United front of S. African students meets

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Revolutionary trade unionism in S. Africa SACCAWU is affiliated to this major to co-opt, to weaken mass organizations • Another article, headlined "VAT zations in the 'process of change' but management, causes some company man- (Value Added Tax)—what is it?" without the masses. But we know only agements to plan to 'rationalize' and explains the concept of regressive taxes the masses can emancipate themselves, like VAT or the more commonly known only the masses can make history.... meeting, a large number of leatlets and "This means that management may sell sales taxes. It sounds like similar articles "The newspaper should become a newspapers were circulated by the differ- companies or assets. Capitalists may printed in Socialist Action newspaper. forum for debate. We must meet the chalent currents present. Someone handed me close stores, catering outlets or hotels. In The piece concludes: "In summary, the lenge of this period of change, for lished by the South African Commercial, chal losses, arising out of capitalist companies and wealthy individuals to the national working class. We need to debate tax burden is thus being shifted from workers in South Africa and for the interCatering and Allied Workers' Union. production methods, onto the working poor."

After my return to San Franciso, I looked class. Bosses cut workers' jobs and • Finally, the editorial in this issue of nomics with each other to develop a squeeze existing workers to produce more the SACCAWU NEWS is titled, "Union working-class perspective for a new this editorial comes through clearly in the "Differences will always exist in mass "The apartheid regime has over the past reflect the different experiences of differyear initiated so-called reforms. They ent sections of the working class. have removed apartheid laws from the "Debate can become a process of claristatute books without fundamental fying our different understandings. The change in the ownership of the land, newspaper can become a forum for sharpshops, mines and factories. Their sole ening our ideas and strategies. We must aim has been to get oppressed workers to be honest in our assessments and learn exploit the masses with their 'permis- "However we must harness these nave a tonger lease of lire. Thus is what we must stick by the principle of prole- cinn' then South African ranitalicm will dehates to huild the nnion. In our debates you a taste of its radical anti-capitalist so that company shareholders can increase "But what the apartheid state offers, and but unity in action. This means that we Objectively can offer, is the chen i end debate vigorously, reach a majority deci(This issue of SACCAWU NEWS is "In the retail sector bosses cut costs by retrenching organized workers with per- knows. Therfore the 'reform' process if we do not agree.

• One article from this newspaper is manent jobs, increasing shifts, and must be accompanied by a softening-up "Any minority can continue to raise titled "Workers Reject Job Loss Threats." employing unorganized casual workers at process, that is, the weakening of mass their assessments of any decided The following paragraphs sum up the lower wages. Workers need to plan, and organizations.

take action, on a national scale to meet "Strong and militant mass organiza- majority of the need for a new plan; but "The capitalist system is the cause of the ongoing threat of retrenchments. All tions are hindrances to the acceptance and meanwhile they must act in solidarity retrenchments. Capitalism means cut- workers in COSATU need to show soli- forcing down of crumbs. Strong and mili- with the majority decision. throat competition between companies. darity and fight together against tant organizations raise the specter of the "FORWARD TO FREE DEBATE! This, coupled with a recession in the retrenchments." [COSATU stands for 1984/86 insurrectionary struggles. economy and a profit-grabbing style of Coalition of South African Trade Unions; "In essence, the strategy of the state is WORKERS."

12 SOCIALIST ACTION MARCH 1992 A group of Black South African militants in this country, the Organization of South Africans/Azanians for Liberation Education (OSAALE), recently invited Socialist Action to send a representative to address its membership in New York City. The author of this report was given this assignment. The following are his impressions of what OSAALE is and what it stands for.

About 35 Black South African students met at a regular meeting of OSAALE on Feb. 1. This group was organized about five years ago as a united front-type formation for the purpose of clarifying the aims and objectives of revolutionaries in the land of apartheid. Present at this meeting were members and supporters of a range of different currents active in the South African freedom movement.

It appeared to this observer that the great majority of those present were supporters of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and the Azanian Peoples Organization (AZAPO) and other Black Consciousness groups. Also present were several supporters of the Workers Organization for Socialist Action (WOSA) and the New Unity Movement (NUM), which shares many of the views of WOSA. Many in the leadership of WOSA consider themselves to be revolutionary Marxists.

All these currents are participating in this united front for the purpose of explaining what Black South Africans are fighting for, They point out that they are for full freedom and democracy for all and reject any policy which gives veto power to the white racist ruling class. And since the overwhelming South African majority is exploited and oppressed by rulers who are white, they support the demand for "Black Majority Rule!" as most appropriate in the current political context.

I discovered that although the apartheid regime divides the oppressed majority into African, Colored and Indian, all of these oppressed people consider themselves Black. This is not unlike how African Americans of all colors and shades accepted the designation of their whole people in this country as "Negro" or "Colored" in the past, and now "Black" and/or "African American."

