[Debate] I Thus Caught That Colonial Mind-Set At Work

Mon Apr 16 13:05:46 BST 2012

I tend to agree with you, Mzi. We need to look at our situation/s with clear
eyes and be bold about our failings and flaws. I would love to see some
'fruitful and meaningful' analysis that would enable us to understand what
exactly would make for more powerful, broader movements (or a movement) that
could effect change that improves lives, reduces inequality, takes us
forward instead of backward.

M

From: debate-list-bounces at fahamu.org [mailto:debate-list-bounces at fahamu.org]
On Behalf Of Mzimasi
Sent: 16 April 2012 01:50 PM
To: 'Debate is a listserve that attempts to promote information andanalyses
of interest to the independent left in South andSouthern Africa'
Subject: Re: [Debate] I Thus Caught That Colonial Mind-Set At Work

Hi Comrades

Just in the level of following certain political debates, especially debates
relating to social movements and their mode of oparations in connection with
the role of academia and Left intellectuals. I find it strange that a lot of
academics and intellectuals are still romanticising social movements. As an
activist in the social movements in Cape Town and working together with
other movements around the country, I came across what I would call a
political deaseas. This political deaseas has been taking place in the
relationship between some of the social movements and academics in South
Africa. Academics who popularise certain movements while doing gatekeeping
for certain movements, romanticising some movements while downplaying some
movements. This is an unhealthy political situation and a political jem for
the building of an alternative revolutionary movement in South Africa. 

I fully agree with Bomke in a number of things that he has articulated about
the relationship between academics and social movements leaders. I mean I
talk out of my own experience, irrespective of what Bomke is saying.
Comrades turn to lye about their membership numbers, they mention big
numbers when speaking about their constituencies.  Comrades turn to mention
30 to 40 community organisations who are their constituencies, but in
reality it is only six communities. Comrades turn to speak of thousands to
attend a particular march from 30 communities only to find out that the
attendance is 30 people from 8 communities. 

Comrades there is no point in hiding our shrinking number in communities and
memberships. We don't have to hide our internal problems, financial or
otherwise, but if our organisations are weak we must pretend as if they are
still strong. Our role as activists and militants including academics is to
tell the truth to the world about the state of affairs in our organisations.
If our organisations are rotten we must't be shy to say they are rotten and
if they in coma or they are dead we must say it. There is no room for
romanticising the movements whiel they are incompl,ete decline otherwise we
won';t be in postion to say what is the state of our movements so that we
can derive correct strategies and tactics for our wayforward. If we continue
to romanticise our movements we will always apply wrong strategies and
tactics and we won't ever know as at what stage our the development our
movements is, and that is a recipe for dissaster. 

I think those who write about the movements should reflect the truth if we
are to build an alternative revolutionary mass movements in South Africa. In
conclussion, it is clear that all of our movements are in a complete
decline, shrinking in numbers, no proper organisational structures to
sustain our movements, they are very sectarian, unable to build a national
character of their struggles. This is irrespective of the current service
delivery revolts tat engulf the country at the moment, but even the current
revolts have not come at any nearer to building a national character of
their struggles, let alone coordination. What we currently see id the
building of artificial networks and united fronts built by the Left that I
regard them as substitute for the working class organisations as these are
not derived in struggles. 

Lastly, my interest in these debates is to get fruitful and meaningful
analysis that begins to reflect the true nature of our movements to be able
to chart a better wayfoward for socialist project. It is also unhealthy for
the academia to just defend an unjust, unhealthy situation in our movements
and the academia should learn to take part in the actual struggles to be
able to reflect correctly about the community struggles.

Revolutionary Greetings.    

Mzi (ILRIG/SMI)

  _____  

 From: debate-list-bounces at fahamu.org
[mailto:debate-list-bounces at fahamu.org] On Behalf Of Mandisi
Sent: 16 April 2012 12:11 PM
To: debate-list at fahamu.org
Subject: Re: [Debate] I Thus Caught That Colonial Mind-Set At Work

hello

are you talking to me? 

if you are, am not sure how you expect me to take you seriously when you
seem to insinuation that the four articles I've submitted here are 'bitchy'.
how is the critical review I've done on Bohmke's work different to what you
do for a living? 

Mandisi

On 16 April 2012 17:54, David Everatt <David at everatt.co.za> wrote:

I don't know any of the personalities or your sub-currents of who-said-what
so forgive me for not being able to grasp all that, which seems to be
pertinent if bitchy (and thus enormously readable). What I am wondering is,
what is a 'Black social movement', which all of you (I think) have referred
to? Sometime they are just social movements; then they appear as South
African social movements; and then they appear again as Black (your upper
case) social movements. I get the point that white
domination/manipulation/whatever is being battled over, but are these
movements being defined, or defining themselves, in racial terms? Are we
really heading down that path?

de 

From: Heinrich Bohmke <bohmke at gmail.com> 

Reply-To: Debate is a listserve that attempts to promote information and
analyses of interest to the independent left in South and Southern Africa
<debate-list at fahamu.org>

Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:19:13 +0100
To: Anna Majavu <annamajavu at gmail.com>
Cc: Debate is a listserve that attempts to promote information and analyses
of interest to the independent left in South and Southern Africa
<debate-list at fahamu.org> 

Subject: Re: [Debate] I Thus Caught That Colonial Mind-Set At Work

 It is mainly a pity
> for you because you are now typecasting yourself as an over-privileged
> white South African who frequently writes very demeaning things about
> Black people in the guise of your self-appointed role as the
> 'de-romanticiser' of Black movements. Yes there are a few people who
> buy your arguments, but they are very few and if you reflect on their
> motives, you will surely notice that they too are people who are not
> content to let Black township folks run their own movements.

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