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INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE NO. 78 OCTOBER 2021
We need a vanguard of the poor / COP 26 & greenAmandla!
capitalism:
Issuehope 1
NO.78lies in grassroots struggles
OCTOBER 2021/ No cricket transformation without social transformation
26 | Structural problems with local government
Editorial South Africa
02 | Reclaim the local state 28 | Spin-doctoring the July chaos: dangers of
conspiratorialism
News briefs Climate crisis:
04 | News briefs 30 | COP 26 and green capitalism: hope lies
in grassroots struggles
Feature: local government - Labour
system failure 32 | The double-edged sword - Cosatu and
Numsa strikes
06 | Manifesto
Sport
08 | Local government interviews 33 | No cricket transformation without social
16 Is remunicipalisation the answer for transformation
local government?
14 | The priority should be affordable services, International
not income for local government
36 | 9/11 How the USA’s - and UK’s - hubris
16 | Isgovernment?
remunicipalisation the answer for local met its nemesis
Culture
18 | The water crisis and lack of political will in
Nelson Mandela Bay 38 | Every month is for women jazz
musicians: the South African case
19 | Scarcity of water increases private market
in Mbizana, Eastern Cape
44 | Book review: was it a breakthrough?
20 | Why are our taps dry in Gauteng?
It’s yellow versus blue in Nelson Mandela
22 | Bay: where are the red and green?
24 | We need a vanguard of the poor
20 Why are our taps dry in
Gauteng?
26 | Structural problems with local government
38 9/11: how the USA’s – and UK’s –
hubris met its Nemesis
We welcome feedback
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Amandla! Issue NO.78 1 OCTOBER 2021
RECLAIM the local state
A
FTER THE 2021 LOCAL in coalition governments in a few truthfulness. In one isolated case of former
government elections on 1st municipalities; councillor Simphiwe Zwane, who stood and
November, the overall architecture ● The return of the IFP in parts of KZN; got elected on a social movement ticket in
of the neoliberal local government ● The possible rise and presence of Johannesburg, we saw her consistently and
system will remain largely unchallenged. A explicitly xenophobic and racist political actively supporting popular struggles.
major factor enabling this is the strategic forces as elected public representatives; It means movements and councillors
and programmatic weaknesses of and who actively affirm and display anti-
progressive mass working class ● Possible outlier outcomes with some of capitalist values and advance a people-
organisations, and the absence of an the independent and social movement centred morality in their personal and
effective, mass-based and dynamic Left candidates, only in a few areas. public lives.
actively organising in working class This is why the political platform
The post-elections moment is key. Left and
communities. However, in that context, we advanced by the Cry of the Xcluded is
working class forces
important. It is essentially a combination
need to look beyond
of radical, socialist perspectives and
the elections and
mass politics from below, together with
focus on sustainably
transformative socio-economic demands
building a longer-
and a commitment to full accountability
term, post elections
and transparency.
set of strategies for
transformation of Mass struggles to
local government. This make local government
can be the foundation
to challenge and
responsive
Even with the best will and commitment
overcome the deep-
to the broad working class, any radicals
seated municipal crisis
occupying council seats will come up
and its neoliberal roots,
against significant systemic and structural
whilst also building
constraints. These will limit the possibilities
democratic popular
for the kind of radical change required.
power and alternatives
Overall, the post-1994 local
which challenge the
government system has been systematically
system. There is no
shaped by a number of factors:
short cut.
● The history of apartheid local
Beyond government,
narrow ● The limited political transition that
ended apartheid,
electoralism ● The neoliberal policy choices made
Obviously, there
by the post-1994 government, and
are advantages and
in particular the conservative fiscal
disadvantages to
framework, and
participating in
● The rise of a state-dependent parasitic
elections. A narrow
class.
The political platform of the Cry of the Xcluded is important. It is a combination of electoral path can
radical, socialist perspectives & mass politics from below, together with transformative The fiscal framework is particularly a
lead to opportunism
socio-economic demands & a commitment to full accountability & transparency. problem. It is based on the assumption that
and the capture of
local government can raise its budget from
must acknowledge the Left working class even the most radical
the sale of services (known as “full-cost
political manifesto and campaign of the Cry movements and councillors.
recovery”). So, less than 9% of the national
of the Xcluded, in the midst of many other On the other hand, there can be
budget is devoted to local government and,
independent candidates and movements significant potential for struggles opened
on average, only 30% of local government
contesting these elections. up by Left and class struggle-based
budgets comes from the national fiscus.
The political significance of the councillors in a number of municipalities.
This is a massive constraint on progressive
elections lies in the following likely trends: Such councillors can be exemplary people’s
councillors from doing anything more than
● The large number of working class councillors, committed to work hard
being an opposition in the Council.
voters who will not turn up; with their constituencies to shape an
So, what strategies must we adopt to
● The further decline of the ANC in black oppositional and transformative politics.
successfully roll back the conservative fiscal
working class areas; Such an approach requires strong
constraints on municipal financing? Not to be
● The consolidation of the DA in only a movements which continue their
forgotten are demands to meet basic needs in
few areas where it governs or holds a campaigning and ensure that councillors
the here and now, in the context of building
significant share of the vote currently; remain accountable to their communities
real local democracy. None of this can be
● Some increased support for the through regular meetings, information
carried out by isolated councillors without a
EFF, possibly including a major role dissemination, transparency and
broader mass movement actively mobilising
Amandla! Issue NO.78 2 OCTOBER 2021
and organising working class communities. Transformative struggles Communities could strategically use
Immediate struggles and demands to advance alternatives resources from the Solidarity Fund, the
correctly raise the need to end cut-offs and from below SETAs, and other public finance institutions
evictions, and to realise decent, high quality Beyond struggles for reforms to meet to overcome some of these challenges. But
and adequate delivery of basic services. immediate demands, our organising this requires effective organisation.
