Back in SA after 15 years

by Bongani Mkhungo

I went back to SA just before the elections. That gave me the chance to speak to different people about what they think about the campaigns of different parties which were going to contest the elections. On my first week I had the chance to be invited to Umlazi township M section to the meeting of the residents who wanted to discuss about forming a co-op for bulk-buying. What I discovered there everything is very expensive, especially food. So the residents wanted to put together the money and go to the wholesale to buy in bulk and divide the food .That it was going to save them from transport cost, because normally they have to go to city for shopping because locally, there are no shops. Since 15years of ANC rule the townships were neglected in terms of development. They only focused in the big cities where the capitalists live and do business. So, the township residents have to travel a long distance if they want to go for shopping and work. In short, the imbalances of the past still remain intact.

Apart from discussing their co-op, I had the chance to discuss with them about other issues of concern in the township. Their big concern was the crime which is engulfing the township. According them, the police are failing to protect the vulnerable residents. In other part of the township the residents are forced to take the law in their hands and deal with the hooligans.. I asked them, how the councilors respond to crime? One resident replied: firstly, most of the councilors were imposed on the community by the ANC. The residents were not given the chance to elect the councilors of their choice. Those people who were imposed on them were inexperience and incompetence to lead the public. Other councilors once they got elected, they leave the township and go to live in the suburbs where all the middle class people live. If the residents have complains or grievances, they are nowhere to be found. But they continue to get their fat salaries every month.

It is difficult to recall other councillors, because are surrounded by vigilante groups who intimidate or remove permanently those people who want to exercise their democratic right. Those vigilantes are called: (izinkabi). That shows, that some councillors are ruling by the sword. Despite that, some residents are determined to fight to improve their lives. Simply, because they don’t trust ANC empty promises. One pensioner told me that she is prepare to support any one who is willing to help to improve their lives. At 65years she is prepare to go to the trains and distribute leaflets if she is asked to do so. As far as elections is concern, they told me that once ANC is elected to power, is going to disappear and come back after 5years to them, for next election campaign . That shows , even before the elections some people didn’t have any illusion about the ANC delivery promises. But they told me that, they are going to vote for it, because if there are some job opportunities, the people who are going to get first preference are those who are their card carrying members. Same like, when IFP was dominating KwaZulu Bantustan government, the people were forced to produce IFP membership card, before they get any services.

As predicted, the ANC won with convincing margin. Of course they didn’t have strong opposition especially, amongst the black opposition parties. Some of them split off, even just before the elections. Parties like PAC, AZAPO etc, split off and lost direction. No wonder the splinter party from the ANC (COPE) managed to do well in other areas and get third position after the DA and ANC at the national vote. IFP was out voted in KZN by the ANC. People voted for the ANC because its leader Zuma is a Zulu. Most of them took the corruption allegation against him as a witch hunt, simply because he is a Zulu. That buried IFP.

The ANC did well in other areas because of the absence of the left parties in the ballot papers. The left parties which wanted to contest were hindered by the increased registration fee, which was half a million Rand . What contributed the most to the left parties are division and the lack of political direction, like left parties in western countries where parties prefer to abstain or support bourgeoisie parties, which is the case in Britain . Some of the left in SA supported the ANC on the pretext that you will be playing at the hands of DA, if you don’t vote for if. They ignored the fact that the ANC got support because of suppression of freedom of speech and of association by its alliance partners, especially in the work place. All those who preach socialism are being silenced or marginalized. Those people who are doing that are those who don’t want to see the emergency of true working class party.

The SACP has been imposed on the workers by COSATU leadership as their vanguard party. The workers who are members of the SACP just follow it because is promising them socialism, but behind their back is doing the opposite, by joining capitalists government. Once they get there they forget them. They don’t do that because they lack socialism plan. Socialism is never been in their agenda. That is why they preached two stages theory. Meaning that we should fight for capitalists government and socialism latter. There is no discussion now about second stage. They are busy enjoying the fruit of capitalism, while the working class living in grinding poverty. Other workers don’t know what it is a communist. One prominent member showed me his SACP membership card and told me that he is also a pastor in his church. I wonder what kind of education they get from their party? The ommunist manifesto and the bible are irreconcilable documents. That shows the extent of damage which has been done by the disunity in the Trotskyist parties. That has caused misery to the whole human kind world over. Capitalism has never been a solution to the human suffering in the past, now and in future.

I understand that some comrades had hung up the gloves as far as fight for socialism is concern. That is happening during the time, when human kind need them more than before. Few workers and student I met here need an alternative solution to their problems. I don’t see any, than socialism. The problem we face is the lack of leadership and the political will among socialists. I have a feel, the class conscious workers and students are ready to fight, what they need is leadership. I understand other comrades are hesitant because of the level of intimidation by the opponents of socialism.

Now, we are left with one question. How many of us are going to die of hunger, while watching these people enjoying the fruits of our sweat?