A CALL FOR UNITY AND SOLIDARITY AND DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION AGAINST BACKWARD CAPITALISM, EXPLOITATION AND OPPRESSION, IN THE STRUGGLE FOR ANOTHER EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD
We, the 61 delegates and activists representing 18 mass organisations from across the Eastern Cape province, gathered in a Dialogue for Left Renewal held at Makhanda on 26 and 27 February 2022:
Recognising that
1. 28 years after the advent of democracy in 1994, the Eastern Cape and South Africa are not the places of our dreams
2. Africa and the world are beset by structural crises which continually impact us
3. We face multiple, interconnected crises of survival affecting the masses of oppressed and dispossessed people
4. These crises include economic stagnation and collapse, growing inequality and uneven development, land hunger, raging unemployment, widespread poverty, homelessness, hunger, widespread child stunting, health and education failures, crime and violence, women’s oppression, corruption, xenophobia, environmental collapse and continuing denial of democratic rights to rural people
5. The state has become a virtual crime scene, characterised by corruption and widespread collapse of governance. State failure and rapid institutional collapse threaten to neutralise even the limited gains made since 1994. Failure to maintain state infrastructure now poses a serious threat to living standards and inhibits economic growth and employment creation
6. A heightened threat of imperialist war that will affect us all
7. Although this country has all the resources and wealth to end poverty and oppression and provide a better life for all, moribund capitalism denies this to most of our people, particularly the youth
8. Life is even worse in this province which is little better than an untransformed Bantustan. Here, while politicians, ‘kings’ and capitalists continued to profit, months of brutal lockdown saw 54 000 dead of covid-19, hospitals provided grossly inadequate treatment, our vaccination programme was largely a failure, already weak government transformation programmes ground to a total halt and available state budgets were cut to the bone by National Treasury. Poverty and unemployment grew worse
9. The ruling ANC has, because of its own narrow interests and limited political outlook, consistently refused to confront big capital. It is neither capable, nor interested in meeting the challenges confronting our people
10. In the absence of practical political alternatives, popular demoralisation and depoliticisation are growing
11. The old left faces multiple crises of demoralisation, loss of direction and collapse
12. A number of inspiring local struggles, anti-poverty projects and campaigns against oppression however continue to show the way forward in the fight for a better society and world. We need a vibrant, province-wide campaign for properly-functioning municipalities and decent livelihoods!
We therefore resolve to initiate the building of a new and progressive struggle platform for democratic people’s politics. This will
1. Establish an interim, representative organising team to take forward the project of encouraging and developing local affiliated structures
2. Supported by such structures, assist local communities to build opposition in all cases of oppression, state failure, exploitation and abuse and encourage mass solidarity
3. Supported by such structures, focus on campaigns around municipal failure
4. Supported by such structures, assist local communities to replicate successful campaigns and project models
5. Supported by such structures, build a province-wide campaign against Afrophobia which is basically self-hatred and xenophobic hatred directed at migrants born in other African countries
o Develop an urgent discussion document
o Undertake political education
o Organise to oppose xenophobic and violent attacks
o Promote a common fight for jobs and services
o Call on government to address popular demands
o Encourage the organisation/unionisation of workers from other countries
o Encourage use of the term “Afrophobia”
6. Develop and resource campaigns dealing with the above issues
7. Build a network to link local, national and international structures and struggles
8. Develop a knowledge resource base rooted in local experience, to assist local in campaigns and projects
9. Develop popular propaganda and educational material for regular dissemination across the province
10. Initiate and resource a popular education campaign to support emerging locals and their campaigns and projects
11. Advance the rebuilding of popular power
12. Advance a vision for renewing and rebuilding mass-based and struggle-based left/socialist politics and web of life.
… ENDS …
WAY FORWARD
1. March to May 2022 – taking the political process of dialogues on rebuilding popular power and mass-based left renewal to local activists, movements and socialists across the province
2. Consolidating unity, solidarity and action on existing popular struggles
3. Reconvening of a second provincial left dialogue by the end of June 2022 – to adopt a programme of action
PARTICIPANTS
1. Afesis Corplan
2. Amadiba Crisis Committee
3. Azanian People’s Organisation
4. Cala University Students’ Association
5. Children’s Resource Centre
6. Chosi-Chosi Creative Academy
7. Eastern Cape Environmental Network
8. Eastern Cape Water Caucus
9. Equal Education Campaign
10. Independent Komani Residents’ Association
11. Inyanda National Land Movement
12. Khanyisa Educational Project
13. Labour-Community Media Forum
14. Makana Citizens’ Front
15. Makukhanye Rural Movement
16. New Unity Movement
17. Pathways Institute
18. Treatment Action Campaign
19. Unemployed People’s Movement
CONTACT
- Ayanda Kota – Spokesperson of Unemployed People’s Movement – 078 625 6462
- Nompumezo Katangana – Rural feminist activist from Keiskammahoek, 083 584 2121
Issued by:
The Interim Convening Collective of the Zabalaza Socialist Forum for Left Renewal (EASTERN CAPE)
Ayanda Kota;
Lwazi Ncapayi;
Maranda Maholwana;
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara;
Nompumezo Katangana;
Nonhle Mbuthumba;
Ntsika Dapo; and
Sibongile Jonas.