These services include water, electricity, has to include a longer-term agenda for In Argentina and a few other
housing that changes apartheid geography, thorough-going systemic change. How countries, workers and the unemployed
sanitation, refuse removal, street lights, do we engage activists, movements and have followed the strategy of Occupy, Resist
libraries, shelter at taxi ranks, etc.). Other communities in this project? How do we and Produce. They take over closed factories
priorities include local employment, an connect immediate demands with systemic and workplaces, resist any opposition from
end to the “user pays” principle, and an transformation so that we can challenge previous owners and the state, and then
end to the casualisation embedded in the and roll back the capitalist logic of the start to put them back into production.
Expanded Public Works Programme and market in the local state? How do popular This creates self-employment based on
Community Work Programme. forces come to own the notions of public democratic self-management.
The tender system in municipalities goods and a social wage? For example, This sounds like a distant if not
has become the main opportunity for a social wage at the municipal level may impossible dream. But the reality of the
accumulation by local elites. Many activists include municipal commonage for small ongoing job losses means that we cannot
are being killed ignore such a strategy.
either because they This is also where we can
stand against or link recently retrenched
expose corruption workers, who have trade
in a development union organising skills,
project. This points with social movements
to the need for a and communities.
major campaign to Progressive
“remunicipalise” responses to the climate
(bring service crisis have included
provision back to programmes and
municipalities) and strategies such as life
end outsourcing beyond coal initiatives,
and corruption. just transition localities,
Building from climate jobs in renewable
this, we suggest key energy, climate-wise
elements of what housing and public
can be a serious and transport. Such ideas
effective organising are already emerging
strategy from both in the struggles of
a renewed Left and communities resisting
the broader social the power of mining
Workers demonstrate in defence of “recuperated” ceramics factories in Argentina, where workers and the unemployed
movements: have taken over closed factories and workplaces and put them back into production (recuperated them). companies. They require
● Strong local support, skills, capacity
organisations farmers and urban agriculture, food parcels and resources.
with layers of skilled and effective for indigent families at least partly made
activists and leaders, from local, common produce, free public
Onwards from the
● Mobilising ordinary people to be active transport, universal wifi at the local level, elections
builders of organs of democratic mass etc. The municipal level affects each and every
power (street by street, block by block, And then there are immediate socio- household. Given rising unemployment
ward by ward), economic needs. Already, thousands of and the need to survive, organising at
● Actively building broader unity stokvels, bulk buying groups, mutual aid community level has become quite critical
and solidarity between different activities, community soup kitchens, food and vital. This means forging a renewed
communities and municipalities in gardens, and largely poorly organised mass, and class struggle-based Left in
ways that go beyond local demands cooperatives exist in villages, informal all the localities where the working class
and roll back isolation and alienation. settlements and townships. The barriers resides.
For example, the proposed campaign and struggles they face are many, including Already, in places like Makhanda,
for remunicipalisation requires a challenges around self-management, being Bitou, Botshabelo, Cape Town, eThekwini
strong and principled alliance between squeezed by bigger players in the market, and Johannesburg there exist radical
municipal worker trade unions and limited financing options, and municipal activists and movements organising
social movements, and policies and by-laws that constrain their communities on many of these issues.
● The capacity to organise across growth and potential. The challenge is to find ways to connect,
apartheid geography. We need to build effective and engage with and support this energy into
The starting point is to support activists, creative strategies, capacity and resources sustained self-agency for reclaiming the
movements and communities that are to organise around these challenges and local state from below.
facing, feeling and responding to the impact barriers, whilst also harnessing them to
of government’s anti-poor policies and the advance a progressive economic logic.
collapse of municipalities.
Amandla! Issue NO.78 3 OCTOBER 2021
failures are structural – a full cost recovery And not only are investors getting
system which simply cannot work in many huge dividends. The share price has
municipalities. But those who suffer are the increased massively as well – from a
local residents and local businesses. 12-month low, Anglo American is up 71%,
Now the Bethal Residents Association Kumba 58% and BHP 56%.
is taking the Municipality and Eskom Stack that against 4.4%, the current
to court, asking the court to bang their offer for Numsa’s engineering workers
heads together and reach agreement (who substantially service this high-
on a repayment system which would performing mining industry). Or against
prevent or limit further power cuts. How the withdrawal of the R350 to the poorest
dysfunctional is this system, that residents South Africans, only reluctantly restored
have to go to court to try to restore sanity… after massive riots. Or against the 2.3
and electricity. million households which reported child
hunger in South Africa in April/May this
It’s official: municipal year.
bills skyrocket As usual, austerity only applies to the
poor.
According to the Johannesburg Property
Owners and Managers Association, 10
years ago its council bill represented 14%
National Credit Regulator
of tenants’ household expenses. Now goes after the wrong
it is almost 24%. And that money must
come from other essentials, such as food.
crooks
The Lungelo Lethu Human Rights
Another contributing factor to the massive
Foundation has brought a R60 billion class
explosion in hunger and poverty in South
action suit against South African banks
Africa
for systematically selling repossessed
properties “for a song”. By doing this,
Mining profits amid it has defrauded the owners of those
widespread hunger and repossessed properties and enriched the
poverty buyers. The National Credit Regulator
(NCR) has a clear mission: “to support the
Once again there is a commodities boom,
Up to 20 hours a day and once again the mining companies
social and economic advancement of South
Africa by regulating for a fair and non-
without electricity know what to do with their massively
discriminatory market place for access
In Govan Mbeki Municipality, power is expanding profits – pour them into
to consumer credit”. So you would think
cut for up to 20 hours a day. This has been the pockets of their largely non-South
that it would rejoice at this lawsuit and do
going on for nearly two years and got African shareholders. Of course, investors
everything it could to assist.
worse in March last year. The cause, of are delighted. As Philipp Wörz, fund
Unfortunately, the NCR hasn’t seen
course, is the failure of the Municipality manager at PSG Asset Management, put it,
it like this. They think that it is much more
to pay Eskom bills. As we explain in the “Commodities have indeed been booming
important to fight about whether those
feature of this issue, the causes of such lately… Commodity companies will return a
who brought the case were entitled to some
lot of cash to shareholders”.
