In January 1973 dockworkers in Durban embarked on a wave of wildcat strikes against low wages, in total some 61000 workers took part in these strikes. The Durban moment not only smashed the industrial relations framework that had been established after black trade...
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Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath
The morning of our father's 82nd birthday dawned with the news of Chris's death. We had known for some time that he was desperately ill and so had already booked a flight to France to go and visit him – ironically the flight was due to leave that very evening. Chris...
After Marikana: what way forward?
The crisis of profitability in the platinum industry is a misleading phrase to describe the current situation. Platinum companies are still in fact making a profit. The issue is rather that they are no longer making the huge profits they did during the boom years of...
The Kurdish Question in the Syrian Arab Spring | by Joe Lombardo
Calls resounding in the halls of power and in the media for American intervention in Syria have opened up a debate that has been over two years in the making: exactly who are the Syrian rebels? According to Moscow and some segments of the left, they are radical...
Farmworker Housing | by Benjamin Fogel
The housing crisis is not merely confined to the cities and towns of South Africa; it is at the heart of political struggles in rural areas as well. Farmworkers not only face the same types of issues as those who dwell in urban areas, but also face some that are...
Who was Walter Rodney?
A brief introduction to his life and works Walter Anthony Rodney, known to many as Walter or Brother Wally, was born on 23 March 1942 in Guiana, a British colony on the northern coast of South America. His father Edward was a tailor and his mother, Pauline, a...
COSATU’s precarious challenge
It is true we in live a world where technology and globalisation give the impression of rapid change and constant flux. The mouthpieces of capital, marching under the banner of 'labour flexibility', insist that this reality must be reflected in the world of work....
Understanding the Venezuelan Presidential Election Outcome| By Tamara Pearson
Things are chaotic here, as we recover from the surprise, disappointment, and a bit of hurt from the election results, but also go out in the street to express our support for those results, and to defend the national electoral system, one of the best and most secure...
Bid to limit strikes in aftermath of Marikana | by Monde Maoto
The government and the mining industry have taken the first steps to limit illegal strike action in the platinum sector and to refine wage negotiating processes, both seen to be key factors behind the violence at Lonmin last week. Meanwhile, the stage is set for...


