the The words, “unity”, “renewal” and 2019 National General Elections “radical socio-economic transforma- as he questions what this means tion” have become synonymous for balance of forces in South Af- with the kind of character the ANC and its alli- rica. Through an analysis of the results he argues ance partners of today aspire. This can be dis- that “in line with global right-wing trends, meaning, cerned through a cursory observations of themes, ultra-right, narrow nationalist and anti-immigrant ap- speeches and resolutions of gatherings such the proaches, we see that in South Africa, voters too are 3 ANC’s 54th National Conference, 108th January adhering to inward looking and protectionist trends.” 8th ANC birthday celebrations, COSATU’s 13th National Congress and SACP 4th Special National Malusi Gigaba’s At The Root of Capital’s Strate- Congress. These expressions are an indication of gies & Tactics For Power And Control provoca- an outcome these progressive forces wish to attain tively looks at the role capital has played in shaping, in relation to both their respective standing as well delivering and holding on to the South Africa we as impact they aspire onto South African society. are experiencing today. Amongst assertions made is that the nature of capital is such that it would Borrowing from Sun Tzu, the critical question then never leave things to chance. Instead it will seek becomes one of the type of strategy and tactics re- and has ensured direct presence within planning quired to emerge victorious in this course towards and discussion sessions of the governing party. unity, renewal and socio-economic transformation. This edition of Umrabulo, themed Strategy and Dr Yacoob Abba Omar’s Strategy and Tactics In Tactics, applies itself to these very questions. A Digital Era is a rather self-explanatory headline. The article is best explained through its expressions Reneva Fourie’s Suicidal Fault Lines In Our that “Given the extent to which we feel overwhelmed by Strategy and Tactics lays a crisp and informa- the tsunami of technological changes that confronts us, tive foundation to this edition’s theme as it pro- there is a temptation to simply submit… Perhaps the vides background about the concept “strategy” and starting point would be inserting the potential role of “tactics”. This is defined both as a concern in the digital media into the perennial debate on the moderni- corporate world and with a distinction of its use sation of the ANC. This should impact on the very by the revolutionary movement. Landing itself in DNA of the ANC’s approach to organisational form, Sun Tzu’s warning about why the importance of internal democracy and campaigning.” strategy and tactics, members of the ANC are cau- tioned to be disciplined, or else risk causing the or- Focused on balance of forces on the global stage ganisation’s combat abilities to become redundant. and whether the ANC have applied itself cor- The article pointedly states that “We will perpetually rectly to this is Thato Magogodi’s Is Today’s A U UMRABULO NUMBER 48 | 2020 World of Unipolarity or Multipolarity or Bipo- The next edition of Umrabulo is themed “Eco- larity. Have we got the definitions correct about nomic Transformation” and if keen to submit the world we live in? Or have we handed ourselves an article than please contact the Editor. Articles the short end of the stick? Meaning our analysis must preferably be about 2 000 words long, but not of balance of forces could be questionable. And longer than 3 000. therefore so too our strategy and tactics. Happy Reading. In Encountering ‘The People’ in Public Deci- sion Spaces, Professor Muxe Nkondo makes a In the words of the revolutionary Thomas Isidore case for “the people” as the sole enablers of true Noël Sankara, “Without patriotic political education, a radical economic transformation. He straddles soldier is only a potential criminal”. Therefore, amass through definitions of “the people” and what their yourself in the articles published in this edition and appropriate location should be in the planning and share in discourse within your locality around the execution of solutions orientated programmes critical subject matter of Strategy and Tactics. 4 (The Art of War) UMRABULO NUMBER 48 | 2020 U Suicidal Fault Lines In Our Strategy and Tactics ■ Understanding our revolution’s strategic objective; analysing domestic and interna- tional balance of forces in order to determine the best tactics to advance our strategy and which alliances to forge in that process; and knowing our history is absolutely essential for every member of a liberation movement. However, if members of the ANC fail to adhere to the basics such as organisational discipline then our com- bat capabilities become redundant. We will perpetually be caught in a paralysis of analysis; and when we do act, the actions will be flawed because the base that in- forms it is wrong. By Reneva Fourie 5 N THE corporate world, ation of a united, non-racial, non- a strategy is the long-term sexist, democratic and prosperous plan to realise an organisa- South Africa. Our strategy is the tion’s vision based on its national democratic revolution: Icore values. The tactics reflect the National-infusing a sense of high level methodology to achieve national identity and cohesive na- the goals related to that vision. tional sovereignty; The contents of the strategy and tactics are usually informed by a Democratic-creating a society variety of analytical exercises such of the people, by the people, for as a SWOT analysis that is an as- the people; and sessment of the organisation’s in- Revolution-effecting radical ternal (micro) strengths and weak- structural change to state, eco- nesses, as well as external (macro) nomic, ideological, community, opportunities and threats. The external opportunities and international relations. and threats are informed by an analysis of political, eco- nomic, socio-cultural and technological environmental We term our analysis “an assessment of the balance of factors. Other aspects for consideration include or- forces”. This usually informs what we describe as “the ganisational capacity, alliances and partnerships, and character of our revolution”, which in the past was ex- finances. pressed as “colonialism of a special type”. This analysis also informs our tactics, which is determined at national While the terminology in a liberation movement is not conference, specified in the January 8 Speech. And be- necessarily the same as those in the corporate world, cause we are the governing party, it finds practical ex- the tools are similar. In the ANC, our vision is the cre- pression in the President’s State of the Nation Address. U UMRABULO NUMBER 48 | 2020 Solidifying the basics From resistance to reconstruction Understanding our revolution’s strategic objective; ana- Elevating the centrality of the constitution and enforc- lysing domestic and international balance of forces in ing organisational discipline, will assist us to take own- order to determine the best tactics to advance our strat- ership of our responsibilities as the governing party.