NCR documentation they
are using to prove it. So the
NCR has launched its own
lawsuit to interdict the use
of the documents. Thereby,
coincidentally, it lets the
banks off the hook. Which
leads some to ask – which
side of the fence is the NCR
on anyway?
Karpowerships:
R228 billion on
the line
The latest round in the
attempts of Karpowerships
and its friends to win
a 20-year contract
went decisively to
Karpowerships. In another
act of brazen defiance
of all procedures, the
National Energy Regulator
(Nersa) has granted the
Karpowerships’ Turkish
owners three gas-to-
Why is Gwede Mantashe so keen on this deal that his department’s non-negotiable deadline was suddenly extended electricity generation
by two months when Karpowerships needed a bit more time? licences. Now the only
Amandla! Issue NO.78 4 OCTOBER 2021
obstacle in their way is the Environment raised their voices to expose the UN’s Food strengthened their global “food value
Minister, Barbara Creecy. Since Nersa Systems Summit as only advocating one chain,” contributing to the consequences
has given no reasons for its decision, it food system - so they’re being silenced. that over 23 percent of Africans (282
is impossible to know how it managed to The United Nations Food Systems million people) still go to bed hungry every
avoid the fact that: Summit (UNFSS) was held virtually at the night.
● Environmental authorisation had been end of September. During the last year, A third criticism of the UN Food
refused by the Department of Forestry, these indigenous and farmer organisations Systems Summit is that it heralds
Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE); have raised their voices to expose the technological advances as the primary
● The internal appeal process by summit as advocating only one food answer to overcoming continuing hunger
Karpowership is still under way, system - the one that is polluting the soil, in an era of climate change. Most of us
challenging the decision by the DFFE. water, and air, and killing vital pollinators. applaud multiple revolutions in genetics
On top of that, required licences, In contrast, the food system that while we queue for vaccines, but genetic
agreements and authorisations are feeds 75 to 80 percent of the human manipulation of seeds threatens the
absent. Will the Minister be as relaxed population - smallholder farmers future of food, because ownership of the
about procedure as Nersa? And why is practicing biodiverse cropping (in line technology controls ownership of the seed.
Gwede Mantashe so keen on this deal that with the principles of agroecology) - was After appeals to transform the
his department’s agenda, many of these
non-negotiable farmers and advocates
deadline was decided to boycott the
suddenly extended summit. This “outside
by two months when resistance” included
Karpowerships African voices, who stated:
needed a bit more “The current UNFSS
time? process gives little space
to traditional ecological
Mantashe’s knowledge, the celebration
clean coal of traditional diets and
cuisine….Indigenous
Speaking of
and local community
Mantashe, while
Africans have experience
other South African
and knowledge relevant
cabinet ministers
to the current and future
were meeting with
food system. Any process
climate envoys
or outcome that does not
from the US and
recognize this is an affront
European countries,
to millions of African food
Gwede Mantashe’s
producers and consumers.”
department has
been pushing for
more investment
Nightmare
in coal. Deputy “welcome” for
Director General
Maqubela made
Afghan refugees
On the back of the
the Department’s Protest at Dungavel asylum seeker detention centre in UK. Asylum chaotic withdrawal from
position clear: “The seekers are housed in accommodation that is reported as “damp, Kabul after the defeat in
attack on coal is squalid, infested with rats, cramped, and primed for Covid infections”
Afganistan, the British
premature. Investors
government promised
who wish to continue investing in coal
only added to the agenda after months a “warm welcome” to Afghan refugees
mining, must proceed. The Department
of criticism. Those in opposition to the who had been evacuated. In reality, they
will continue processing those licenses
summit say it is advancing industrial slot into a system which currently has a
until we are certain of the viability of the
agriculture, which is the core problem, not backlog of 71,000 cases. Sometimes they
replacement”.
solution, for addressing climate change, wait months for a decision. Sometimes
This is the “logic” behind the
malnutrition, and hunger. years. Meanwhile they are housed in
provisions in the Mining and Energy
A second criticism is that accommodation that is reported as “damp,
Recovery Plan to give hundreds of millions
corporations are trying to replace the squalid, infested with rats, cramped, and
of rand to the Council for Geoscience to
UN system of one country-one vote with primed for Covid infections”. They are not
pursue the myth of “clean coal”. Pursue
“stakeholders”. This is a euphemism that allowed to work. Even if they are do get
strategies that will guarantee more severe
may sound inclusive but really only invites refugee status eventually, the government
global heating and wait and see what
those “who think like us” to the table. can try to remove them again after 30
happens with alternatives. With leadership
Smallholder farmers, who produce the months, and then again after another 30
like that, no wonder South Africa is the 12th
majority of our food, are not invited. months, for years on end.
biggest source of greenhouse gases.
This food summit is about the global If that’s a warm welcome, it makes us
wonder what a colder one looks like.
Indigenous farmers business of agriculture, not the livelihoods
of those who produce nutritious, biodiverse
silenced foods. Governments’ attempts to regulate
This is an abbreviated version of a report from global food corporations (e.g. labelling
the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate unhealthy foods, taxing sugar products)
Debt. meet strong opposition from these
More than 500 indigenous and farmer industries. Yet the corporations profited
organisations across the continents have massively from the 2008 food crisis and
Amandla! Issue NO.78 5 OCTOBER 2021
W
E ARE INDEPENDENT We have joined forces to continue OUR
movements and individuals collective struggle to transform the lives of
who have come together to the poor majority and for a life of dignity.
campaign in this local
government election under a common For us dignity means:
banner – the Cry of the Xcluded. We did ● Not going to bed hungry;
not come from nowhere, even if elections ● A decent job with a living wage;
are new to many of us. We have been active ● Well-built houses in communities
in our communities for years, where we can live without fear;
campaigning for decent housing, land, ● Decent free basic services, especially
affordable basic services, jobs and against water, electricity and sanitation;
corruption. Many of us fought in the ● Safety in our communities. and poor from uniting in struggle.
liberation struggle. ● We are anti-racist and believe in a non-
Although others have changed, we remain
We have decided to enter this election racial South Africa.
unapologetically radical. We believe people
because our country finds itself at the edge ● We are anti-xenophobia – the
make their own history. We are our own
of a cliff. The economy is so sick that it discrimination against foreigners - and
liberators. Elections are a continuation of
places the nation at a point of no return. we decry the practice of the bosses to
the struggle – not a substitute. If we are
The levels of poverty, and unemployment drive wages down by exploiting foreign
elected, we will take the struggle of the
- in particular amongst our youth, nationals and migrants from deprived
streets to the city and town halls to make
women, persons with disabilities and parts of our country.
poor people’s struggles louder.
