POLITICAL EDUCATION AND CADRE DEVELOPMENT

History has it that the most singular causative factor in the undoing and destruction of many former progressive formations has been a temptation of allowing liberal tendencies to creep in and dilute the essence, substance and the content of political input and stifling of rigorous political debate. This tendency often suppresses dissent and treated it as irritating and annoying.

Central to any organization building process and activity is a political line. A political line is a program of organization, strategy and tactics, to organize and develop members, to direct their intervention in society, and to organize working-class and al progressive forces and revolutionary struggles. Such a political line presupposes an understanding of what it means to organize and develop members in a given period and what is the character and contradictions of the society and working class in which we must intervene. Our founding manifesto makes a profound analysis of the social and class formations of South Africa’s society.

7. WOMEN AND YOUTH COMMAND STRUCTURES

There is no question about a need to establish these structures and what should be their role as integral organs. As a matter of necessity, efforts to build both the YC/WC require deliberate and practical determination.

The EFF’s constitution makes provision for the formation of Youth Command Structures. This presupposes that such structures, will owe their existence to the constitution of the EFF, the founding principles and mission and vision. NB CONSTITUTION PROVIDES FOR THIS – NO DEBATE ABOUT IT.

Towards the formation of the EFF YC/WC:

• 
  Pursue a delayed process, which will be laid latter upon establishment of EFF’s own structures on the ground.
  
• 
  A need to consider “Masupatsela- Pioneer Movement” to introduce EFF to younger children at an early stage of their political life.
  

When we speak of the ‘youth’ movement, we are generally talking about high school students and working class youth in and out of school. This is a strata in society of the dejected, marginalized, oppressed and exploited backgrounds. Majority of them are sons and daughters of unemployed, working class parents, and they themselves, just like their parents, are used as a source of cheap, easily available and disposable labor. This is the section of young people, which the government of the day seeks to entice through various forms of incentives and schemes with slave-like conditions.

The present young generation is a generation born into the so-called ‘democracy’ or the ‘born-free’ as they are called. Just like their parents, are products of broken homes, they are driven from pillar to post, wondering aimlessly, working when they find pies-jobs, stealing when they cant.

The youth must know that their position in society now, is intrinsically linked with the present, but more with the future. Mao Tse Tung on the seminal address to the theme on the youth, students role in the revolution said: “the world is yours, as well as ours, but in the final analysis, it is yours. You young people, full of vigor and vitality, are in the bloom of life, like the…in the morning. Our hope is placed on you.”

The most important feature of the EFF aligned youth movement, should be its readiness to undergo a surgical procedure, to cut off the umbilical cord it so depended on from the poisoning belly of the erstwhile liberation movements without exception; to discard the deceitful bourgeois nationalism and mysticism of chartering black bourgeois aspirations; to cut ties with all that held it back from surging and advancing forward. We need a new breed of youth activists made up of young pioneers, young women and young men.

These activists should rise from the ashes of revolutionary nationalism of the 60s, 70s and 80s – the heydays of black power. It is our belief that each and every member of EFF and specifically, the YOUTH COMMAND, should realize that anyone who wants to be a revolutionary nationalist in this country, must out of necessity, first and foremost, be a socialist. This is a primary and principle prerequisite to cut ties with the reactionary, non-revolutionary traditions of the erstwhile liberation movement. We need a youth cadreship that shall appreciate that theirs is a historical mission too noble, and they dare not betray. Their role should be the revival of township politics characterized by militant, radical and revolutionary upsurge of the masses.

Secondly, the distinguishing feature of the EFF aligned youth movement should be the love for education – the growing interest in Marxism-Leninism and Fanonian thought and the ability to perfect the unity between theory and social practice as well as the interrelated struggles between youth and workers struggles.

The EFF aligned Youth Command structures, should be bold to declare war against international white monopoly capitalism and take a stand as fervent opponents of world imperialism. Such a Youth movement should assume much serious role toward building EFF into a formidable force, which is strong enough to mobilise, inspire hope and lead the economically marginalized sections of society as a whole and the working class in particular.

Political tasks of the Youth Command within the Youth Movement

For revolutionary nationalists and socialists alike, inside of the EFF, African, Coloured, Indian, black and white, we must do everything possible to help develop and broaden the Youth Command and the youth movement under the banner and the leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters. Guiding and leading it towards the interest of the working class, the poor masses and the oppressed people world over.

The EFF aligned youth movement should understand the historical role played by generations of activists that came before and appreciate the contemporary role and the revolutionary tasks lying ahead.

This youth movement, in the words of Mao Tseng Tung, must “cast away illusion and prepare for the real struggle ahead.”

