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

Wed Apr 18 02:26:45 BST 2012

Khadija, the statement that Bohmke is a "target" is a myth. He has
written several articles attacking a number of personalities, and now
some of us are responding. If he didn't want responses, or if he
expected people to respond to him without mentioning his name, that is
most unrealistic. Clearly then he shouldn't have written any articles
in the first place. Note that when he doesn't write anything, most of
us just ignore him, hence his claim that he is a "target" is way off.

On Tue, Apr 17, 2012 at 12:07 PM, Khadija Sharife <kalebron at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Anna
>
> This is a very good point: " White leftists applying for funding from donors
> and giving their own bank account numbers to receive the money, which was
> then never accounted for, were also a perennial problem for many years in
> the early 2000s.."
>
> Interestingly, you don't seem to have mentioned some names of the 'leftists'
> that perfectly fit the bill of the 'colonial mind' or those that are happy
> to be colonised - some of the former motivating for funds from organizations
> like Rosa Luxembourg granted to such people who don't have (or want)
> auditors, don't disclose funds to their members, remove founding members
> when they question accountability/ use of funding, facilitate flow of funds
> to their family accounts, rarely inquire as to what members would like to
> invest such funding in etc.
>
> You are a great journalist, so I'm sure you are distinctly aware of the
> structural nature (and inner workings) of the upper hierarchy of movements
> you claim are unfairly targeted? Members of these types of organizations are
> often exploited and used, even as they are the most marginalised,
> dispossessed.
>
> More interestingly, Bohmke is not part of the 'leftists' (whatever their
> color) that are cashing in on the fallacy of the development industry (a
> wonderful reform cushion for capitalism)...
>
> So why is he a target? He has no financial, academic, reputational etc
> interest, except to speak of his experiences in hindsight, as regards a
> model of branding that he and others, helped to cultivate about a decade ago
> (in which ventriloquism was central, and they thought, necessary)....
>
> The real questions should be, in my view - what are the innate fault lines
> with the way in which social movement models are constructed and financed,
> where funds are channeled through certain types of specialists creating
> narratives rather than documenting such?  Does the development industry of
> which social movements (as they are largely and currently constructed)
> constitute part of the problem, instead of the solution, if they attempt to
> negotiate within a system where the power that is challenged is also the
> same power that is affirmed? Where collective will is expressed through
> self-defeating means (we will vote for the capitalist ANC if they give us
> more bread, pushing boundaries within boundaries)? Has the development
> industry depoliticised social movements preventing scrutinisation of power
> imbalances (as those writing the speeches, informing the leaders, often
> depend on this system of power for their own)?
>
> One much defended social movement, admits, sadly, to previously being rented
> out by the City of Durban for some 100 jobs in exchange for legitimising and
> lobbying for Africa's largest dump (Bisasar) - the jobs never materialised
> but the desperation of people, as evidenced, can be easily tapped into...Its
> not possible to fault them as life is so harsh, yet one can clearly see that
> awareness can be maneuvered to serve the biggest most powerful god,
> depending on how sympathy and need is spoken too...while consciousness
> prevents that.
>
> But can consciousness be cultivated in such a disingenuous and false
> atmosphere, where prestige, career, cash etc is the goal of the academic
> branders, who place (willing or unwilling) leaders in positions where they
> must accept the imposed narrative and shape themselves accordingly, or be
> left out? And does not this shape an environment of opportunism, where the
> most inspiring leader, won't make the cut, but the busy idiots/charlatans
> etc can and do?
>
> I'm speaking at a very general level of many organizations, institutions,
> movements etc because this is a global climate that has been corrupted by
> the 'development' industry, not something specific to SA, though it can be
> identified here quite easily..
>
> The problem is that personalities have remained the focus of this critical
> dialogue, rather than the issue. The chap who has brought it up is being
> crucified even though we should be grateful, like him or not, that he is
> putting such issues on the table. The movements and leaders that can stand
> up to scrutiny and questioning can only become stronger, not weaker.
>
> Khadija
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 17, 2012 at 12:35 AM, Anna Majavu <annamajavu at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> ILRIG gets much of its funding by offering to educate social movements
>> through workshops. ILRIG used to work with unions but when they
>> declined in number and social movements started to grow, they then
>> fell upon social movements as a niche market. Even if their intentions
>> were good, there are tensions between the funded NGOs and the
>> unfunded-movements all over the world and so too in SA. This is only
>> obvious and it should not be cloaked as something else. White leftists
>> applying for funding from donors and giving their own bank account
>> numbers to receive the money, which was then never accounted for, were
>> also a perennial problem for many years in the early 2000s. Fruitful
>> and meaningful analysis would need to cover all those issues too.
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 17, 2012 at 12:05 AM, Mandi Smallhorne
>> <mandiwrite at icon.co.za> wrote:
>> > 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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>> >
>> >
>> >
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