LGBTQI + community - have reached ● We fight all forms of discrimination
We are not politicians, we are
such proportions that the country can or oppression based on the supposed
activists. Our manifesto is guided by a
be plunged into another civil war and colour of our skin, the language we
saying of one of the great leaders of Africa,
continued conflict if nothing is done. speak or because of our religious beliefs.
Amilcar Cabral: “tell no lies, claim no easy
victories.” In that vein, we will not make
empty promises. The truth shall set us free.
Sexism & gender-based
violence oppresses women!
What we stand for ● No man must lift a hand to women or
We have come together because, girls.
even though we belong to different ● Gender-based violence is not part of
organisations, we share certain values our culture.
and beliefs. The most important are: ● We are opposed to all forms of sexism
and the discrimination and oppression
Inequality is killing our of women or of any person because of
their sexuality.
country! ● Women who perform essential work
● It stands in the way of social and
in the home and community must be
economic freedom.
fully compensated, as it is the unpaid
● It tears apart our communities, and
labour of women which is the source of
makes us suffer the indignities of
their continued oppression.
Local government is in a terrible hunger, poverty and violence.
mess. In many municipalities basic services ● We stand for a Basic Income Grant of
have collapsed. Our people have to face R1500 a month for all the unemployed
Integration not new
water and electricity cut-offs, even where and those earning less than R3500 a Apartheid
they pay for services. Often raw sewage month. ● Spatial planning must be expedited to
runs downs our roads and many are in a ● We want quality public education and unify our cities, towns and villages.
shocking state. Clinics are overrun and health systems, not determined by
In addition we believe
often don’t have basic medicines. This is wealth.
● The local government fiscal
not just a result of corruption. It is also ● We are for equality based on the
framework, based on full-cost
an outcome of systematic under-funding redistribution of wealth, where
recovery for services and puny funding
of local government, budget cuts and the the mines, land, banks, factories,
from the national fiscus, is the main
outsourcing of services to profit-making cellphone networks, farms, food
cause of the crisis of local government
business interests, imposed by the ANC corporations, etc, are democratically
and must go.
national and DA provincial governments. owned and controlled by the people.
● Extreme austerity imposed by
Another major cause of this crisis is the Racism and xenophobia Treasury is becoming the most painful
deployment of incompetent political
appointees. Not only do we need a new divides us! and destructive policy for municipal
● The economic and political elites foster governance we have experienced since
vision for local government. We need a
divisions to turn poor against one the end of apartheid.
new vision for government and for the
another, to prevent the working class ● Scientific knowledge is created by both
fundamental transformation of our society.
indigenous and academic intellectuals.
Amandla! Issue NO.77 6 AUGUST 2021
We know that Covid 19, HIV-AIDS, We want
TB, etc. pose great dangers for public
health and can only be countered
well financed
through scientifically-tested municipalities
treatments, which can include western This will require a massive
and non-western medicines. increase in budgets for
● We face great dangers from climate local government. This is
change, and only the radical reduction why the Cry of the Xcluded
of emissions of greenhouse gases from commits to a hard fight:
burning coal, gas and oil to generate ● For participatory
system.
energy, as well as many other causes budgets & planning.
● Although education is not a municipal
that municipalities have control over, ● Against budget cuts.
function, to do everything in our power
can prevent more extreme storms, ● For free basic services financed
to fight to get rid of pit latrines and to
floods, heatwaves, droughts and fires. through national government
make education truly free.
● We are for a just transition where transfers.
● To provide free sanitary pads –
workers and poor communities ● To reduce top heavy management
menstruation is not a choice!
are compensated for closing down through rationalisation of bureaucratic
● For climate jobs by building
polluting industries, including in hierarchies.
municipal-owned wind and solar
many municipalities which need to be ● For higher taxes on the very rich.
plants and supporting community
restructured. ● For full accountability and
renewable energy cooperatives.
transparency, where every municipal
We believe this struggle continues today and ● To prioritise the expansion of public
contract with private companies is
must be rebuilt based on unity and solidarity. transport to ensure free and safe public
published and easily accessible.
Our campaign is not only about the crisis of transport.
● For municipal land to be made
local government or for the delivery of better ● To prioritise the employment of youth,
available for integrated housing,
services, but for a SOCIALIST South Africa especially unemployed graduates,
commonage and for food gardens; we
where the enormous wealth of this country to meet the unfulfilled needs of our
support the demand of rural women
would be freed from the greed of the few and people.
for one woman, one hectare for
be used to ensure that everyone has a decent Voting for our candidates will mean
sustainable household consumption.
life, a life of dignity. We are for people before a commitment to mobilisation and
● For municipal land and resources
profit. sustained struggle to change government
to be made available for recreation,
Unlike the politicians of the main political especially for our youth. policy. This cannot happen overnight, but
parties, we do not make empty promises. We ● For the implementation of social only through uniting our communities in
want you to vote for candidates who are part programmes for youth to provide struggle and solidarity. Our priority is not
of poor people’s movements in communities employment, cultural activities and government positions or being paid fat
and who will continue to fight against the facilities to overcome substance abuse. salaries to be a Councillor.
injustices of the system. ● To promote labour-intensive
production through municipal by-laws Our pledge
We want democratic – people before machines. Therefore we make the following pledge
● To implement effective track and to fight against being bought off by money
and people-controlled tracing for Covid-19 infections and interest groups:
municipalities. and to encourage free testing and
All candidates standing for this bloc, if
● We will fight for municipalities which vaccinations for all.
