The article by Mandy Ressouw, (Are you a nationalist or a communist?, December 18) and a string of similar articles, has yet again reaffirmed the reactionary nature of white monopoly capital, represented by its vanguard, the South African media. The article and similar others in recent weeks, have intentionally sought to reinforce divisions in the ANC by maliciously characterising recent debates in and outside ANC structures to being views sponsored by certain camps. It is not denialist, to say; “there are no camps in the ANC”. There are differing views, but no factions. To talk of “Communists or nationalist” is a again the use of dive and concur tactics that seek to create factions of fractions within the ANC leading to the 2012, Mangaung conference. The ANC is by its mass based nature home to a variant of ideologies, philosophies and tendencies. Communists, socialists, Pan Africanists, traditionalist, conservative, Nationalist, and theological tendencies all find expression within the ANC. The ANC is non-communist, likewise it is not anti-communist meaning; not everyone who is not a communist is by virtue opposed to communism as an ideal. Cde. Billy Masetla responded correctly when he said “I love some of the left policies, but differ with the position... I will never be anti-communist.” The strategic goals of the ANC and SACP are similar and mutually reinforcing, however tactical approaches may differ. To simply characterise the current debate in polar contradictions is yet ANOTHER attempt at polarising and creating a perception that non communists, are nationalists and as result should gang against communist, in turn becoming anti-communists. The ANC is a sophisticated beast and members should be vehemently opposed to being characterised to being either nationalists or communists.
Sandile Mzilikazi Khumalo YCL, Secunda On Dec 21, 2:56 pm, Mzilikazi <[email protected]> wrote: > Are you a nationalist or a communist? > MANDY ROSSOUW AND MMANALEDI MATABOGE: COMMENT | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH > AFRICA - Dec 18 2009 08:37 > > That’s what ANC members will need to decide before the 2012 national > conference, the battle lines of which are being drawn with much public > kicking and screaming. > > Supporting Deputy Police Minister Fikile Mbalula for the post of party > secretary general will show you’re a nationalist. A vote for the > present incumbent, Gwede Mantashe, will mean you’re a communist. > > Or will it? In the debates now raging within the alliance, ideologies > don’t really feature. This is a game about playing the man — the ball > is practically off the pitch. > > Nowhere in the world is the line between communists and nationalists > fading faster than it is in the latest skirmish between the ANC and > the South African Communist Party (SACP). > > Mantashe is the chairperson of the SACP but at the same time the > darling of the business world. So to call him simply “red” would be a > mistake. > > ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, who serves as Mbalula’s proxy, > supposedly fights under the nationalist banner, saying President Jacob > Zuma must not “surrender” to communists. But Malema introduced the > debate on the mines, which he believes should be nationalised. So has > Malema become a communist? > > Enter what Malema likes to call “the yellow communist” — cowardly > fakes or the 21st-century version of champagne socialists. These > communists say they feel the plight of the people, but they do it > while living in mansions in upper-class suburbs with, to paraphrase an > old struggle song, “garden boys and kitchen girls” all round. > > Malema’s favourite “yellow communist” right now is SACP general > secretary Blade Nzimande. True, he’s no stranger to the good life and > things only got better with the acquisition of a new R1.2-million BMW. > > In turn, Nzimande’s favourite “African chauvinist” nationalist is > Malema. > > As for who is the pot and who is the kettle, both share a taste for > the finer things in life, including their 4x4s — Nzimande loved his > black Jeep Cherokee before he became higher education minister; Malema > adores his grape-coloured Range Rover. Both have chauffeurs. Perhaps > they would argue that they need their SUVs when visiting the rural > masses who elected them in the hopes of a better life. > > ANC stalwarts say the “real ANC” operates within a nationalist > framework — nationalism implying a common identity and entrenching > ideas about “us” (the people) and “them”. In theory the ANC leans > towards the left in its belief in nonracialism and popular sovereignty > — meaning the party believes it can derive legitimacy only from its > popular support. > > Yet, in effect, the nationalists find the leftwingers a nuisance, > believing the communists are using the ANC as their ticket to the > spoils of liberation. > Maybe SACP deputy general secretary Jeremy Cronin has the answer. He > claims Malema displays communist tendencies to feed the greedy black > bourgeoisie. Therefore, Malema is using communist principles to gain > access to the same spoils for himself and his friends. Which is > exactly the same thing the nationalists fear the c ommunists will do. -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
