Membership form for the sacp estimated to date to the early 1990s. Based on the dutch princes flag, it contained the flag of the united kingdom, the flag of the orange free state and the flag of the south african republic in the centre. The anc and the south african communist party in exile ellis, stephen, sechaba, tsepho on. The growing numbers, activity and enthusiasm of the young communist league branches in south africa is perhaps the most encouraging feature. Lerumo, 1 book joe slovo, 1 book gerard ludi, 1 book nelson mandela, 1 book ellis, stephen, 1 book smith, janet, 1 book dan mokonyane, 1 book a. Communist party of south africa cpsa south african communist party sacp the communist party of south africa cpsa was established in 1921 with close links to moscow. The party was originally an afrikaner ethnic nationalist party that promoted afrikaner interests in south africa. The south african communist party sacp is something of a historical anomaly. The south african communist party in the context of the collapse of socialism in the soviet union.
Copy in archive for contemporary affairs, university of the free state. The communist party of south africa was founded in 1921 by the joining together of the international socialist league and others under the leadership of willam h. South african communist party heartfelt condolences to. At the end of july 2002 the south african communist party will celebrate its 11th congress. Branches are being established in various centres in the transvaal, cape colony and natal, and it has long passed the stage of a mere debating society. The south african communist party has a long history as the political. The communist party of south africa cpsa was founded in 1921 as an autonomous section of the comintern. It was founded in 1921, was declared illegal in 1950 by the governing national. The large mining concerns, facing labour shortages and wage pressures, had announced their intention of engaging blacks in semiskilled and. Reuters april 9, 2017 remembering south african struggle hero chris hani. The delay had been due to fears amongst some in the sacp leadership that a premature announcement might prejudice work in the liberation movement as a whole. The book is a short biography covering part of mofutsanyanas eventful life, a period of turbulence within the communist party of south africa, of which mofutsanyana was at one point general secretary.
Pdf this article examines the sacp and its role in contesting the hegemonic project of neoliberalism in the postapartheid. South african road to socialism communist party of india. They saw the conflict as one between capitalists and imperialists, and believed that workers should not become involved in the war. Its initial membership was largely white but by the 1930s it had won some support in. South african communists closely watched developments in soviet russia and established relations with the communist international comintern even before the communist party of south africa cpsa.
It is now eight years since the country celebrated the first democratic elections after the end of apartheid in 1994. We are drawn from over 7, 000 sacp branches from across our country and from the ranks of the young communist league of south africa. This article previously appeared in pambazuka news. Initially known as the communist party of south africa cpsa, the party changed its name to the south african communist party sacp in 1953, after it had been forced underground. At issue is whether this decline in the intensity of shopfloor democracy has resulted in a growing representation gap between workers and their elected representatives. South african communist party is procapitalist and antisocialist by zwelinzima vavi. Jul 20, 2017 many portside readers follow developments in the international socialist movement, including recent developments in south africa. While philemon masinga will be remembered mainly for the wonder goal which took south africa to. South african communist party wikipedia republished. The reconstitution of the south african communist party as an underground organisation raymond suttner it is some 50 years since the formal reconstitution of the south african communist party sacp as an underground organisation. Metrowich scanned and converted to pdf by shangani, may 2005 contents. Statement of the south african communist party on nelson. The history of the liberation struggle in south africa, particularly in the period 1950 to 1994, is marked by a close but complex relationship between the african national congress anc and the south african communist party sacp. Founded in 1921, and a part of the tripartite alliance with anc and congress of south african trade unions cosatu.
Moreover, its forthright tone balances the indulgent piety of much other writing on the anc and sacp. The south african communist party sacp conveys its heartfelt condolences to the family of former bafana bafana star, philemon masinga, for the loss of their son, and to the south african masters and legends football association, the south african football players union and the nation at large. South african communist party, johannesburg, gauteng. Edgar bases his account on extensive archival work both in south africa as well as in russia, and has some notable interview material. The south african road to socialism is an internationalist roadbut it is also profoundly. However in the early 1990s it became a south african civic nationalist party seeking to represent all south africans. The party said in the statement a white south africa was impossible, and that workers had to organise and unite regardless of their race to. South african communist party sacp the omalley archives. Communist party of south africa cpsa south african. Until 1989, namibia was known as southwest africa, an anti communist country controlled by south africa. The reconstitution of the south african communist party. The flag of the party shall be red with the symbol placed in the top lefthand corner. The south african communist party sacp has historically been a formidable.