elected will:
will build and fix roads, water pipes ● To employ community health workers
● Receive a modest wage paid by their
and other infrastructure. to provide primary health care at
movement, comparable to the wages
● We will struggle to ensure that services community level as part of building a
of government or industrial workers,
are supplied in greater quantity comprehensive primary health care
and will contribute a percentage of
and quality than at present, with no
their income to movement building in
disconnections due to inability to pay,
our communities.
and no collective disconnections in our
● Refuse any position on any corporate
communities (Eskom ‘load reduction’)
board or contract with any profit-
if our neighbours cannot pay.
making company, and will have no
● We are against the tender system,
business dealings with any part of
which breeds corruption. We are
government.
against contracts and jobs for people
● Reside in the ward they are elected,
because of political connections.
make their contact details available to
● We will fight privatisation and the
the community, be available 24/7 to
outsourcing of municipal functions,
address community needs, and hold
including in the form of public private
monthly ward meetings.
partnerships. Workers should be
● Be active in community based
insourced and paid a living wage.
organisations.
● We will demand transparency of
● Respect the right of recall by
all projects, contracts and financial
the community, should they
transactions. Only through complete
lose confidence with the elected
transparency over decision-making
candidate, in properly constituted
and public ownership can we ensure
assemblies based on the principles and
equality and accountability.
commitments of this Manifesto.
7
FEATURE
Local
the government
state
movement of the – system
workers’ failure
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
INTERVIEWS
Amandla! interviewed representatives of three popular
organisations which have decided to stand candidates in the
local government elections. They were:
PETER LOBESE MOTSI KHOKHOMA AYANDA KHOTA
Active Botshabelo Unemployed People’s
United Unemployed Movement / Makana
Front Movement Citizens Front
A B U
CTIVE UNITED FRONT OTSHABELO UNEMPLOYED NEMPLOYED PEOPLE’S
derived its origin from Movement (BUM) was Movement (UPM) was
United Front. It is a result founded in 1999 to address formed in 2009 because
of the Numsa moment in massive issues of there was a vacuum. We
2013, when the United Front was unemployment, democratic started by attending IDP (Integrated
established as a front that unites the control and social injustices in a Development Plan) meetings, and
struggle of communities and the non-sectarian manner. We aim to people were saying that we’ve got to
workplace. And then in 2016, United serve both the rural and peri- do something. These people are
Front at a national level indicated urban poor communities of our taking us for a ride.
that they are not ready to contest at a province. Botshabelo is a large Then there was a shut down
national or provincial level. But they township outside Bloemfontein. in Makhanda on 16th June and a
will allow those communities who We have registered for decision was taken to say, “We are
are ready to contest to do so. the election as Botshabelo sick and tired of political parties that
We just put an “A” in front Unemployed Movement and they are cruel, that are corrupt, that are
of United Front. We used Active regard us as a political party. But not honest, that are lying, that have
United Front in order to contest. As we know, we are not a political failed us. We must dismiss them. We
it happened, we won one seat in the party, because we are operating must recall them. We must dissolve
election, and the ANC and DA won only at the local level. (MK) them”. And one way to do so, is to
six seats each. So we held the balance participate in this local government
of power and our councillor, Peter election, as a community.
Lobese, became the Mayor. So we were given that mandate
Despite the fact that Peter to form this civic structure, Makana
Lobese was ousted by the ANC and Citizens Front. (AK)
DA, AUF has grown. We are now
contesting at a District Level – the
Garden Route District. (PL)
Amandla! Issue NO.78 8 OCTOBER 2021Local government – system failure
1. WHAT MADE AND ONE MUST BE HONEST TO SAY, WE ARE ACTIVISTS. YOU CANNOT
these guys, they don’t listen, they separate our interests and those
YOU STAND IN THIS don’t care. To them, it’s all about of the community, because we
ELECTION? promises, it’s not about accountability. It’s live in the community, we are part of that
coming over and over again with the same community, and we are pursuing the
CORRUPTION, OUTSOURCING OF promises, with the same promises and problems of that particular community.
work, clinics of municipalities different promises. So, I think that makes us distinct from a
not functioning, roads bad, The right to govern our people, has political party. (AK)
factories closing at the municipal been appropriated
level, no investments coming in, local by the politicians.
There was a slogan
economy falling apart, inequality
“The people shall
growing, unemployment growing. All the
govern” and that
municipalities are dysfunctional.
slogan has been
But when you go to the budget of a appropriated by
ward, that ward every year is being given politicians, and it
a particular amount of money, that can is the politicians
change the lives of the people. But these that are in
things are not being done. (MK) government now.
It is politicians that
WE HAVE MARCHED TO THE
govern now. (AK)
City Hall to highlight the scourge
of rape in our society, the THERE
scourge of unemployment in our society, ARE
the scourge of the collapse of governance. TWO
They say “It is not our competency”. organisations
What bullshit. They are failing to collect that are
the refuse, they are failing on the dominating
electricity, they are failing on roads. But politics. It is
they think we must only fight for roads. ANC and DA. And
They don’t understand that these things people are tired
are intertwined. They don’t understand if of those two
they don’t deliver on their constitutional organisations,
obligations, like lights, it makes certain they do not want
“Corruption, outsourcing of work, clinics
people vulnerable. them. They of municipalities not functioning, roads
There is nothing that can ever be do not trust bad, factories closing at the municipal
delivered by the current status quo. It’s them anymore. level, no investments coming in, local
run out, it’s torn out, it’s finished. The And these economy falling apart, inequality
growing, unemployment growing. All the
only thing that they can do, over and over organisations,
municipalities are dysfunctional.”
again, it’s promises and promises and they don’t
promises. (AK) even change
their leaders. You find that there are
ABUSE OF POWER, POOR SERVICE WE ARE COMMUNITY
leaders that have been leading in this
delivery, and the high cost of activists who are championing
organisation since 1994, they have been
the struggle for the working
services, land questions and councillors since 1995 and they are still
class at a local level, at a grassroot level.
