The founding year of the Economic Freedom Fighters, is critical for the party to take cognizance of its commitment to the African continent and the oppressed peoples of the world.
The African continent has been plagued by wars driven by colonial powers over natural resources resulting in the people of the world coalesced around the common aspiration to end capitalist greed. Some liberation movements however lost their compass post liberation and others yielded from the rib of full and uncompromised liberation both political and economic continued to fight relentlessly for full economic freedom and justice.
The fight to achieve economic freedom for South Africans, the continent and the oppressed people of the world is therefore a pivotal feature of the programme of the Economic Freedom Fighters.
The EFF sees itself as a movement for continental and global economic liberation and, where needs be, political liberation of the most oppressed. It is why the EFF is characterized as a mass- based, associate and relate constantly with the grassroots and community movements, socialist, anti-imperialist and has adopted an internationalist outlook.
The Founding Manifesto of EFF makes a firm analysis that “…the struggle for economic emancipation within the long resistance of South Africans to racist colonial and imperialist, political, economic and social domination…this represents more than 350 years of Africans’ resistance against colonial and economic domination and exploitation.” (EFF Founding Manifesto, July 2013.) The Founding Manifesto continues, “More than 350 years later, the war of resistance has not been won, and the battles that were fought almost represent nothing, because 20 years after the attainment of formal political freedom, the black people of South Africa still live in absolute mass poverty, are landless, their children have no productive future, they are mistreated and they are looked down upon in a sea of wealth.”
It is against the backdrop of a bloodstained history, recent past and contemporary experience of the killing off of the buldging unemployed and underpaid working class that economic freedom for the African people remains unattained and perpetuated by economic domination and exploitation by colonial powers.
This has been further exacerbated by mass African indignation based on unbalanced economic power relations that undermines human dignity on the falsified premise of Constitutional Supremacy. The conditions of human indignity remain prevalent and on the increase in the continent and especially amongst the oppressed peoples of the world.
“The solutions we (EFF) represent is a coherent ideological tradition and draw inspiration from developments around the world on what has been done to advance the development and betterment of peoples’ lives in the aftermath of the defeat of colonialism and against imperialism.”
This discussion document aims at providing the context for which the party ought to shape its radical transformatory internationalist outlook in a capitalist driven global environment that is fraught with changes in the balance of forces and the influence that EFF will muster through its vision for economic freedom for the oppressed through its party to party relations, continental and international solidarity and campaigns in achieving progressive internationalism.
Current State of International Relations: National Interest Foreign Interest
The EFF vision for economic freedom is centered around the capitalist exploitation of the continents people in the scramble for the continents natural resources.
The outcry of the continent in light of the skewed policy stances and compromises of the African continent by the current ANC led government have resulted in the continent viewing South Africa as a sub imperial power. This is only because the economic trajectory of South Africa is fundamentally and principally flawed based on the National Development Plan and New Growth Path.
With this in mind it is impossible to align that country’s national interest in light of its policy posture to the actual national interest of the African majority. The consequence of an economy that does not prioritize domestic needs and challenges results in compromising the economy which is meant to work for national interest to prioritizing the capital forces of the world.
The lost opportunity for resistance against Western recolonisation of the continent was a dismal failure to maximise on reshifting and repositioning Africa to protect its natural resources, secure economic freedom for the continent ridden with poverty and reassert authority amidst global shifts.
The Economic Freedom Fighters views the twenty years of democracy as wasted if the ANC has not been able to craft a coherent economic path for a fundamental shift in economic power relations. The weaknesses and indecisiveness of the current government have severely compromised the African Agenda; which has resulted in a continent that has been betrayed.
Hence the fight against colonialism and imperialism is left in the hands of the Economic Freedom Fighters to ensure the national and continental security of natural resources and to destroy mass exploitation of the people.
