Issue 1 Vol.2 Theoretical Journal First Quarter 2011 HAS SOCIALISM FAILED? THE RED SPARK 1 THE HISTORY OF THE STUDENT MOVEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA – in Quotes & Extracts Challenging the Apartheid Regime SASCO as Part of the Congress only partially open, and for it to insist that the doors must be opened much wider. “Throughout the eighties AZASO/ Movement, whilst maintaining its It is SASCO’s obligation to point out SANSCO mobilised students together independence that the current investment in NSFAS is with COSAS and NUSAS to deal with a “Whereas in the early 1990s the inadequate and that more must be done wide range of educational and political major national youth and women’s to provide real opportunity to talented issues. Some of the campaigns were organisations became part of the ANC, students from working class and rural the 1981 anti-republic celebrations :(:*6 ZPNUPÄJHU[S` VW[LK [V YLTHPU poor families.” (www.sahistory.org.za). campaign, Release Mandela campaign, independent. It pledged support for the the “hands off Fort Hare” campaign of ANC and the new ANC-led government, 1982, the education charter campaigns but also voiced its intention to advance Political Strategy and Tactics in the and also the formation of UDF in 1983. student interests and, if necessary, to Democratic Era adopt a critical disposition towards Political strategy for SASO and SANSCO A major campaign of 1982-83 was to the ANC and the policies of the new was relatively straightforward: build save the lives of six MK cadres who were government. This means SASCO cannot UH[PVUHS VYNHUPZH[PVUZ" ÄNO[ MVY :9*Z" sentenced to death. At the end three shy away from holding government to the educate, mobilise, and turn higher cadres were hanged while three were idea that the doors of leaning to higher education institutions into sites of reduced to life sentences. Most AZASO/ education must be opened.” struggle, and unite students behind the SANSCO campaigns provided impetus (www.sahistory.org.za) national liberation movement. to broader political struggles eg. The For SASCO it is not so simple. campaign for the release of ANC leaders The Doors of Learning Remain Unable to engage fully and effectively in transformation politics, and unable to which was rallied around the release Firmly Bolted of Nelson Mandela. AZASO/SANSCO undertake mass mobilisation and also “There have been many achievements in engaged the regime at various ideological win support from other social forces, access and equity. Today, some 75% of and political battles for the hearts and the question of politics and strategy is a students in higher education are black minds of the black intellectuals.” (City vexing one. What are appropriate politics and 54 % women. Thousands of poor Press, 2002) and strategy, how should they relate to Z[\KLU[ZHYLZ\WWVY[LKÄUHUJPHSS`I`[OL government, to political parties and civil National Student Financial Aid Scheme “The response of the regime was often society formations, what kind of alliances (NSFAS). harsh and a number of activists lost ZOV\SK[OL`I\PSKHYLHSSKPMÄJ\S[PZZ\LZ However, black and women enrolments their lives in the process. For example, for the current student movement. mask inequalities in their distribution Bathandwa Ndondo who was shot and across academic programmes and killed at point blank range by Transkei especially at higher levels of post- To Contradict or to Complement security police. Repression of students graduate training. It is true that for most or Both? at the University of Fort Hare was a daily South Africans that may aspire to a ;OLYL PZ T\JO \UÄUPZOLK I\ZPULZZ PU experience. The epitomy of Bantustan higher education the doors of learning higher education and in South Africa. Our repression and intolerance was the 1983 YLTHPU ÄYTS` IVS[LK ^P[O J\YYLU[S` SP[[SL history teaches that nothing is gained massacre of students by Inkatha impis at prospect of entry. It is also a reality that without struggle. SASCO has a vital role University of Zululand”(City Press, 2002) for a sizeable number who obtain access, to play in mobilising and educating for a the door rather than being fully open is a transformed higher education, for social Education as a Site of Struggle revolving one, since too many drop out equity, justice and the deepening of “AZASO/SANSCO’s vital contribution and don’t graduate. democracy. was to make education a site of struggle. The doors that lead to real learning, ( JVUÄKLU[ NV]LYUTLU[ ^PSS UV[ MLHY It sought to ensure that higher education to becoming highly educated, and a strong, active and assertive student transformation became integral to political to graduating with real knowledge, movement. To the extent that the and social transformation – hence its competencies and skills, and as socially government