1. 
   The recruiting and radicalizing young people and workers in general into Youth Command structures
   

2. 
   Organizing young people to prepare themselves for struggles around their immediate needs
   

3. 
   Empowering youth with Marxist-Leninist and Fanon tools of analysis and political ideology
   

4. 
   Championing the interests of youth particularly young women
   

5. 
   Building fraternal alliances with other like-minded youth organizations continentally and abroad
   

6. 
   Preparing meaningful organizational and political work among the youth
   

7. 
   To combat and fight bourgeois culture of selfishness, greed and egoism
   

8. 
   Fight the culture which is linked to the above, of drugs, sex and alcohol and devil-worshipping
   

9. 
   Formation of structures for a Pioneer ‘Masupatsela’ Movement
   

“Frequently, the middle aged and the aged do not know how to approach the youth in a proper way’ for necessary, the youth must come to revolution in a different way by other paths, in other forms, under other circumstances than their fathers.” – Lenin (Task of the Youth leagues)

Unlike other political organizations, the EFF is differently favoured by history in its relations with the youth - it is receptive to fallibility of the youth and generally youth led. So it would be easy for the EFF to link up with the youth, young workers at factory floors, in the streets, at universities, FETs, to win them over and by introducing socialist consciousness into their struggles. EFF Youth Command structures must assume organizational structures of the mother body and exist to organize, mobilize and recruit youth and young people in general who are between the ages of 15 and 30 years into the ranks of the EFF first and foremost and as members of the EFF Women Command as an integral organ of the EFF.

8. CHARACTER OF EFF WOMEN COMMAND


In a society free of segregation and oppression on the basis of class, race and gender, women role cannot be restricted to the kitchen. Women struggles and gains should find uniqueness in the fight for economic freedom particularly against patriarchal oppression. Women must be empowered and empower themselves to advance own causes and struggles. The struggle for women emancipation and gender equality is as old as the history of mankind. This struggle has evolved as society evolves and reproduced new conditions, new relations and new contradictions. Even during what is referred to as ‘matriarchal’ society, though a woman was a head of family, power relations were skewed and seldom left women to bring up, nurture and take care of the off springs often without the help from men. Changing women’s position in society is going to require a complete reconstruction of political and socio-economic power relations between men and women and women and state institutions as it were. It will require a social construct and re-allocation of roles between boys and girls at the very early stage of their development. It will have to fundamentally undo sexist patterns of capitalist relations of production; gender inequality and perceptions held by society towards women.

The social dynamics of the world, the crisis of the capitalist system, continue to bear negative impact on African women and women world over especially in third world countries of Asia, African and Latin America. It is this history of gender, class and with the advent of colonialism that exposed women in Africa to most violent forms of oppression and exploitation.

The EFF’s Women Command (EFF-WC) shall have to define its role to respond to relieve the womenfolk from yolk and burden exploitation. And to fully challenge gender inequality and the impoverishment of women and children especially the girl-child. Women have always been the primary catalysts for major social upsurge and in the struggle for liberation.

The EFF Women Command should lead women in different fronts to mainstream gender struggle and fight against gender inequality. To achieve this, it is important that the EFF-WC to unite women committed to a non-racial, non-sexist and free South Africa.

The EFF-WC should act as a cornerstone in the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime particularly for rural women. For the entire community and society to take active part in this new struggle, women must play a catalyst and dynamizing role as child-bearers, care-givers and secure women natural reproductive resources for the sustenance social progress and human survival.

So to this extent, the EFF-WC’s role is to pursue the social and class struggle that should aims at achieving but not limited to:

1. 
   the character on the basis of giving a mass character of the EFF.
   
2. 
   eliminate all forms of oppression based on gender
   
3. 
   gain economic equality and social status for women i.e. equal pay for equal work
   
4. 
   political rights to determine their own lives as enjoyed by all
   

The concept of radical feminism and its role to agitate working class consciousness among women should be probed for further clarity about the role of women command. The notation that “the women rights and struggles are mutually linked to the struggle for economic freedom” must be amplified and find concrete meaning through organizational programme of the Women Command structures.

The emancipation of women cannot be relegated to some ‘secondary question’ or believe that this is a problem that can only be solved at some later stages of the evolving struggle against capitalist relations of means of production. It would only be more true to posit that the overthrow of capitalism is impossible so long as women are subject to special exploitation and social and political oppression.

EFF Women Command structures must assume organizational structures of the mother body and exist to organize, mobilize and recruit women, both young and old into the ranks of the EFF first and foremost and as members of the EFF Women Command as an integral organ of the EFF.

EFF must exist in all facets of society and express itself through multiply platforms and sites of struggles. The experience in South Africa points to a situation where the hegemonic influence of the former liberation movement was built around a combination of sectoral interests between itself and a host of civil society organizations, women, youth and student organizations, workers, religious and traditional leaders. This constitutes solid, impenetrable layers of organs, which were ready to freely avail their services in defense of the revolution. The very fact that under ‘democracy’ many hopes for a ‘better life for all’ have been dashed, the dream for freedom betrayed and has partially achieved is further confirmation that as long as these remain the stalk reality, the need to mobilise society at a wider scale is not an option but an imperative.

A healthy, engaged and outspoken civil society is considered an integral part of any democratic system of governance and EFF must build relations with the civil society organizations and utilize their ‘space’ as potential site for the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime. The EFF should revive the civil society movement in this country, restore it to its former glory as fierce critics and vibrant alternatives forms of self-governance by local residents. The EFF should serious consider revitalizing such a movement including uniting independent civic associations which exists in various townships and villages.

