----- Original Message ----- From: "T Fast" <tfast at yorku.ca> In the G7 it is possible to make the argument that capitalism "works" quite well for 70% + of the population. That is, it is possible to explain the lack of a revolutionary subject by reference to the not too distant gap between what the bulk of people understand to be the promise of liberal (capitalist) democracy and their reality... theories of crisis performs two central tasks: (1) they provide an account of a weakened capitalist class; and (2), mechanically create revolutionary subjects from a fresh and expanding supply of disillusioned liberal democratic subjects. Hence, the revolutionary subject is a matter of waiting for the right wave. All are would-be surfers but appear as mere sun-bathers on calm waters. Sitting here in the G7 it is hard to take any of it very seriously... Yet, it would not be wise to bet on our revolutionary subject making an appearance anytime soon in South Africa.
PB: Then come home, Travis, and see the promise smashed every day in the surf of bad capitalism. A national public sector strike was announced yesterday, and check the adverts on today's protest marches:
Student march against the exclusion of poor youth from education - for free
education - Thursday September 9 2004
>From Botha Gardens to Truro House (Department of Education), Durban
Assembly at 13:30, march-off at 14:00, appointment with representatives from
the Ministry of Education at 15:00.
Press is also welcome to the Quad at Westville campus at 11:00 today Wednesday, where the SSM will be painting banners and placards and mobilise for the march. Contact Sipho Tshabalala 072-4729582
The Socialist Student Movement, together with the Black Consciousness Youth of Azania, PASMA and other groups is organising a march for free education in Durban on September 9. See our demands below. It was the SSM-branch at Westville campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal who took the initiative to a call for a nationwide day of action for free education in June, after organising a march on campus in defence of the almost 500 Westville-students who are still under threat of financial exclusion by next semester. -Westville is not an island, the problems of financial exclusions and lack of financial aid exist across the country, says Sipho Tshabalala, chairperson of the SSM at Westville. A series of spontaneous student struggles also revolving around these issues have broken out on campuses like Wits and North West Universities, Peninsula Technikon and Tshwane University of Technology in the past six months. - We have taken the initiative to this march, firstly to point at the need to unite the struggles not only between different tertiary institutions but also involving learners and staff in schools and parents and other concerned in workplaces and communities, secondly to aim the fire at the government who is responsible for the appalling state of the education system, thirdly to raise the issue of how a free and quality education can be achieved and sustained * in our opinion only through struggle and ultimately through a socialist transformation of society. In the Durban area, we are mobilising students in UKZN campuses, in DIT, Mangosuthu Technikon, UNISA but also learners, parents and teachers and other staff as well as youth outside of the education system, in for example Ntuzuma, uMlazi, and Inanda.
For more information, please contact: Sipho Tshabalala , SSM-Westville 072-472 95 82 Liv Rhodin, SSM-Howard College, 082-407 49 59 Canaan Mthethwa, Black Consciousness Youth of Azania (BCYA), uMlazi, 083-566 91 81 Xolani Ngcobo, Pan-Africanist Student Movement of Azania (PASMA) Mangosuthu Technikon, 082-83 82 759
