NUMBER 46 UMRABULOUMRABULO NUMBER 46 | 2019 U July 2019 LET’S TALK POLITICS 1 The national question U UMRABULO NUMBER 46 | 2019 UMRABULO CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE NUMBER 46 | 2019 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 ABC’s on What the National Question Entails Umrabulo. The journal’s mission is to encour- 4 age debate and rigorous discussions at all by Pallo Jordan levels of the movement. The National Question as an Issue of Workers’ CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS 10 Umrabulo welcomes contributions from readers. and Class Struggle Contributions may be in response to previous by Seitebeleng Dikole articles or may raise new issues. Contributions must be sent to the address below. Issues of Non-rcialism in South African SUBSCRIPTIONS 14 This service has been suspended for the time Nationhood being. Subscribers will be notified when it will by Thobani Matheza resume. EDITORIAL TEAM 19 Gender Bias in the Construction of Nationalism Editor-In-Chief: Nathi Mthethwa by Sarah Mokwebo Deputy Editor-in-Chief: David Masondo Editor: JP Louw Editorial Collective The National Question for the Coloured 2 Lindiwe Sisulu, Naledi Pandor, Obed Bapela, Joel 22 Netshitenzhe, Tito Mboweni, Barbara Creecy and Community Nkhensani Kubayi. by Dr Oscar Van Heerden Peer-review team: Tebogo Phadu, Febe Potgieter, Msingathi Sipuka, Tsioane Matlan- yane, Mandla Nkomfe, Dipuo Mvelase, Phindile Ethnic Consciousness in the Unresolved Kunene, Ashley Mabasa and Andries Nel. The 26 team supports the work of the Editorial Collective National Question through critically proof-reading and sub-editing by Ashley Nyiko Mabasa submitted articles. Production and Publishing: Donovan Cloete Languages as a Driving Force Behind the ANC DIP Media Production Unit. 31 National Question by Siphokazi Mbolo CONTACT INFORMATION Address: Umrabulo PO Box 61884 35 Afrikaner Capitalism and its Nationalism Marshalltown, 2107 by Pule Thulo 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 of the ANC or the views of the editorial collective. Umrabulo on the web : www.anc1912.org.za and www.ortamboschool.org.za UMRABULO NUMBER 46 | 2019 U EDITORIAL COMMENT By JP Louw Twitter: @jaypeelouw N THE African National Sarah Mokwebo poses thought Congress’ Strategy and Tac- provoking questions about the in- tics document, the National evitable, but yet ignored dynamics Democratic Revolution is associated with gender relation in Isaddled with the responsibility of Gender Bias In The Construc- unravelling three basic and inter- tion Of Nationalism. related contradictions. These are:- • The reality of South Africa be- Still on the theme of those who ing a nation where the colo- tends to be forgotten in dogma nised and coloniser shares in the around The National Question, in spoils of the country – what is The National Question For The commonly referred to as Colo- Coloured Community Dr Oscar nialism of a Special Type; Van Heerden points at realities for Western Cape’s historical working • Racial oppression and super class communities who are primarily Coloured. Draw- class super exploitation; and ing attention to the ethnic conflicts in the Malumela • Patriarchal relations of power. area as a cautionary measure on how best to define The 3 National Question, Ashley Nyiko writes about his The 46th edition of Umrabulo Journal, themed “The impressions in Ethnic Consciousness In The Unre- National Question”, applies itself on what the an- solved National Question. swers to these contradictions might be considering that South Africa is in the midst of its 25th year of demo- In Languages As A Driving Force Behind The cratic governance. Issues explored includes explanation National Question Siphokazi Mbolo deals with of the historical context of the concept of The Na- language policies in higher education institutions and tional Question, how it must be understood in terms the education sector. The essence of her argument is of present day South Africa and whether the ANC, as premised on the belief that “the education sector has been leader of society, is well-suited to enable South Africa influential instruments since colonization. This is because it is on this course of self-discovery and repositioning. one of the primary agents of socialization which influence people’s thoughts, attitudes, and behaviours.” In ABCs On What The National Question Entails, struggle and ANC veteran, Pallo Jordan provides an In Afrikaner Capitalism and its Nationalism Pule insightful description on how the concept of The Na- Thulo puts a spotlight on how capitalism, underpinned tional Question arose and came to gain prominence by an anti-African racially skewed and exploitative re- from the 19th century to date. Within this context he gime, brewed Afrikaner Nationalism. draws thread to the South African context and mean- ing. Seitebaleng Dikole’s The National Question As With the advancement of a post-Apartheid South Af- An Issue Of Workers’ and