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Title: What we belive Date: 1998 Source: Retrieved on 28<sup>th</sup> October 2021 from [[http://struggle.ws/africa/wsfother/wsf_belive_98.html][struggle.ws]] Authors: Workers Solidarity Federation Topics: Anarcho syndicalism, South africa, Workers solidarity federation Published: 2021-10-28 21:07:56Z
The struggle of the Black working class in South Africa is a struggle against the slave bondage of capitalism.
Capitalism is based on the ruling class minority (capitalists, generals, top officials, professional politicians) exploiting and oppressing the working class majority (workers of all grades, their families, rank and file soldiers, the unemployed, and the rural poor). The two classes have totally different interests- they are locked in class struggle.
Capitalism in South Africa was built through apartheid oppression- land dispossession, the compound system, migrant labour, the pass laws, and denial of basic worker and human rights to Black workers.
Apartheid was defeated by workers struggle. But the legacy of apartheid lives on. The elections of 1994 did not remove the cause of apartheid oppression, which is capitalist exploitation. The struggle must continue against both capitalism and racism: one enemy, one fight!
Only workers revolution can end the nightmare of racism and capitalism, creating freedom and equality for all. Only the workers and the poor can create a free society because only they have the organisational power, will, numbers and class interest in overthrowing this system. We oppose alliances with any section of the bosses.
We oppose all oppression: racism, sexism, imperialism, environmental destruction, discrimination against gays and lesbians. We are for real equality for all. Only the workers revolution can end all oppression; only the fight against oppression and for working class power can unite the workers. Oppression and discrimination are against the interests of workers. They divide and weaken the struggle.
Workers freedom cannot come through parliament or the seizure of State power. The State (judiciary, government bureaucracy, police force, parliament etc.) is a tool of capitalism and the bosses. The use of the State can only lead to corruption, defeat or dictatorship over the workers movement. The economic disaster and political tyranny of the Marxist-led Soviet Union shows this clearly.
Socialism must come from below- from mass action.
The trade unions must take over the land and the factories and put them under direct workers control in a revolutionary general strike based on the occupation of workplaces.
To be successful the revolution must be based on workers movement united across colour, sex, and national lines. Capitalism is international, and therefore the revolution must be spread internationally by the workers.
The revolutionary general strike will establish a non-racial international working-class democracy: libertarian socialism. This will be based on federations of grassroots workplace and community councils, and defended by a workers army.
We want a society without bosses, rulers and oppressors of any description. We want a democratic economy under the direct control of the working class. We are anti-authoritarian: the only limit on individual freedom should be that it does not remove the freedom of others.
The WSF does not stand in elections or aim to take State power. The WSF is not a trade union. The WSF is a political organisation for militants who aim to encourage the self-activity and political consciousness of the mass of the people — the workers and the poor — so that they can make the revolution for themselves. Our role is to promote the struggle, but in the end, only the workers can free the workers!
Tomorrow is built today. We support all struggles against oppression. We support the progressive student movement We support existing trade unions, but fight for workers control, a revolutionary programme, and the formation of “One Big Union”.
We proudly stand in the mass tradition of libertarian socialism (anarcho-syndicalism). Our movement has historically attracted millions world wide, because it serves the needs of the workers and the poor, not the power-seekers and exploiters. Today it is growing across the globe. If you agree- JOIN the WSF.