many other issues that the community councillors today. And they have done
So, we are a hand of the community, we
were not happy with. People in the nothing for the community (PL)
are not a political party. You can say we
communities are suffering. We are at a are a movement, a community-based
grass-root level; we are seeing this 2.WHY DO YOU THINK movement.
suffering on a daily basis. It’s going to be
worse now with Covid-19. (PL)
YOU CAN DO BETTER? At times, political parties have got a
tendency to divide the community. Ours is
WE ARE NOT A POLITICAL PARTY. just to embrace the community struggle,
Politicians don’t care We are activists. So when you because we are encouraging citizens to be
WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS are an activist, you should be active. Hence we are saying Active United
when people are taking their involved in issues that are affecting Front, it means active citizens.
mandate from political parties. your community. You can’t just relax You will find members from various
Politicians don’t care about people. But when you are an activist. You became political parties in the United Front, from
when they are going to election, they an activist because of things that you the ANC, from the EFF, from DA and others.
suddenly remember them, because they see on the ground that are not going But even in the election, they said they will
well. And that is why we are fielding stand by what United Front is going to do
want them to put them again in power.
comrades in terms of them being and they will vote for United Front. (PL)
They are not implementing whatever the
councillors. Because we want to change
communities are asking them to do. (MK)
the status quo. (MK)
Amandla! Issue NO.78 9 OCTOBER 2021FEATURE
Local
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OUR PLEDGE organisation. But also, that makes us a And accounting to the community:
We have signed a pledge including: community organisation. to say, “We were here and this is what we
promised. This is what we have done and
A living wage for councillors: Caretakers of the pledge
this is how we are moving forward”. (AK)
communities must have full This pledge is important. Your councillors
control of our councillors, because have committed to this oath. And most Mandate from our communities
they are not going to get that full salary. important, you have a very strong UPM We must take the mandate from
If you are getting R50,000 in PE, the outside, which will also be carers and our communities. Everything will
organisation and communities will agree to caretakers of that pledge, to forever remind come from communities. What they need,
pay you the living wage – R15,000, R12,500 you that you have committed to this. That what they are thinking, what you can do
at least. (MK) will continue to play that critical role that in council. So that is the backbone of us
it’s playing now. I think that can give us a participating in this election. The mandate
No corporate boards: We will refuse to sit peaceful night. from the communities, the suffering
on any boards of corporations. Politicians of the community, the demand of the
are serving in all these corporate boards, Democracy and accountability
community. (MK)
whose sole interest is to maximise profit. Before we started attending, IDP meetings
And it’s capturing them. were conducted in English and a bit of OUR MANIFESTO SHOULD BE
vernacular. But the details are hidden in localised and talk directly to
Live locally: if we get elected, our comrades English. English really excludes a majority what the municipality needs
will continue to stay where they are of people. But all that the politicians were to do. Rather than to have this blanket,
currently staying, in their respective wards. worried about was to get the white cloth centralised approach of national political
They will not hire trucks in the deep of the on the table, the bottles of water, and their parties that there’s service delivery and
night and put in their furniture and go stay chairs covered. electricity and all of that.
somewhere. We were challenging those details Our people have said, Active United
Subject to recall: we respect the because they were excluding our people. Front has been looking after us for the
right of recall. If our member is Some of these wards are quite vast. It was last five years. They will vote for the
recalled, we will not be consulting important to organise transport for people organisation that they know and they are
with a political party whose head office to attend the meetings. And also make sure used to, rather than following the old ways
is in Joburg. That makes us an activist to give notice on time. of voting.
Service delivery protest in Makhanda. “We are activists. You cannot separate our interests and those of the community, because we live in the community, we are part of that
community, and we are pursuing the problems of that particular community. So, I think that makes us distinct from a political party”.
Amandla! Issue NO.78 10 OCTOBER 2021Local government – system failure
Communities
don’t vote for a person,
or an organisation that
mushroomed during the
election. Because they will
first look at who are these
leaders, where do they come
from. (PL)
3.WHAT ARE
YOU STANDING
FOR?
OVER AND ABOVE
EVERYTHING,
the concern to us
was work, was jobs. And
that very issue was absent
in all the IDP meetings, the
question of unemployment
in this municipality. (AK)
WE ARE NOT SAYING
to people that
we are going
to do one, two, three,
four for you. People and
us, we must fight for
these things, because
we are trying to change
how municipalities are
functioning in totality. Why
do we have EPWP workers
who are not insourced by Unemployed People’s Movement Young Women’s Forum march against handling of rape cases
in Makhanda. “They say rape is not our competency. What bullshit... They don’t understand if they
municipalities? Why are
don’t deliver on their constitutional obligations, like lights, it makes certain people vulnerable.”
the people still saying in
shacks? Our comrades
our roofs, in our backyard gardens, we IT’S NOT A MATTER OF ELECTING
should be fighting on a daily basis, councillors that will represent
introduce a culture of producing our own
not only for these elections. So we are us. It’s a question of building a
food. We undermine the power of corporate
building beyond elections. (MK) movement towards and beyond the local
in deciding what to eat and not eat.