THE ERHINI DECLARATION
A CALL FOR UNITY AND SOLIDARITY AND DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION AGAINST BACKWARD CAPITALISM, EXPLOITATION AND OPPRESSION, IN THE STRUGGLE FOR ANOTHER EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD
We, the 61 delegates and activists representing 18 mass organisations from across the Eastern Cape province, gathered in a Dialogue for Left Renewal held at Makhanda on 26 and 27 February 2022:
Recognising that
1. 28 years after the advent of democracy in 1994, the Eastern Cape and South Africa are not the places of our dreams
2. Africa and the world are beset by structural crises which continually impact us
3. We face multiple, interconnected crises of survival affecting the masses of oppressed and dispossessed people
4. These crises include economic stagnation and collapse, growing inequality and uneven development, land hunger, raging unemployment, widespread poverty, homelessness, hunger, widespread child stunting, health and education failures, crime and violence, women’s oppression, corruption, xenophobia, environmental collapse and continuing denial of democratic rights to rural people
5. The state has become a virtual crime scene, characterised by corruption and widespread collapse of governance. State failure and rapid institutional collapse threaten to neutralise even the limited gains made since 1994. Failure to maintain state infrastructure now poses a serious threat to living standards and inhibits economic growth and employment creation
6. A heightened threat of imperialist war that will affect us all
7. Although this country has all the resources and wealth to end poverty and oppression and provide a better life for all, moribund capitalism denies this to most of our people, particularly the youth
8. Life is even worse in this province which is little better than an untransformed Bantustan. Here, while politicians, ‘kings’ and capitalists continued to profit, months of brutal lockdown saw 54 000 dead of covid-19, hospitals provided grossly inadequate treatment, our vaccination programme was largely a failure, already weak government transformation programmes ground to a total halt and available state budgets were cut to the bone by National Treasury. Poverty and unemployment grew worse
9. The ruling ANC has, because of its own narrow interests and limited political outlook, consistently refused to confront big capital. It is neither capable, nor interested in meeting the challenges confronting our people
10. In the absence of practical political alternatives, popular demoralisation and depoliticisation are growing
11. The old left faces multiple crises of demoralisation, loss of direction and collapse
12. A number of inspiring local struggles, anti-poverty projects and campaigns against oppression however continue to show the way forward in the fight for a better society and world. We need a vibrant, province-wide campaign for properly-functioning municipalities and decent livelihoods!
We therefore resolve to initiate the building of a new and progressive struggle platform for democratic people’s politics. This will
1. Establish an interim, representative organising team to take forward the project of encouraging and developing local affiliated structures
2. Supported by such structures, assist local communities to build opposition in all cases of oppression, state failure, exploitation and abuse and encourage mass solidarity
3. Supported by such structures, focus on campaigns around municipal failure
4. Supported by such structures, assist local communities to replicate successful campaigns and project models
5. Supported by such structures, build a province-wide campaign against Afrophobia which is basically self-hatred and xenophobic hatred directed at migrants born in other African countries
o Develop an urgent discussion document
o Undertake political education
o Organise to oppose xenophobic and violent attacks
o Promote a common fight for jobs and services
o Call on government to address popular demands
o Encourage the organisation/unionisation of workers from other countries
o Encourage use of the term “Afrophobia”
6. Develop and resource campaigns dealing with the above issues
7. Build a network to link local, national and international structures and struggles
8. Develop a knowledge resource base rooted in local experience, to assist local in campaigns and projects
9. Develop popular propaganda and educational material for regular dissemination across the province
10. Initiate and resource a popular education campaign to support emerging locals and their campaigns and projects
11. Advance the rebuilding of popular power
12. Advance a vision for renewing and rebuilding mass-based and struggle-based left/socialist politics and web of life.
… ENDS …
WAY FORWARD
1. March to May 2022 – taking the political process of dialogues on rebuilding popular power and mass-based left renewal to local activists, movements and socialists across the province
2. Consolidating unity, solidarity and action on existing popular struggles
3. Reconvening of a second provincial left dialogue by the end of June 2022 – to adopt a programme of action
PARTICIPANTS
1. Afesis Corplan
2. Amadiba Crisis Committee
3. Azanian People’s Organisation
4. Cala University Students’ Association
5. Children’s Resource Centre
6. Chosi-Chosi Creative Academy
7. Eastern Cape Environmental Network
8. Eastern Cape Water Caucus
9. Equal Education Campaign
10. Independent Komani Residents’ Association
11. Inyanda National Land Movement
12. Khanyisa Educational Project
13. Labour-Community Media Forum
14. Makana Citizens’ Front
15. Makukhanye Rural Movement
16. New Unity Movement
17. Pathways Institute
18. Treatment Action Campaign
19. Unemployed People’s Movement
CONTACT
- Ayanda Kota – Spokesperson of Unemployed People’s Movement – 078 625 6462
- Nompumezo Katangana – Rural feminist activist from Keiskammahoek, 083 584 2121
Issued by:
The Interim Convening Collective of the Zabalaza Socialist Forum for Left Renewal (EASTERN CAPE)
Ayanda Kota;
Lwazi Ncapayi;
Maranda Maholwana;
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara;
Nompumezo Katangana;
Nonhle Mbuthumba;
Ntsika Dapo; and
Sibongile Jonas.
E: zabalazaeasterncape@gmail.com & Cell/Whatsapp: 060 667 3413
rncape@gmail.com & Cell/Whatsapp: 060 667 3413