Rainbow nation: dream v. reality

 Once upon a time

‘ A democratic state . . . industry and trade shall be controlled to assist the well being of the people . . the land re-divided amongst those who work it. . . The police force and army. . . shall be the helpers and protectors of the people. .. . . a national minimum wage . . . the right to be decently housed . . . free medical care . . . Slums shall be demolished . .. ‘ (The Freedom Charter adopted by the ANC in 1955). 

Beware the smallprint

Nelson Mandela, 20 April, 1964: ‘The ANC has never at any period of its history advocated a revolutionary change . . . nor has it.. . ever condemned capitalist society.’ 

A voice in the wilderness

We still say that the replacement of apartheid by "non-racial capitalism" rather than by Socialism would be in the interests of South African big business and its overseas allies. Workers in South Africa, whatever their colour, should like workers everywhere be struggling for the immediate establishment of Socialism (Socialist Standard, September 1970.

Misson accomplished?

The Anti-Apartheid Movement, founded in 1959,  continued to operate until 1994  when South Africa held  elections, generally seen as 'free and fair' and  in which all 'races' could vote for the first time.   

The harsh reality

(i)  Just 3,500 people – 0.01% of the population – own 15% of total wealth in South Africa, according to a new study. And, there has been no decrease in wealth inequality in the 26 years since democracy. The bottom 90% of people in South Africa control just 15% of the wealth in the country.

(ii) Almost thirty years after the end of formal apartheid ANC rule has come to a point of economic devastation with unemployment at over 40% and youth unemployment at over 70%. There has been no significant land reform. Hunger is endemic, there is pervasive violence, crises in schools and health care, collapsing electricity, water, rail and port systems, corruption on a staggering scale and ruthless political repression of struggles for urban land.

(iii) 60 million residents live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Furthermore, South Africa’s murder rate is one of the highest in the world, with around 25,000 victims per year. Since Apartheid, more than half a million people have met a violent death..."We live in the most unequal society in the world, and the divides are growing wider and wider," says Notywala. "It has become even more unequal since the ANC has been in power. Liberators? Don’t make me laugh!" :

Dead end

Zandile Dabula, who was voted in as president of Operation Dudula in June 2023, is calm, charismatic and emphatic about the group's message: "foreigners" are the root cause of South Africa's economic hardship.   When it is put to her that this campaign is based solely on hate, she tells the BBC: "We must be realistic here that most of the problems that we have are caused by the influx of foreign nationals. Our country is a mess"