Suffices to say in the history of the liberation struggle, progressive trade unions have risen to the occasion and waged their daily bread and butter struggles at factory floor and linked them up with the broader struggle for political freedom.

Furthermore, it has always been the assumption and belief of Marxist activists that in the state of and during the revolution whoever has the unions on his side, is going to win it. They maintain that it is almost impossible to accomplish a social revolution outside or without the unions or against their will and demands. It is generally believed that the function of the unions as organs of disciplined and organized force in the efficient production and distributive value chains in mines, farms, factories, wholesales, retails stores and homes, must be broaden in the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime.

The trade union movement in our country has played a meaningful and significant role during the liberation struggle. They served catalytic in the process leading up to major events in this county had a game changing effect towards the consolidation of the offensives and dealt a fatal blow against the apartheid regime.

For this function of trade unions to be properly conceptualized, such a conceptualization should flow from the following questions: what type of trade unions is here in South Africa? What part are they playing in the revolution? Are they still necessary and what is the scope of their activity? What is their structure? What is their future?

EFF must skilfully and patiently harness the groundswell of ‘disgruntlement’ and lack of responsive unionism prevalence across all sectors of the economy.

The workplace is the highly contested site of struggle between reactionary and progressive elements thrown into the workplace by their quest for employment. And they bring along the burden of their backwardness. The question of EFF’s workplace units is indeed an inevitable one, thus a pressing need to perfectly study the new conditions and challenges in the different sectors. The post 1994 government while keeping a strong hold on Cosatu and its affiliated unions, has succeeded to turn the majority of trade unions into sweetheart and ostensible weak and parasitic and useless bargaining forms to rub shot over workers demands. This was achieved by the introduction of a new type of trade unionist: a labour aristocratic activist. This type was more than ready to abandon workers mandate in favour of cadre deployment, bureaucratization of unions and taking part in tenders, etc.

EFF must work closely with trade union to offer support and to learn from workers problems and seek solutions of such problems. This will organically enhance EFF’s standing amongst workers and help deepen and internalize EFF’s own seven cardinal pillars and enable workers appreciation of the need to defend them.

It is important to not that union is this country were born, developed and consolidated during a period of extreme suppression, in a period of struggle and combat, the unions acted energetically every time the liberation struggle was at danger of losing direction and momentum. It suffices to point out that the old unions are no longer capable to perform this role due to a new type of a bureaucratic, labour aristocratic unionist who captured and turned the union movement into a mere springboard for a career in politics.

Students are not a class, they are a social layer in transition between classes, and don’t have a specific relationship with the means of production, except the close proximity with their parents who may have such a relationship. In the Transitional Programme, Trotsky wrote: “the movement is revitalized by the youth who are free of responsibility for the past….only the fresh enthusiasm and aggressive spirit of the youth can guarantee the success in the struggle; only these successes can turn the best elements of the older generation to the road of revolution.”

Youth and students have played a vital role in revolutionary struggles in the past and continue to this very day. Students are ‘foo soldiers of revolution’ they are a source of energy needed by the revolution. They carry no baggage from the past; they are militant, radical and fearless. Youth in high schools and universities are quick to understand the imperatives for change, they are much quicker to radicalize around a particular issue than other sections of society. EFF must develop organic relations with students with the knowledge that in students lies potentially powerful social force, a catalyst for radical change.

The post-world war II economic expansion led capital to dramatically expand the role of universities and allow a large influx of working class students to enter. As well as the fact that since 1994, a majority of students come from working class backgrounds, the vast majority of the people are also destined to be wageworkers when they graduate, if at all they do.

This process of the proletariasation of university graduates, professionals and white-collar workers – as intellectual labour is introduced into the productive process on a larger scale – increases the links that the student body has with the brother working class. The EFF must strive to build a new consciousness among students and fuse the student struggle for access to free and quality education with the struggle for economic freedom.

10. EFF A CATALYST FOR LEFT UNITY AND WORKING CLASS HEGEMONY


Is unity of left forces possible, how can working class interest and influence be hegemonized in society?
EFF is a young political party styled a ‘protest movement’ for radical change. It is new but we have to be greater than a political party, we have to be greater than an election force – a mere electoral party. Unlike the professional politicians of today, unlike the parties of the day, we cannot talk about problems and solutions, we have to point to the direction and provide solutions while highlighting the problems. We have to be working with communities and helping people. We are in perhaps one of the most important times in human history, the world is going through drastic changes, the country is going through interesting and dramatic changes, people are crying out for a new politics, a new way of doing things, of responsiveness, of accountability, of remaining true to the aspirations of liberation and we have to be part of that. How then do we achieve this?

1. 
   being part of the social forces for radical change
   
2. 
   working with other progressive forces for the consolidation of left unity
   
3. 
   build solidarity platforms for collaborative networks and programmes
   

We have to be advocating for left unity and at the same time agitate and instigating it! Left unity we are calling for and agitating for must be engrained within all sectors, all sections and among all progressive elements in society, that, will assure us of the hegemony we so desperately seek