South African foreign policy was characterized by Human Rights and Morality under President Mandela. Human rights and morality that did not clarify the economic injustice that perpetuated indignation of our people who, to date are subjected to open toilets and our people continue to live in shacks without proper sanitation and running water let alone quality education and healthcare. Hence the deliberate emphasis on economic justice above reconciliation.
President Mbeki’s term was characterized by African Renaissance and Mediation, and yet the state of conflict within the continent and interference from the West in the continent which such discontent in the role played by South Africa in the murder of Muhammed Abu Minyar Al-Gadaffi and ultimately the surrender of oil rich Libya to the West is a case in point of the collapse of the African Agenda in the hands of South Africa and the undermining of African institutions.
The current era has to this point focused on economic diplomacy and the alignment of foreign policy to domestic imperatives, peacekeeping and mediation. Tragically this is far from the reality of the current state of affairs in the continent and the intentions of the globe’s relations to South Africa. Economic diplomacy has yielded no developmental value for the country even as basic as educating the nation. It has however ensured the wealth of a few and growing rapidly in particular filling the pockets of patronage within the ruling party.
Peace keeping in the continent is demonstrated by deploying our soldiers to their death in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo let alone the off shoot of the “Arab Spring” that has resulted in growing tensions in the continent and the creation of perpetual instability. Case in point being that of Libya and sponsored upheavals and changes in regimes that have even taken the life of one of the continent’s protagonists for the protections of its shores.
Ironically the quick shifts in foreign policy and the sale of the natural resources have resulted in the unfortunate consequence of the push for the ceding of borders and a reformist approach to international relations.
South African foreign policy has lost its moral obligation to the nation and the continent and is left with individuals who seek to abuse their access to power as a means of deeming irrelevant even the most basic and fundamental principle of national sovereignty.
Experts refer to South African foreign policy as eclectic, because of its inability to take a stance on the direct challenges facing the world and more hypocritically the alignment of foreign policy to domestic imperatives places a massive burden on not only state sovereignty but equally on the states willingness to design domestic imperatives and consequentially compromise the national interest. This is the fundamental flaw of describing foreign policy as eclectic without suggesting that domestic imperatives are compromised. This results in domestic policy being at the behest of foreign demands making the nation’s current foreign policy outlook ideologically spineless.
Currently the foreign policy outlook of South Africa is one that is reformist, lacking the necessary cause for agitation and decisiveness that the African Agenda requires to place the nation and the continent on a firm grounding towards a continent that has historically been seen as the dark continent however rich with mineral and natural resources that have fuelled the most successful economies the world over and has still not left South Africa as a middle income country.
Our global status has not improved, our opinions only matter for as far the next business deal and the people of the country have not benefitted from the current approach to South African foreign policy.
To date the indigenous people of South Africa have rarely travelled in the country itself let alone the continent or the world and yet the international footprint of South African Missions abroad have grown from 36 in 1994 to 125 in 2013, making the experience of the legacy of aligning domestic imperatives to foreign policy a dream deferred as South Africans have very little interaction with the world.
The current situation of multi-lateralism is limited for as long as there is no equal sovereignty of countries around the world. Essentially muti-lateralism (as international governance) is unequal as they function politically and economically within the guidelines of Western institutions such the UN, WTO etc
South Africa’s presence in the United Nations Security Council has been insignificant reflective of its foreign policy. The Security Council, the main UN peacemaking body, still dominated by the victors of the Second World War, has not lived up to its mandate. It has allowed conflicts to proliferate and intervened arbitrarily.
United Nations Security Council remains unequal, undemocratic and unrepresentative to all countries, precisely reflecting the unequal distribution of power and Africa’s inability to push its agenda.
EFF MANDATE ON A PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL POLICY OUTLOOK
In the foreword of the Coming Revolution, a brief reflection is made of the imminent task for the Economic Freedom Fighters, “Political freedom flowed from the north and the fight for economic freedom will come from the south.”
EFF characterises SA Progressive Foreign Policy as Transformist Revolutionary, Marxist-Leninist Fanonian with an internationalist outlook with the aim of achieving Economic Freedom in our Lifetime for the African people in particular and oppressed people in general.