The message that came through to this observer indicated that these freedom fighters have few illusions about what is wrong in racist, capitalist South Africa-they appear to be unanimously opposed to a During the discussion at the OSAALE restructure.' a newspaper, SACCAWU NEWS, pubit over carefully.

It was something of a revelation. This union publication has little in common with most union newspapers published in this country today. Tomorrow, when the class struggle heats up, of course, it will be quite different, as was the case in the not so distant past. It's safe to predict that there will be a revival of class struggle union publications in the coming period of resurgent labor militancy.

Finally, I was told that although the leadership majority of SACCAWU supports the ANC, WOSA also has a sienificant influence in this union.

Below are a few representative selectians from this inion newsnaner to oive orientation and educational function. their profits.

dated February 1991.)

line of this piece: new constitution written with the "help" and "participation" of the apartheid regime. They are convinced that any constitution supported by the white ruling class will be one that permits the white minority to have veto-power over the future of a new South Africa. OSAALE insists on nothing less than Black majority rule.

Thus, the currents present at this meeting are for the election of a truly democratic Constituent Assembly, which will then write a new constitution designed to end white minority rule and establish genuine majority rule. But WOSA and others know that a genuine democratic revolution is impossible without the overthrow of the capitalist social, economic and political dictatorship.

OSAALE also feels the need to unite against those political forces in South Africa-within the Black majority as well as the ruling white minority—who favor a compromise that can only result in veto power for the white ruling class. Consequently, sentiments expressed at this meeting were highly skeptical that the "If the Apartheid state can rule and exploit the masses with their This is what the De Klerk regime hopes." -SACCAWU NEWS negotiations between the Pretoria regime, the African National Congress (ANC), and Black groups openly allied with the de Klerk regime-like Chief Gatsha Buthelezi's Inkatha Party—will lead to any significant change in the material conditions of the majority of the people, the Black working class.

It is important to note that while OSAALE opposes the view of the ANC, which is for compromise with the white ruling class, they welcome the participation of the ANC and its supporters in their united front.

Class consciousness

My presentation to the OSAALE membership focused on the undiminished revolutionary capabilities of the world working class despite the over 40-year period of relative prosperity. This, I argued, resulted in a steady decline in working-class combativity in the centers of world imperialism—especially here in the United States. And now that world capitalism threatens to enter a new period of crisis and labor federation] members: Raise vour voice!" The line of South Africa.

following substantial extract: agree to their capitalist exploitation.

"If the apartheid state can rule and victories.

tha ha I/lael camma hanar not the whole loaf. This De Klerk instability, a new rise in the class struggle would in that event be certain to follow.

I further argued that South African Blacks and other oppressed nations in the world should not rule out the reemergence of proletarian internationalism in the heart of imperialism, especially in the United States. On the contrary, I emphasized, they should expect that their revolutionary struggles will enter a new and more dynamic stage when the developing crisis of world capitalism compels workers in the centers of imperialism to return to the class struggle strategy that led to labor's giant step forward in the United States in the 1930s and '40s.

Although it is well known that the great majority of Black South Africans are workers, I was nevertheless surprised at the high level of class consciousness revealed by this group in the course of the question and discussion period. They, on their part, also expressed surprise at hearing such a point of view from an American socialist.

The comments I heard, moreover, revealed that a relatively high degree of working-class consciousness was shared by many in the vanguard of the South African freedom movement. This is not to say that a majority of South African Blacks are committed to the perspective of socialist revolution. Only the WOSA component of OSAALE and many among the left wing of the Black Consciousness Movement are consistent advocates of socialist revolution. As yet, only a minority of the broad masses fully understand that racism, exploitation and oppression are endemic to capitalism.

The representative of WOSA told me that although the level of class consciousness among the masses victimized by capitalism is higher than in other African countries-and certainly higher than here in the United States-they must go through further experiences before revolutionary possibilities in South Africa will have fully matured.

To find out more about OSAALE, readers of Socialist Action can get a copy of the latest issue of OSAALE NEWS, a newsletter published by this group. Send $2 (plus two dollars for postage and handling—$4 total) for the latest issue to: OSAALE NEWS, 899 Davidson Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854.

and to involve the leaders of mass organiour strategies, our politics, our ecoworkers' organizations. These differences the lessons of our defeats as well as our Eu Ivu toman damar ranu• freernm af eriticiem sion, then all carry out this decision even action/strategy until they persuade the FORWARD TO THE VOICE OF

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By ELIZABETH CAMPBELL class—the trade unions, civic groups, groups-most of which have dwindled

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'permission' then South African capitalism will ave a longer lease of life.