Dear Amandla! At a time when the crisis in Cosatu has reached breaking point and we can expect the emergence of a new trade union movement or federation, it is critically important for left trade unionists to draw some lessons from the crisis. Cosatu’s demise is not...
freedom
Memoirs of a born-free | by Malaika Wa Azania
A review by Xoliswa Skomolo In 1990, South Africa crossed the rubicon of apartheid, and all babies born thereafter are referred to as "born-frees". One of them is the author of this book. It is an elaborate and rich narrative - a roller coaster of a journey that has...
Omar Barghouti: the Ongoing Intifada
Interview by Alex Hotz A!: What is the current state of resistance among Palestinians after the recent Israeli onslaught? OB: It's important to put this in context: Palestinian resistance against Israel's regime of occupation, settler colonialism and apartheid has...
Is Israel really like apartheid South Africa? | by Jaamia Galant
To say that Israel is like apartheid South Africa is truly an understatement. The sustained violent dispossession, discrimination and repression of Palestinians by the state of Israel are far, far worse than what black South Africans had to endure under apartheid...
Feature: 20 Years of Democracy
As South Africa passes the anniversary of 20 years of democracy it is important to reflect on both the failures and successes of democratic South Africa. South Africa in 2014 is a markedly different country. it enjoys a pluralistic political system; freedom of speech...
Interview with Irvin Jim
At NUMSA's Special Congress in December you voted to hold socio-economic strikes, the first of which is coming up on 19 March to oppose the Employment Tax Incentive. Could you describe what a socio-economic strike is and why NUMSA is opposed to the tax incentive? I...
Where is the EFF?: A brief account of the EFF’s existence thus far
'A giant is born,' said Julius Malema, 'the Commander-in-Chief' of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at the confirmation of the party's registration in Pretoria on the 8th of October in 2013. There has been a veritable hurricane of responses following the birth of...
The Fall of Bophutaswana
In 1994 the Bantustan Dictator, Lucas Mangope refused to participate in the transformation of South Africa. On Friday, 3 March 1994 we met as teachers at Rooigrond hotel which was just outside the fictional borders of Bophutatswana, and about a kilometer from...
EFF and the left | by Benjamin Fogel
In Gill Hart's excellent new book Rethinking the South Africa crisis, she points to a rather curious phenomenon as part of her engagement with the figure of one Julius Malema and the 'populist' turn he represents. She notes that for a change the far left and liberal...