Our demands: 1.STOP THE EXCLUSION OF POOR YOUTH FROM EDUCATION 2.FREE EDUCATION NOW 3.END THE POLICY AND PRACTICE OF FINANCIAL EXCLUSION 4.FINANCIAL AID TO ALL NEEDY STUDENTS * WITH THE TARGET OF ABOLISHING TUITION FEES FROM PRE-SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY 5.A LIVING GRANT FOR ALL STUDENTS 6.CANCEL ALL STUDENT DEBT 7.RELEASE ALL RESULTS UNCONDITIONALLY 8.ACCOMMODATION TO ALL STUDENTS WHO NEED IT * NO EVICTIONS 9.EQUITABLE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TO ALL INSTITUTIONS 10.STOP THE COMMODIFICATION OF EDUCATION 11.STOP THE MERGERS OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS* RE-OPEN COURSES AND DEPARTMENTS CLOSED, REINSTATE ALL SACKED WORKERS 12.RESTORE ACADEMIC & NON-ACADEMIC WAGES AND CONDITIONS TO PRE-RESTRUCTURING LEVELS * WE DEMAND DECENT WAGES AND BETTER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT 13.NO CLOSURES OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS - ON THE CONTRARY, MORE SHOULD BE OPENED - FOR ALL 14.NO PRIVATISATION OF SERVICES IN LEARNING INSTITUTIONS 15.NO TO SECTION 21- ALL SCHOOLS AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS TO BE FULLY STATE-FUNDED * TO COVER THE NEEDS 16.MAKE THE EXEMPTION POLICIES REALITY, NOT JUST WORDS ON A PAPER 17.ADEQUATE VENUES, ELECTRICITY, WATER, SANITATION AND EQUIPMENT TO ALL SCHOOL S AND LEARNING INSTITUTIONS 18.AN EQUITABLE AND EXTENSIVE FEEDING SCHEME TO ALL SCHOOLS 19.SAFE SCHOOLS NOW 20.UPGRADE THE SCHOOLS, NOT THE ARMY * SCRAP THE ARMSDEAL 21.THERE IS MONEY, BUT IN THE WRONG POCKETS * CANCEL THE APARTHEID DEBT 22.CAPITALISM MEANS WAR ON THE POOR * BANKS, MINES, INDUSTRIES ETC. SHOULD BE OWNED AND DEMOCRATICALLY CONTROLLED BY THE WORKING PEOPLE AND THE POOR, TO RELEASE RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION, JOBS, HOUSING AND BASIC SERVICES FOR ALL
***
APF TO JOIN MARCHES ON COUNCIL OFFICES BY SAMWU & IMATU ACROSS GAUTENG PROVINCE ON THURSDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER
ORGANISED WORKERS AND POOR COMMUNITIES MUST UNITE AGAINST PRIVATISATION, CASUALISATION AND DETERIORATING SERVICE DELIVERY (INCLUDING PRE-PAID WATER METERS)!
On Thursday (9th September) the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) will be mobilising its community affiliates across the Gauteng Province to join the marches being organised by the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU) against privatisation, casualisation and deteriorating service delivery (including pre-paid water meters) being carried out by various local councils/municipalities. The three marches are to take place in the Vaal (Van der Byl Park), East Rand (Germiston) and Tshwane (Central Pretoria).
The APF was initially formed to unite workers and communities fighting against privatisation. Over the last several years, the APF has consistently supported worker struggles and demands that have arisen as a direct result of the consequences of privatisation and we continue to mobilise and organise in poor communities in order to unite and strengthen the broad working class in the face of state policies that attack the working/living conditions and human dignity of both organised workers and the unemployed poor.
The disastrous results of the neoliberal policies that the state continues to implement are there for all to see: massive loss of jobs in the public sector; outsourcing and casualisation of labour; public sector cost-cutting exercises; corporatisation of service deliverers; housing evictions and forced removals; water and electricity cut-offs; and the implementation of the pre-paid meter system in poor communities. While the workers and poor suffer, council officials and top management give themselves record salary increases; arrogantly dismiss worker/community concerns and demands; vigorously crack-down on worker/community protest; and, continue to treat the private sector and its bosses as their key allies.
The marches that are taking place are the latest indication that organised municipal workers, who are at the forefront of effecting service delivery to the poor, are becoming increasingly fed-up with these policies/actions. For too long now, there has been a false divide between workers and poor communities who are fighting the same enemy. The APF has long understood that the unity of organised workers and poor communities is essential to turning the tide against privatisation and the greed & arrogance that it's associated policies breed amongst officialdom/management in both the public and private sectors. That is why we will be marching alongside SAMWU and IMATU on Thursday.
WORKERS AND POOR COMMUNITIES - MOBILISE, UNITE AND FIGHT
PHANSI PRIVATISATION!
For further comment/information, contact Trevor Ngwane on 083 293-7691
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