THE ACTUAL ISSUE THAT THE We can introduce climate jobs. There’s government elections. It’s a matter of
community wants is firstly a water crisis because of the climate crisis. pushing the struggle and making sure that
land. All the available pieces of We can show that climate jobs are really not the struggle takes place in those council
government land must be given to the impossible. chambers. It’s a struggle that must go on.
community for farming, for housing and And you have got these things that It’s a struggle that is going on.
other recreational activities. Number have been privatised. We can start thinking You are reaching a number of people
two is job opportunities. People will be into that. There are windmills, for example, that you wouldn’t reach under normal
able to build their own houses, if you that are privately owned instead of being circumstances. You have got to get their
give them job opportunities. Number socialised. (AK) thinking, the thinking pattern of our
three is housing. Number four is crime. people. So it’s also quite interesting. (AK)
Violence against women and children, is 4. HOW DO OURS IS NOT ABOUT WINNING
another thing. And youth empowerment ELECTIONS FIT INTO elections. Ours is about fighting,
and women empowerment. Training and
education, is also very important. Those
BUILDING BROADER whether there is an election or
no election. People were saying, we are
are the five key pillars that we think we ORGANISATION AND this group of people that is not happy
need to consider. (PL) STRUGGLE? with what the ANC, what the DA, are
A different approach
WE ARE BUILDING THE ORGANISATION doing locally. So we are not ready to go
for beyond the election, not only for and support these political parties in the
WE CAN INTRODUCE A BASIC
elections. We are always on next elections. They asked, “What are
Income Grant in Makhanda. But
the ground, we are here, five you saying? Are you saying we should
instead of giving cash, we give you
years. These elections help us to fold our arms and do nothing in this
food. With a municipality that has got more
popularise the organisation, because on a election. Or should we come together,
than six farms, you could start producing
weekly basis we are on the media talking establish ourselves and contest this
with a view to undermining hunger. And
about BUM. (MK) election?” (PL)
also extend that so that in our homes, in
Amandla! Issue NO.78 11 OCTOBER 2021FEATURE
Local
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state
movement of the – system
workers’ failure
5. IS THIS PART OF independent candidates, hear from them some of the challenges that are there. The
what it is that pushed them to contest as budget from municipalities is not enough.
BUILDING A NEW independents. Bring them into the social At the moment, who is going to
LEFT? movement. (PL) change those austerity measures? Toyi-
IF WE HAVE councillors or a toyis are not going to help. Burning streets
councillor, we’ll be building NO SOCIALISM IN ONE is not going to help. The only thing that will
change those National Treasury policies is
around them in terms of building MUNICIPALITY a movement that is based on socialism.
the Left. So that we can have a vibrant EVEN IF YOU WIN, YOU WILL NOT
political party of the left. So that we change Otherwise, in 2024, what are we going
deliver socialism in Makhanda
the situation of our people. But if we don’t to do with all these voters that we have
alone. Even if you are a
do that, if we are just saying no, we will campaigned for in this local government
revolutionist, you’d understand that you
concentrate on BUM, we will exclude election? This is the question that we could
cannot deliver socialism in Makhanda,
Amadiba Crisis Committee, we will exclude not answer in 2018.
living in South Africa. You can’t deliver
Amandla in PE, then we are not building When people conduct struggles in
socialism in South Africa, living in a
anything. (MK) their communities at a local level, who will
continent. You can’t deliver socialism
complement them at a national level? We
WE ALSO CONNECT OUR STRUGGLES. in a continent, living in a world. It’s just
are not represented there. Which means
We connect with other civic impossible.
we will toyi-toyi on the ground and people
movements that are participating Though you want to better the lives of
will be taken to prison, they will be shot
in elections, our people, but I mean, look here, you are
by police,
because because they
we are not are not toyi-
narrow. toying at a
We are also national and
building provincial
a left bloc level. And
that could national
then start to will not
challenge the change its
predatory policy and
political province will
powers in not change
this country, its policy.
in a very Because
serious and all these
meaningful actions are
way. (AK) happening
at a local
level, where
they are
not even
touched,
WHAT WE
they are
WANT TO
not even
SEE, AT THE “We must take the mandate from our communities. Everything will come from communities. What they need, what they are thinking, what
fearing the
national and you can do in council. So that is the backbone of us participating in this election. The mandate from the communities, the suffering of the
community, the demand of the community.” smell of the
provincial
tear gas.
level, is a living in an era of a neoliberalism of local
They are not even fearing the shots of the
structure or a movement or a body that will government that doesn’t have money. You
rubber bullet.
resemble the struggles that are happening have got a government that says fiscus in
National legislation and supply chain
at a local level. empty, fiscus doesn’t have money. And
policies are all hindering service delivery.
At the moment, there is no you won’t change them and say, “No
Just supply chain management processes,
organisation that is championing socialist there’s money there, there’s money in
will take you three months. You finish
policy, the working-class struggles. We that”. Because they are very rigid in their
almost half of the year with supply chain
were hoping that the SRWP, the workers austerity roll out. (AK)
processes, planning and all of that. By the
party under NUMSA, was going to fill that
MEANINGFUL CHANGE DEPENDS time it’s end of the year, financial year,
void, but it did not do well.
on the National Treasury, and some of the budget is difficult to spend.
The weakness here is the failure of a
a change in national policies, If you look at some of these creches
leading socialist movement. So all those
especially the austerity measures. The and schools, they need support, even
people that want to see policies of the Left
truth of the matter is that the austerity community gardens, they need the support
are wandering around. That’s why we
measures by the National Treasury destroy from the municipality. But the national
see them contesting as individuals or as
all these beautiful manifesto ideas and government policies, National Treasury,
community-based organisations.
then there’s a feeling that they’ve been are saying you can’t support those kind of
We just need a coordinator at a
promising people. When you look at the organisations. (PL)
national level that will properly coordinate
and merge these local struggles, call these budget, it’s totally not enough to address
Amandla! Issue NO.78 12 OCTOBER 2021Local government – system failure
6.WHAT IS YOUR The ANC will allow DA to dominate asking as the community. Transparency
and DA will allow ANC to dominate, but they around the housing allocation,
EXPERIENCE don’t want to have a small party to dominate transparency around job opportunities and
FROM BITOU? or to have influence in what is happening at increased job opportunities, getting land
a local level. I think our comrades, when they for the people, giving land to the people,
Having been in office for the last
go there, they must go there once they know giving bursaries.
5 years, Peter Lobese has some that if they work with the ANC or DA they are When you give all this to people, you
additional reflections on the playing with the lion and hyena. must not make favours or seek favours. We
experience, and some advice for just gave it, whether you are DA or ANC or
others. …and advantages what. If you qualify, you get a house. We
Influence don’t ask what organisation you belong to.