It is a partner of the tripartite alliance with the african national congress and the congress of south african trade. The national democratic revolution documents politicsweb. South african communist party marxists internet archive. The sacp typically enters its candidates on the ancs lists, as do the south african national civic organization and the trade union federation cosatu.
If the freedom charter was the glossy brochure for national liberation, the road to south african freedom was the. Edwin thabo mofutsanyana and the communist party of south africa 19271929 hidden histories series. It was founded in 1921, was declared illegal in 1950 by the governing national party, and participated in the struggle to end the apartheid system. The following is an extract from the road to south african freedom, the programme of the sacp adopted in 1962, and published in the african communist vol 2 no 2 janmarch 1963. This work is an important contribution to the understanding of the early african communists and how they battled with nationalism in their newly. Pdf this article draws extensively on an activist archive held at the university of witwatersrand in order to analyze an important historical struggle. A nickname for the flag was oranje, blanje, blou afrikaans for. The communist threat to the free world would, if one were to judge by the mass indoctrination by. It was also used in southwest africa when the territory was under south african rule. Pdf the south african communist party sacp in the post.
The article concludes by examining the implications for union democracy of the recruitment of a large proportion of shop stewards into the south african communist party. If the freedom charter was the glossy brochure for national liberation. Sacp historical documents and its publications, african. Edwin thabo mofutsanyana and the communist party of south africa 19271939. Mar 15, 2005 at the end of july 2002 the south african communist party will celebrate its 11th congress. The south african communist party, which helped propel jacob zuma to power, regrets replacing thabo mbeki with a cult figure and putting too much trust. It is a partner of the tripartite alliance with the african national congress and the congress of south african trade unions cosatu and through this it influences the. The factionalist and sectarian behavior of the south african communist party leadership has today turned the trade union movement in south africa into a lap dog of capitalism. Comrades against apartheid indiana university press.
The formation of the cpsa in 1921 was a turning point in the development of labour politics in south africa. The genesis of the ancs armed struggle in south africa. Yet it will be argued that the communist underground, throughout. Download free the african communist book in pdf and epub free download. South african communist party simple english wikipedia. Originally published on in honor of african american history month, the third article in our series on the communist partys 90th anniversary surveys a few documents written by leading african american party members in the struggle against racism. Members of the south african communist party sacp sing and dance with a poster of chris hani. In 1950, the communist party of south africa cpsa, threatened with legal. No labour movement without the black proletariat, 1917 to the workers of the bantu race, 1918 manifesto of the communist party of south africa, 1921 a helots bill of rights, 1923 on the expulsion of communists from the icu, 1926 the south african question, ecci resolution 1928 our annual conference an inspiring gathering, 1929. There is the anc african national congress, the sacp south african communist party and cosatu congress of south african trade unions who, due to their numbers, dictate policy as it suits them. By staff of sacp we, 1, 819 communist militants, have met over the past five days as delegates to the sacps 14th national congress in ekurhuleni, gauteng. Pdf download the african communist free unquote books. Bolsheviks constitute themselves an independent marxist party 8 brief summary 143 chapter five the bolshevik party during the new rise of the workingclass movement before the first imperialist war 1912 1914 1.
South african communist party sacp in 1915 the leftist members of the unionbased white labour party broke away because of the partys stand on world war one. The communist party of south africa is the only party of native and white workers that fights for the complete abolition of race and national exploitation, that can head the revolutionary movement of the black masses for liberation. Political analysis of south africa by the sa communist party. This comprehensive history describes how the south african communist party has not only survived but flourished in a harsh political environment. South african communist party how is south african communist party abbreviated. South african communist party how is south african. The papers in this collection are all drawn from contributions made to a conference on opposition in south africas new democracy which was hosted by the department of political studies, rhodes university and the konrad adenauer foundation, at kariega park in the eastern cape, 2830 june 2000. South african socialism was variegated, crystallizing into communist and trotskyist tendencies, and the organizational pluralism facilitated intellectual debate. The administrator of each province was appointed by the central government and presided over an executive committee representing the majority party in the council.
The national party soon stopped praising the bolsheviks, but the effect of the revolution on the nascent communist party was important and lasting. Nearly 900 delegates will meet to discuss the challenges facing revolutionaries in south africa and the world today. The south african communist party joins the people of south africa. The south african communist party joins the people of south africa and the world in expressing its most sincere condolences to ms. Scp is a communist party in the republic of the sudan. This is africanstyle democracy and another example of why democracy is a huge failure.
