EPW: Marikana and the Subaltern

Camalita Naicker, Economic & Political Weekly

This article addresses recent debates around the strikes and the massacre of the mine workers at South Africa’s Lonmin Platinum Mine in Marikana from 2012 onwards. It argues that there is a failure to delve deeper into the culture of people who come from Mpondoland in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and to link culture to the political in the way workers’ actions have been reported and understood. Culture has been used as a way to explain away an aberration rather than exploring the use of cultural political tools within the strike. The article offers an analysis which takes seriously the political implications of culture.

 

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Marikana and the Subaltern

SACSIS: On the State of Democracy in South Africa

Steven Friedman, SACSIS

South African democracy spans two very different worlds. In one, people complain loudly but enjoy full democratic rights – in the other, most remain unheard and battle for the right to speak. In both, life is difficult for those who do not conform.

Among political scientists – and many of the South Africans who can speak – it is fashionable to label this country’s democracy a ‘party dominant system’. Democracy, is, in this view, limited by the iron grip of the African National Congress, which is said to dominate the political order because it wins repeated national elections. But this fails to explain why the governing party has almost no impact on some of the most important places in the country – those where the holders of economic and social power live. Continue reading →

AbM Youth League Youth Day Statement

15 June 2015
Abahlali Youth League press statement on June 16

This year we will use the well celebrated youth month to build our own power from below through the University of Abahlali.

Our grand parents have struggled against colonialism and our parents have struggled against apartheid. Our brothers and sisters of 1976 have also struggle against all forms of discrimination and oppression. Today we wish to salute all their determination for real freedom and real democracy. While they were fighting these battles they also had a responsibility to bring us up. We feel that we have to do the same and not watch them when they have to struggle twice. It is our turn as young people to make sure that we have real democracy and real freedom today. The South African youth of 1976 contributed so dearly and paid a high price for the freedom that we continue to struggle for. Continue reading →