Rights of Black majority undermined by ANC concessions in S. Africa The challenge of building a revolutionary alternative in Poland

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The ANC's major demand in the talks is the establishment of an "interim govemment of national unity." Until recently, the ANC had portrayed the "interim government" as merely a transitional power-sharing arrangement with De Klerk, which would dissolve once elections were held and majority rule was established.

In past articles, we have warned against power-sharing, however "temporary," with the white minority parties. We have pointed out that such a coalition (often termed a "popular front") will serve to disorient and demobilize the movement for Black liberation.

The Black working class, we said, must be organized in its own interests independently of the white ruling class and its government.

Last month, unfortunately, the ANC went a step further in its plan to share power with the De Klerk regime. On Nov. 25, the ANC's national executive committee approved a proposal that the ANC invite all parties with "proven support" -See pages 12-13 for on-the-spot evaluation of the social crisis in Poland and the potential for building revolutionary parties.

such as De Klerk's Nationalist Party and Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi's reactionary Inkatha Freedom Party-to join a coalition government. This would be done even if the ANC had defeated these parties in parliamentary electiops., This concession was put forward, purportedly, in order to speed up the process of negotiations. But many commentators point out that the plan, if put into effect, could actually delay for five to 10 years the time when Black people in South Africa achieve majority rule.

"Sunset clause"

The idea of joining a long-term coalition government with the ruling-class parties was first raised last year in an interview that ANC General Secretary Cyril Ramaphosa gave to the London Financial Times. But the current plan stems from a proposal put forth a couple of months ago by Joe Slovo, an ANC leader and the chairman of the South African Communist Party.

Slovo proposed a "sunset clause" to be inserted into a new constitution that "would provide for compulsory power sharing for a fixed number of years in the period immediately following the adoption of the constitution." Slovo suggested that power in the new cabinet be shared by different parties on the basis of proportional representation.

Within weeks, Slovo's "sunset" began to boil over into the media in an unprecedented public debate. Several top leaders of the ANC strongly denounced the Slovo document.

Pallo Jordan, an ANC leader and an independent socialist, pointed out in The Weekly Mail: "There appears to be a deepseated pessimism that runs through Joe Slovo's proposals. True, we have not defeated the regime. But neither has the regime defeated us. The thrust of the document suggests that we are suing for the (continued on page 15, in “Our readers speak out”)