vigorously pursues ‘a better campaigns around ‘education towards committed and critical citizens are all too life for all’ there is a strong identity of democracy’ and ‘organising for people’s often either closed or ajar only all too interests between it and such a student education’, and its adherence to the idea of little. Too often there is also a confusion of movement. ‘people’s education for people’s power’.” JLY[PÄJH[PVU ^P[O TLHUPUNM\S LK\JH[PVU What SASCO does or does not do, (www.sahistory.org.za). Only for some are the doors of higher on its own or in alliance with other learning and culture truly open. forces, will contribute to shaping higher It is right for SASCO to ask why the education and the new South Africa. doors of higher learning are bolted or (www.sahistory.org.za) 2 THE RED SPARK Contents 4. Editorial Comment Phindile Kunene Front Matter 8. Has Socialism Failed – Interview with President Mbulelo Mandlana Feature Articles 18. Has Socialism Failed – 20 Years On? Lazola Ndamase 28. Communists by Convenience or by Conviction? David Masondo 34. A Marxist-Leninist Student Organisation – the implications Tsumbo Nephawe 40. The State of our Revolution Ngoako Selamolela 40.Reformism or Revolution- YCL and the future of comunism in SA Ali Nooshini Back Matter 47.*VTTLU[ZMYVT[OLÄYZ[PZZ\LVM;OL9LK:WHYR The Red Spark is published quarterly by the South African Students’ Congress (SASCO) as a forum for Marxist Leninist thought. Send editorial contributions to: [email protected] NB: None of the views expressed inside constitute the views of the Editorial collective or the organization except where indicated THE RED SPARK 3 Editor’s comment By: Phindile Kunene he Red Spark, the Theo- state, especially given the boiling pot retical Journal of the South of protest in many of our municipali- African Student Congress ties. has left its infant footprints South African local government on the ideological soil in has undergone many strides. The TSouth Africa. An apology to our de- TVZ[ JOHSSLUNPUN WOHZL ^HZ KLÄ- tractors is at this stage necessary. If nitely the 1993-1999 wherein local you thought the Red Spark will some- government was characterised by a what disappear into the unknown, we number of compromises that directly are really sorry to disappoint you. The emanated from the negotiated settle- to the neoliberal mantra, alienated only place that this Journal is going ment. These compromises imposed its primary constituency at this level is higher and forward. At a time of serious limits upon the democratic of government. Thus whilst the ANC low morale and ebb in the theoretical government’s ability to do certain continued to win the majority of and ideological realms in the country, things. For instance, white council- wards in many municipalities, the re- Journals such as the Red Spark are lors had powerful veto powers and ality was that fewer and fewer people ever more relevant. used this to determine crucial issues saw any value in voting. Here we, like real communists, dis- such as budget allocation to town- Now that time of the year has come dain to conceal our views and our ship upgrading. What compounded once more. Local government elec- agenda remains clear – the creation matters was that despite the largely tions are going to be characterised of the space for the generation of progressive tenets ingrained in the by many political parties telling us Marxist ideas within and outside the RDP, many of its provisions were how much value they can offer the student movement. Judging from thwarted as early as 1995 with gov- electorate. We have already seen in the comments that the readers made ernment increasingly emphasising a number of places where potholes VU[OLÄYZ[HUKOPZ[VYPJPZZ\LVM[OL cost recovery and municipal eco- that have been the landmark of cer- Red Spark, it is safe to say that we UVTPJ ZLSMZ\MÄJPLUJ` HZ [OL IHZPZ tain roads for ages suddenly being re- are still operating within the mandate upon which the working class could paired, where communities that have we set ourselves. access services. long been crying about the lack of The trend towards privatisation tarred roads that connect them to the Local Government Elections which began in the late 1980s with transport links, clinics and schools This issue of the Journal comes at the apartheid state passing the buck have suddenly been ordained with an interesting time. In a few months MVY [OL WYV]PZPVU VM OV\ZPUN [V Ä- these roads. We will surely see many we will be heading towards the local nance capital (which as everyone bridges constructed in this period and government elections. As such, future knows operates on the basis of how the erection of a community tap will articles should pay a particular focus T\JOWYVÄ[JHUILTHKLTHKLTH[- momentarily be seen as a revolution- on local government.