The direct inclination of the EFF to the left is a deliberate commitment to the working class and oppressed people not only of the country but the continent and the globe. The deliberate intention of the EFF to fight the struggles of the working class is a direct attack on capital.
EFF is fundamentally based on economic freedom in our lifetime for our people and this therefore requires that the seven non-negotiable cardinal pillars are at the centre of what is in the national interest for the EFF. Global interest cannot find expression if poverty, inequality and growing unemployment remain our challenges. It is hence that the EFF international policy outlook is one that will ensure that all international relationships are primarily in the national interest, which is to achieve economic freedom in our lifetime for our people.
Over and above the compromise of the national interest is the apartheid debt, which remains a ghost that continues to haunt the prosperity and hope of economic freedom for our people.
EFF is confident that the cancellation of apartheid debt will go a long way towards contributing to the reduction of the triple challenges. The debt incurred by the illegitimate and inhumane apartheid government was not incurred with the consent of the majority of the people in this country.
The fear of isolation by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should by no means form the argument for obligation to repay the debt because it is a fear of being cut off from International Capital. This should be the basis for which we strengthen the argument for rapid domestic industrialisation with the aim of growing our economic independence out of the clutches of International capital.
EFF condemns the continued ownership of the means of production in South Africa remains in the hands of the white minority and this is perpetuated by the irony that the people of this country do not enjoy economic freedom because we are still paying the debt of the white minority. This is the double jeopardy that our people face. It is therefore that the EFF calls for the immediate cancellation of apartheid debt as apartheid has been declared a crime against humanity and hence this is a violation of International Law.
Traditionally, Western propaganda has classified this as terrorist as was the classification of Naxalism in India. Naxalism is a movement of a very radical group of Indian Communists. The movement began with a peasant upsurge in West Bengal joined mainly by young people. The state however crushed the movement and this resulted in violence and domination of the area.
This implies that the collective efforts of all sectors and stakeholders in our society domestically, continentally and globally ought to weigh in towards our vision.
South Africa has to weigh in on the fallacy that the center of gravity is moving from the traditional North to South. This is so because the imperialist powers irrespective of sanctions have never surrendered the strategic positioning of South Africa and have always optimized the benefits of our location to our international friends and foes.
The historical geo political context and location of international relations have not changed substantively because South Africa’s economic value has long been realized as the gateway to the world. Hence EFF does not celebrate any quantifiably justifiable value on the lie that there has been a shift in the center of gravity from North to South this is merely putting old wine into new wine skins and the greater fool is the one who is seduced by such falsified trade charm talk.
To be granted a sudden sense of importance and to celebrate such by the West is the most willful concession and collusion with neo imperialism and neo colonialism of the continent and SA.
The EFF therefore reaffirms that no change has accrued to South Africa’s international position pre and post democracy as we remain exploited, colonized and still developing.
The EFF therefore calls for the reaffirmation of the South as having been the only center of gravity and its reassertion that Africa is the source of life of the world.
This requires us to reflect briefly on the impact of globalization to date and its future impact in the scramble for Africa’s natural resources and the exploitation of the people of the continent having direct or indirect consequences.
An observation of the shifts in global political, trade and economic patterns have demonstrated through growing interest and “investment” that the South has become the hub of the coming generations supply and pending prosperity.
The scramble over who and how will such access be gained is witnessed by the West taking the continent to Washington to sell out her natural resources and human capacity off her shores. Notwithstanding the precarious position of the continent’s obligations to BRICS and the growing South and geo political South phenomenon there remains a lot to be qualified in terms of the continent’s continued obligation to formation to its former colonial masters like that of the Commonwealth.
EFF will radically pursue the democratization and radical transformation of multilateral bodies so that they are reflective of the countries of the world as oppose to reflecting the economic and military strength of countries. This equally applies to South Africa’s presence in the United Nations Security Council.