Challenges… These communities are saying to the We said as long as you are a beneficiary,
The jealousy from these two political political parties that politics are not your whether you are EFF, DA you will get
organisations, DA and ANC. If they are monopoly, to us at a local level. If we come employment, you will get a house according
elected, they must know that they will be together, we can be able to force you to to the housing policy, according to the
dealing with that. It’s like you are sleeping listen to us. We can force you to sit down recruitment policy of the municipality,
with the lion or you are sleeping with the in the council chamber with us, even if you according to the bursary policy. It’s for
hyena. Even if you go into coalition with don’t want. Whether they like it or not, that reason that now people started to have
them, if you sleep with any of them, the they are hearing the voice of the Active confidence in Active United Front. And they
chances are tomorrow we will not see you United Front in each and every council want to give us another chance to be there
alive. On a daily basis they want to destroy meeting, in each and every workshop. again, to continue to champion the very
you. We influence policies, we influence same things that they are doing.
Sometimes the ANC councillors budget. So we have said - we are having a
know all the ministers in the province or Unite for implementation
seat, we will not vote for this budget if it
the departmental ministers. Behind your The only thing that we are a friend with
does not address A and B. We will not vote
back, they will tell the minister not to is that service delivery combat plan
for this policy if it’s a capitalist policy. And
implement certain projects, because if they and its implementation. Because that
that itself has given the community power.
implement those projects they will be to service delivery combat plan is composed
And you have seen the change that has
your benefit as a mayor of a small party, of DA manifesto, ANC manifesto and
happened in Plettenberg Bay. The people
and they don’t want
you to shine. Because
once you deliver that,
they will put you at
another level in the
community.
The ANC are not
prepared to respect
any other political
party. They have
got this political
monopoly. It is either
you allow them to
dictate, or else, if you
don’t allow them to
dictate, everything is
wrong. And everything
must be destroyed.
Rather than working
and complementing
other parties, they
want to destroy what
Gardens in Makhanda. “With a municipality that has got more than six farms, you could start producing with a view to undermining hunger.”
we are doing, the good
we are doing, so that it
should be implemented by them. are saying it has never happened before.
For example, I came with a lot of our manifesto. We looked at those
That is why you have seen the growth of
programmes. I got land and all of that; commonalities, those common issues that
Active United Front in that community.
things that they have been failing to get over we say we are all championing for this
It’s because of championing these socialist
the past years. I challenged the national community. You will find the ANC and
policies which are poor orientated.
minister, provincial minister and I got those DA are talking nicely - they are going to
through. But at the verge of implementing it, Transparency give this and this. Things that we will also
they don’t want you to be seen as somebody In the beginning, ANC and DA people did identify as important in the community.
that implemented those plans. They want not understand this United Front thing. But, But they don’t implement that, they
to implement themselves. So they will do after we’ve been in government, it is only don’t do anything about it. So if you fail
anything to discipline you, to suspend you, then they said no, this party when it’s in to do that, we will review the coalition
to destroy you. government, it exactly did what we’ve been agreement and we will cancel it. (PL)
Amandla! Issue NO.78 13 OCTOBER 2021FEATURE
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THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE
AFFORDABLE SERVICES,
not income for local government
By Tracy Ledger
T
HE NEW POST-1994 STATE
envisaged a central role for local
government to deliver the
promised “better life for all”. The
blueprint for this new form of local
government was laid out in the 1998 White
Paper on Local Government. The planned
changes to the structure and operation of
local government under the new
Constitution were considerable: the White
Paper imagined an entirely new kind of
municipality, with radically different
authorities and obligations. South Africa
would (for the first time) have wall-to-
wall municipalities, and local government
would now deliver far more services to
many more people.
South Africa has been given a rare and Although 85 per cent of all South African households have an electricity
connection, most low-income households with such a connection still
historic opportunity to transform local use other sources of energy (coal, gas, wood, paraffin, candles etc).
government to meet the challenges of
the next century. ... the existing local
government’s funding requirements. The goal of reducing poverty and inequality.
government system will be radically
White Paper assumed that income from Effective access has two components:
transformed…. (into) a system of local
property rates and services charges would ● Physical access - infrastructure and
government which is centrally concerned
be sufficient to finance 73 per cent of all service delivery that ensures a reliable
with working with local citizens and
local government aggregate operating and quality service, and
communities to find sustainable ways to
expenditure requirements, as indicated in ● Affordability - services that are
meet their needs and improve the quality
Table 1. Operating expenditure includes unaffordable cannot be accessed.
of their lives.
all staff costs, office accommodation, The 1998 White Paper emphasised the
White Paper on Local Government, payments to bulk services providers, all importance of affordable basic services
1998 other non-capital costs associated with in achieving the goal of universal access.
When services are
Providing basic unaffordable for
services to be poor households,
their contribution
developmental to poverty
tool and source reduction is eroded.
of income Unfortunately,
In order for these neither the
ambitious goals to White Paper nor
be achieved, a just- any subsequent
Table 1: White Paper proposed contribution of different income sources to own revenue and to total legislation provided
as-radical new fiscal operating expenditure
framework for local a clear definition of
government was required. It had to delivering services, and infrastructure “affordable”.
ensure that all municipalities had access maintenance. The White Paper did not see any
to sufficient resources to discharge Because of the assumption that local conflict between these two goals —
their mandates. The local government municipalities can self-fund most of their services priced at a level that all households
fiscal framework (LGFF) is the set of expenditure, the national budget only could afford, and services priced at a level
arrangements that should ensure that contributes a relatively small funding that would ensure sufficient income for
municipalities in aggregate have enough top-up (less than 10% of total operating local government. The clear assumption
money to fund their developmental expenditure requirements) via the was that there was a point of convergence
agenda. equitable share and conditional grants. in tariff setting at which both goals could
The basis of the LGFF is that own But universal access to services is also be achieved — and the current municipal
revenue will contribute most of local a critical part of South Africa’s long-term financial system is based on this.
Amandla! Issue NO.78 14 OCTOBER 2021You can also read
