Originally published in Inqaba ya Basebenzi No. 2 (April 1981).
by T. Phiri
Supporters of Inqaba and activists in the liberation struggle may or may not have seen a hostile and vicious attack which appeared in the Rand Daily Mail on 16 February, 1981 under the heading “ANC whites start splinter worker group”.
Essentially it alleged the formation of a “splinter movement in Britain to concentrate on workers and trade unions”. It went further to say that the name of the “new movement” is the Marxist Workers Tendency of the African National Congress, and added “though the movement uses this title, the leadership dissociates itself from the ANC”.
We summarise here the major points of the memorandum that we have sent to members and fellow-workers of the Media Workers Association of South Africa and to the South African Society of Journalists.
Against the press monopoly of the millionaires in South Africa, Inqaba stands for a free press under workers’ democratic control. This is why we sent our complaint against the RDM to the trade unions of the media workers.
Inqaba regards with contempt the attempt at lies, slander and division by the apartheid bosses’ journalism as clearly reflected by the RDM article. Contrary to capitalist naked lies:
- Inqaba is the journal of a definite current of thought within the ANC. This current is the Marxist Workers Tendency of the ANC.
- Inqaba calls without apology for the building of the ANC inside South Africa, as a mass force above all of black workers. In this way it identifies and promotes the actual basis of organised unity. It fights for a socialist programme in the mass movement and stands for the overthrow of the factory, mine, farm and bank owners – the road forward to the liberation of all the oppressed.
- Far from needing any “new movement”, the workers of South Africa have an existing fighting movement – a mass movement which is beginning to place its stamp on every aspect of life. Inqaba fights for the conscious building and strengthening of the leading role of the working class under the banner of the ANC. The Marxist Workers Tendency is part and parcel of the ANC and will steadfastly remain so.
- Inqaba emphasises that our struggle is international – the lessons drawn from the struggles of our brothers and sisters throughout the world will strengthen our determination to destroy once and for all capitalism, the enemy of all the hopes and desires of our people.
- Finally, Inqaba underlines that only socialism, meaning workers’ democracy, can replace capitalism and bring an end to national oppression, exploitation and poverty.
