TAKING POWER SERIOUSLY South Africa’s new progressive magazine standing for social justice. ISSUE NO. 52 MAY 2017 ZUMA’S REGIME MUST GO RSA incl. VAT R2500 Whither ANC? | Land and radical economic transformation | Nuclear power contents Editorial Labour 02 | Zuma’s regime must go 22 | Crossing the divide: Saftu’s challenge 24 | Nothing For Us Without Us! New forms News Briefs of self-organisation by workers in the informal economy 04 | News Briefs Feature: anatomy of crisis Local struggles 26 | Reclaim the City Movement says: 05 |Zanufication or renewal: whither ANC? Build inclusive cities! No to spatial 10 |BEE out of the closet: Malikane’s alliance inequality! for “black” capitalism 05 Zanufication or renewal: 13 |What should we make of the SACP’s whither ANC? latest critical posture of the ANC rot: an Students audacity or a quagmire? 27 | A Popular Hegemony – Students and Class Struggle Just transition 15 | Is the Cape High Court judgement a International fatal blow to South Africa’s nuclear 28 | Some thoughts, self-criticisms and pretentions? proposals concerning the process of 16 |Why stopping Eskom’s closures can be change in Bolivia good for both unions and the environment 31 | French elections: the centrist cul-de-sac Land 16 Why stopping Eskom’s closures can 18 |Land reform requires change to property be good for both the unions and the clause environment 20 |Land and radical economic transformation 22 Crossing the divide: Saftu’s challenge 10 | BEE out of the closet: Malikane’s alliance for “black” capitalism 18 | Land reform requires change to property clause 31 | French elections: centrist cul-de-sac We welcome feedback Email your comments to [email protected] Visit www.amandla.org.za for additional articles, news and views. Cover Illustration: Donovan Ward A distinct variant has come recently from Chris Malikane – the new advisor to the new Minister of Finance. Interestingly, he has in the past been an advisor to both Cosatu and Numsa. But he doesn’t agree with either of them on this issue either. In his view, we must certainly take sides. We must support the predatory elite in their battle with “white monopoly capital”. They are completing the tasks of the National Democratic Revolution. Therefore we must join with them in “a broad anti-white monopoly capitalist united front”. There is a critique of this approach on Does it mean then we don’t care about the fight between the predatory Guptas on the one hand and established global capital on Page 10 . the other? Do we take sides? Which side are we on? iT is quiTe True ThaT The factions of the anc represent Zuma’s regime the interests of different sections of capital. Zuma represents the looter capitalist section, a kind of lumpen bourgeoisie, the tenderpreneurs, the State- Owned Enterprise parasites. Cyril is closer to big, global capital – which is after all must gowhere he made and continues to make his magine. The poliTical crisis Ramaphosa instead of Zuma? Does it money. is over. Zuma has resigned and make a difference? So if it is a war between fractions of been allowed to leave the country Clearly, the crisis in South Africa runs capital, why interfere? Let them destroy for the Philippines, where much deeper than Zuma. It is a crisis of each other. We will get on with our own President Duterte has said he can the economy as well as a crisis of politics. business with our one-day stayaway stay as long as he likes. Theanc Whatever the resolution of the political focused on our own demands. has elevated Cyril Ramaphosa to crisis, there will still be a crisis of de- There are three main reasons why we the presidency. A flood of new industrialisation, of jobs, of houses and disagree with this analysis: Iinvestment has poured into the sa bond provision of decent services. Most of all, 1. The eyk argument is that the looter market and the Rand is now trading at there will be the crisis of the extreme gap capitalists threaten democracy. Yes, we R11.55 to the dollar. S&P has just reviewed between the rich and poor. know it’s a limited form of democracy sa credit rating and upgraded the country that protects private ownership. But to BBB – back to investment grade. sa How do we respond it still provides better conditions for First has cancelled marches that were to this crisis? struggle than repressive dictatorship. scheduled to take place on June 16. Angus so does iT mean Then we don’T care The looter capitalists need to control Buchan, who led more than a million in about the fight between the predatory the justice and law and order arms prayer during the crisis, proclaimed that Guptas on the one hand and established of the state in order to be able to his