The EFF must agitate for a radical transformation to the United Nations (Security Council) to be democratic and representative of the ideals and aspirations of the African people. The role of the UNSC is highly questionable as its mandate has been outdated as a consequence of the failings of the League of Nations since its failing after the World War II. Like all other institutions established in the name of peace these have continued to perpetuate War and division amongst the people of the African continent and the world.
The EFF rejects all international financial institutions as these institutions have at all times undermined the prosperity of the African continent and have ensured that control and the limitation of success through Structural Adjustment Programmes and indebtedness that have ultimately increased poverty and inequality on the continent.
The EFF is committed to ensuring that the IMF and World Bank and other financial institutions is committed to full development, prosperity sovereignty of the African people and the oppressed people of this world.
The intention of international relations should be in the primary to secure the economic strength and negotiating power with the world and not compromise the prime value of the continent through structures that retain its continued access and exploitation of the continent.
This applies to all international and regional institutions including NEPAD, BRICS and the Commonwealth. The analysis of institutions who seek partnership must demonstrate the value added to individual lives by eliminating poverty and correcting the vast inequalities.
EFF reaffirms that South African policy should not be to align foreign policy to domestic imperatives but as a principle point of departure to strengthen domestic policy’s resilience to neo colonialism and neo imperialism.
Furthermore it ought to be to secure that all sectors of domestic policy are impermeable on the compromise of its natural resources prior achieving the national demand on unemployment, inequality and poverty.
This would mean an uncompromising domestic economic policy based on rigorous industrialisation that would ensure that foreign demand is met at the price and supply of the domestic market and not simple lip service to a move from traditional North to South.
This requires the means of engagement to shift away from trade as an imperative for the West to granting the country and the continent retribution and investment into its rapid industrialization and the exportation of finished goods.
Hence regaining the independence and sovereignty of Africa and South Africa in particular is a fundamental policy position of the EFF on international Relations.
It is thus that the foreign policy outlook of the Economic Freedom Fighters is based on principle and not on blocs. As blocs have not yielded the immediate benefit for the continent. Africa should focus on its regional economic blocs and strengthen them as a means of building and growing intra African trade as opposed to international blocs that are yet to demonstrate their fruit.
There has been no growing influence of new formations demonstrating subsequent value to the national interest. South Africa’s participation in international formations should be based on radical economic transformation for the continent and massive development for the African continent through industrialization, this implies that new global opportunities including the Blue economy, Green economy and the Knowledge economy must find itself within an integrated approach towards industrialization.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association requires detail on integrating the Blue Economy within the context of South Africa’s trade.
A further compromise of South Africa’s economic strength has been demonstrated by Nigeria having become the economic powerhouse of Africa and moving towards becoming one of the worlds leading economies, this regardless of Nigeria’s massive population and struggles with terrorism and poverty.
The approach that must be taken by SA has to be one that is considerate of the nature of relationships it enters into. This is significant for the economy but for future prosperity for the country and the continent.
This is a clear indication that the lack of decisiveness in leadership and in consistency in SA economic policy and inability of government of manage the impasse between labour and capital.
The efforts made towards developing the continent has resulted in its inequality and poverty which is a direct consequence of globalization and as a result the closing in of resources to a few and hence limiting access to the majority.
Furthermore the EFF takes a firm stance against transfer pricing and profit shifting. This practice is corrupt and criminal and undermines the value of the continents resources. The consequence of such actions is securing capital in tax havens and hence financial theft from the borders of the continent and in particular South Africa of taxable income. The EFF calls for an immediate end to transfer pricing and profit shifting and that such criminality be declared as an international crime against humanity as it bears the consequence of deepening poverty and inequality in society.
The EFF further condemns multi nationals that dominate society and send their profits off shore whilst not advancing local empowerment further perpetuate this. The reality is that in South Africa key sectors remain dominated by multi nationals but the continued suppression of local competition is not visible due to multinationals that continue to dominate under the surface of which the manufacturing sector amongst others has fallen prey.