Class Struggle makes the rica came the need to re-examine tenets which drove argument that “Marxism remains the best and important doc- discourse, strategy and programmatic interventions. trine to define society, its institutions and people’s relations within What is South Africa’s National Question twenty five a context of classes, class antagonism as well as class struggle.” years later into a democratic dispensation is one such critical subject needed to be unravelled. You stand in- Thobani Mzabalazo Matheza’s article titled Issues vited to engage this 46th edition of Umrabulo as a tool of Non-Racialism In South African Nationhood that inspires some thoughts in this regard. dwells into South Africa’s troublesome race issue whilst U UMRABULO NUMBER 46 | 2019 ABC’s On What The National Question Entails ■ European discourse on the nation…oscillated between… two conceptions: The first, derived from the experience of the French Revolution that placed emphasis on a set of democratic values and equality before the law constituting the basis for a commu- nity of free citizens. The second placed emphasis on the distinctions of geography, language, culture and ethnos that differentiated the oppressed from the oppressive empire or imperial power. 4 By Z. Pallo Jordan HE National Question After the revolution of 1789, conception arose in the France was the first European state multi-national states of in which religious minorities at- 19th century Europe. tained full civil rights. From 1792 T Jews and Muslims living in France The kingdoms of Austro-Hungary, and its territories enjoyed the same Britain, Russia, Sweden and others citizenship rights as Christians. The expanded during previous centuries abolition of slavery in 1793 extend- taking in and subjugating bordering ed these rights to all Africans living lands and their peoples. Within all in France and its territories as well. these empires there were smaller France thus became a secular state, national and religious minorities, in which no religion or belief sys- like the Jews and the Romanies. tem was privileged; all religions Since the 15th century, Spain, Por- were regarded as equal. When Na- tugal, France, the Netherlands and Britain had also con- poleon re-imposed slavery in France’s colonies in 1802, quered territories in the Americas, Caribbean, in Asia that was the signal for the former enslaved of Haiti to and Africa. Foreign domination was widely practiced break their ties with France. After a bitterly fought lib- and affected Europe, Asia, Africa and the countries of eration war, Haiti became the first African republic of the new world by the end of the 19th century. modern times as an independent state in 1803. The subject peoples in these imperial arrangements Historically, “the nation” is a relatively new concept were held down by armed force and administrative fiat. and is associated with the modern world. It is directly Their languages and culture suppressed and attempts at linked to the emergence of industrial capitalism in Eu- self-assertion met with repression. rope as well as to the struggles of the peoples subjected UMRABULO NUMBER 46 | 2019 U to colonialism by the European powers after the 17th European discourse on the nation consequently oscil- century. Arising in the context of the French Revolu- lated between these two conceptions: The first, derived tion, the concept of “nation” is intertwined with that from the experience of the French Revolution that of “citizen”. placed emphasis on a set of democratic values and equality before the law constituting the basis for a com- The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, ad- munity of free citizens. The second placed emphasis opted by revolutionary France in October 1789, pro- on the distinctions of geography, language, culture and nounced the right of the governed to participate fully ethnos that differentiated the oppressed from the op- in government. It abolished institutions that vested pressive empire or imperial power. such powers in the hands of an aristocracy or monarch and established the principle of equality in the eyes of the law. In revolutionary France itself it soon became THE DEBATE AMONG EUROPEAN evident that, in practice, not all could participate in gov- SOCIALISTS erning the country and various measures were adopted After 1848 it was the socialists of Europe who consis- to facilitate popular participation. tently pursued the cause of national independence and debated the issue most avidly. Two principal streams of The suffrage – the right to elect or be elected to a thought emerged in the debates on the national ques- governing body – became the emblem of citizenship, tion among the 19th century revolutionary movements symbolizing the equality of all citizens and ending the in Europe. regime of privilege. The Austrian Social-Democrats, led by Carl Renner, In revolutionary France all adult males were regarded Otto Bauer and Victor Adler, sometimes called the as citizens.