In the first half of the 1950s, communist concentration in africa. Graca machel and the entire mandela family on the loss of what president zuma correctly described as south africas greatest son, comrade mandela. Young communist league of south africa yclsa south. The statement is accessible in the book south african communists speak containing original documents from the history of the south african communist party, 19151980, published by inkululeko, 1981.
South african communist party is procapitalist and anti. South african communists speak inkululeko, 1981 contains this and other documents from the history of the south african communist party, 19151980. In january 1922, less than six months aftertho, q 0 0 60 3 the communist party of south africa white s p r. But growing pressure from the rank and file of the sacp for a more. He is ronnie kasrils, the minister of intelligence here in south africa. South african communist party sacp south african history. The ultimate aim of the party is the building of a communist society. In an era when communist organisations have crumbled, the sacp emerged in 1990 from years of exile to build an organisation of some 75,000 members by 1995. Pdf the south african communist party in the context of the. Communist party of south africa political party, south. In celebrating the 60th anniversary of the south african communist partys sacps publication, the african communist, secretary general and editor in chief of the quarterly journal blade nzimande highlighted the sacps role in progressive and alternative media. Communist party and african american equality a focus.
It first came to prominence during the rand revolt, a strike by white miners in 1922. African communist, 1959 1994 digital innovation south. Edwin thabo mofutsanyana and the communist party of south africa 19271939, by robert edgar. Let me show you a rabid communist of the worst kind. History of the communist party of the soviet union 1939. He is a member of the south african communist party. Manifesto of the communist party of south africa radio. The south african communist party sacp is a communist party in south africa. In recent years he was the general secretary of the south african communist party. Statement of the south african communist party on nelson mandela. South african communist party, the largest and oldest communist party in africa, a marxistleninist formation. The african national congress anc is the governing party of south africa, supported by its historial tripartite alliance with the congress of south african trade unions cosatu and the south african communist party sacp.
The recreation of a communist party in south africa in the 1950s. The communist party of south africa, which has been formed by the union of the former international socialist league s. Public statement on the strike, issued by the cpsa on the occasion of the strike in 1922. Its founding was rooted in disagreements among south african party politicians, particularly prime minister louis botha and his first minister of justice, j. The south african communist party, in its 1984 constitution, declares that its aim is to lead the working class towards the strategic goal of establishing a socialist republic and the more immediate aim of winning the objectives of the national democratic revolution which is inseparably linked to it.
Under communism a highly organised society of free. It is now clear that the south african communist party sacp was the first. Manifesto manifesto of the south african communist party. Each was governed by a whiteelected provincial council with limited legislative powers. The south african communist party was founded in 1921 and has always been in the forefront of the struggle against imperialism and.
Wikimedia commons has media related to south african communist party. Pdf after more than twenty years since the collapse of socialism in the soviet union, the south african communist party. Bonile is a shop steward in the south african municipal workers union. The full text of 19851990 issues are online from the digital imaging project of south africa, disa. Founded in 1912 as the south african native national congress, it aimed to bring africans together to defend their. The national party was founded in bloemfontein in 1914 by afrikaner nationalists soon after the establishment of the union of south africa. Iii aims the communist party is the leading political force of the south african working class and is its vanguard in the struggle for national liberation, socialism and peace in our time. The sacp did not publicly announce its existence until the state of emergency was declared by the government after the police massacres of sharpeville and langa in 1960. Formed in 1921 as an umbrella organization of leftist groups. Other articles where communist party of south africa is discussed. Sacp historical documents and its publications, african communist and umsebenzi, are available online. Supreme court declared these unconstitutional in stromberg v. It is undoubtedly the document with the greatest influence on african national congress ideology. Founded in 1946, it was a major force in sudanese politics and one of the two most influential communist parties in the arab world the other being the iraqi communist party.
Edwin thabo mofutsanyana and the communist party of south africa 19271929 hidden histories series edgar, robert on. Nasionale party, also known as the nationalist party, was a political party in south africa founded in 1914 and disbanded in 1997. South african communist party wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Unita rebels received supplies, aid and thousands of south african afrikaner troops to help her fight off the sovietbloc invasion of angola during the 1970s and 80s. South african communist party, struggles for freedom on jstor. The magazine was started by a group of marxistleninists in october 1959 and has been part of many other media outlets. Programme of the south african communist party 1962 the road to. The hollowingout of trade union democracy in cosatu.