people’s prayers had been granted. global capital on the other? continue looting. Zuma’s focus on God is bountiful. Interestingly, on this issue, Cosatu placing compliant people in these Imagine that you are one of the more and Numsa, noted rivals, seem to agree. positions is no accident. The global than 9 million unemployed people of A plague on both their houses, they say. capitalists, on the other hand, have South Africa. Your sister is one of the They are all thieves. no such need. They make profit in the 17 million South Africans who receive At odds with Cosatu and Numsa “normal” way –exploitation of labour. social grants. is the new General Secretary of Saftu, 2. The second reason is that the activities What difference does all this Zwelinzima Vavi. He has been clear for of the looter capitalists affect the hullabaloo about “credit ratings” make many months that the predatory elite is material conditions of life of the to your lives? What difference does this a key enemy and the toppling of its chief working class and the poor. Rising change make - from Zuma the Gupta representative in the state, Jacob Zuma, a interest and bond rates will have the lackey to Ramaphosa, the BEE millionaire? key task. most severe effect on the working class Amandla! Issue No.52 2 MAY 2017 and the poor who are most dependent on the state for resources. 3. Thirdly, control of the Treasury gives the predators the means to prioritise unnecessary investment. They do this because it provides new opportunities for looting. Hence the war over the nuclear deal, in which the predators lost a battle, courtesy of the Cape High Court, just before Amandla went to press. Hence the trains that are too big, the inefficient but lucrative coal supplies to Eskom. Hence. Hence. Hence. The list is endless. So, we believe that the defeat of the kleptocracy is in the interests of the working class and the poor. But we don’t believe that “your enemy’s enemy must be your friend”. Waging war on the When the opposition parties marched together, it wasn’t the DA which dominated. It was the red berets and t-shirts of the EFF. kleptocracy does not for a minute represent support for what Malikane and others call “white minority capital”. On the contrary, fighting Do we join the dominated. It was the red berets and against the kleptocracy will strengthen the current protests? t-shirts of the EFF. working class in its life and death struggle if we do, are we jusT following The And our banners and placards could with neoliberalism and capitalism as whites? Or the middle class? They don’t say “anc must fall”, “Capitalism must fall” a whole. jump up and down about poverty or etc. By being there, we would contest for exploitation. They only get really upset leadership of this “national” struggle. By But you are standing when you try to take away their control of staying away, we abandon the terrain. in the way of radical the Treasury. Let them get on with it. We That is why we have always fought for economic transformation! have other issues to pursue. the principle of the “united front”. That so goes The self-serving, We believe that we cannot afford to is what the united front is – a variety of opportunistic argument of the dominant isolate ourselves, as the working class and class forces combining around limited faction of the anc leadership. Yes. the poor, from activism, just because it demands, all free, at the same time, to They are really trying to sell this story, contains significant middle class forces. pursue our own demands. incredible as it may seem. To believe On the contrary, our task is to lead those it, you would have to believe that forces. We know that we don’t have the Conclusion coincidentally, after 23 years in power, same fundamental class interests. But p oliTics is aBouT engagemenT. they have suddenly decided now to right now the middle class is also hurt by Studying, reading, issuing statements – change the course of macro-economic the same economic forces that attack the these are all necessary components of strategy completely. Of course, you would working class and the poor. They will be political activity, but in the end respect also have to reconcile this story, which poorer. Not poor, but certainly poorer. is won through engagement. It is only is for the South African masses, with the They will pay more for their credit – their through engagement with non-radical other anc story that nothing will change. houses and cars. More for their utilities. forces over common interests that we That is the story they are telling the As long as we are able to express our can hope to convince others that really, ratings agencies and overseas investors.