Sorry KaPlaatjie the APRP was the Azanian Peoples Revolutionary Party, a correction from other sources of information. I wish you could also contextualise the formation of PAM linked to the book before finishing the book.
Thembeka On 3/24/10, Thembeka Majali <[email protected]> wrote: > > It is clear Ma'afrika that history has repeated itself, the case of > Iletlapa and Isakhatshwa. > > > On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 11:43 AM, Chuma Andile Mangisa < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> I am eagerly awaiting this book. From face value, it looks ***** >> >> Chuma >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* "[email protected]" <[email protected]> >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Sent:* Tue, March 16, 2010 10:24:49 AM >> *Subject:* [PAYCO] Extract of PAC chapters in a forthcoming book. >> >> Extract from a forthcoming book on the history of the liberation movement >> and two chapters devoted to the PAC. >> Izwe Lethu. >> Tham ka Plaatjie >> >> The PAC’s exile politics, 1980 - 1990 >> >> By Thami ka Plaatjie >> >> Introduction >> >> This chapter will focus on the political activities of the Pan Africanist >> Congress of Azania (PAC) in exile during the 1980s. The events in the >> 1980s were preceded by the events in the late 1970s and it is in this >> regard that reference will be made to the Arusha Conference of 1978 and >> its outcome that saw the walkout of a sizeable group of PAC members. Those >> who walked out of the Arusha Conference formed themselves into a new >> organization called the All African People’s Revolutionary Party (APRP). >> They cited ideological differences for such a move. This chapter will seek >> to deal with these ideological differences and the effect of the departure >> of such a sizeable group from the PAC. >> >> Soon after the Arusha conference, relations between Potlako Leballo and >> David Sibeko, his erstwhile confidante, deteriorated and the result was >> the ousting of the former. This chapter will study the effects of the >> ousting of Leballo from the leadership of the PAC. Leballo did not take >> kindly to being elbowed out of the leadership of the PAC and resorted to >> the manipulation of those cadres aligned to him. This resulted in the >> murder of Sibeko by those closely aligned to Leballo. Once more the PAC >> was thrown into a deep crisis just after it had emerged from the crisis >> occasioned by the departure of Leballo. The impact of Sibeko’s death on >> the PAC was far-reaching, as it now faced serious isolation, especially >> from the international community. Calls for the de-recognition of the PAC >> by the OAU and the United Nations from its detractors became louder and >> seemingly unrelenting. >> >> The PAC needed a saviour who could extricate it from unremitting conflicts >> and internal contradictions. Nyathi Pokela was brought from South Africa >> to bolster the exile leadership of the PAC and effect the much needed >> stability. The coming of Nyathi Pokela to save the PAC from apparent >> organizational chaos will be evaluated in this chapter as well. The extent >> to which Pokela succeeded will also be evaluated. He was faced with >> formidable odds and with little experience of the exile situation found >> himself thrown into the deep end. The ascension into power of Johnson >> Mlambo in 1985, who replaced Pokela after the latter’s sudden death, will >> also be analyzed, including the effect it had on the PAC. >> >> The decision by the PAC to appoint Zephania Mothopeng as the Second >> President of the PAC in 1986 was a bold and courageous move in the face of >> the changing political atmosphere in South Africa, especially the >> prospects of negotiations with the apart5heid regime. The late 1980s saw >> the intensification of the military activities of the PAC inside the >> country in an attempt to stamp their authority in the country. The >> establishment of a visible PAC presence in the country was attained, as >> Pokela had wanted. However, the difficulty of understanding the changing >> political situation and providing a viable alternative to other >> organisations proved to be one the shortcomings of an organization that >> was finding favour with vast numbers of oppressed people, especially the >> rural poor and urban marginalized. >> >> >> The formation of the APRP (All Africa People’s Revolutionary Party) >> >> Following the establishment of itself in exile, the PAC faced new >> political and ideological influences. Many of its cadres were exposed to >> the Chinese brand of Communism after the formation of the PAC’s armed wing >> and the invitation to its founder leaders to go to China for military >> training in the mid 1960s.1 The first group that went to China included >> leaders such as Tempelton Ntantala, Matthew Nkoane, Edwin Makoti, Zebulon >> Mokoena and others. Upon their return, they styled a new army along the >> ideological outlook of the Chinese and argued for what they called >> Scientific Socialism as opposed to what was called African Socialism.2 At >> the time of its formation, the PAC under the leadership of Sobukwe >> characterized its ideology as that of an Africanist Socialist Democracy. >> This was widely equated with African socialism, which was now thought to >> be obsolete, especially by those who had found a new ideological affinity >> in the Chinese brand of Communism. >> >> During the Cold War years organizations wished to be known and identified >> by their ideological purity or orientation, and Cold War conditions >> dictated that such alignments be made. Access to resources and >> international connections were linked to strategic ideological partners >> and allies. The PAC was no exception, as it desperately needed resources >> to prosecute the struggle. >> >> The PAC convened a broad consultative Conference in Arusha, Tanzania in >> 1978. The aim of the conference was to address the debilitating internal >> challenges that the organization faced. A section of the membership of the >> PAC, with the support mainly from the army and its High Command, argued >> for the resolution of the ideological differences within the organization. >> They saw the conflict within the PAC as caused, mainly, by ideological >> differences. >> >> The formation of the APRP resulted from the walkout of about 72 PAC >> members at the Arusha consultative conference.3 These PAC members had for >> some time argued for the adoption of a Maoist position in relation to the >> ideology of the PAC. Most had gone to China to study revolutionary >> warfare. They had authored two books that they regarded as their >> ideological blueprints. These books were the New Road to Revolution and >> the Field Marshals Guide. These books were banned by the PAC. >> >> Ntantala, then a member of the Central committee of the PAC, recorded the >> events that were linked to the walkout of his group from the Arusha >> conference.4 He argues that Leballo’s determination to deal with his >> opponents within the Central Committee of the PAC resulted in his desire >> to expel some of his earnest critics. In a long letter that he wrote on >> the 4 April 1978, he agonizes over the problems in the PAC: >> >> For example, he (Leballo) has for a long time been urging the Central >> Committee to expel first Makoti, then Jaco, and Gqobose. His reasons have >> always been varied and various, but always totally unequal to the proposed >> punitive action.5 >> >> All these individuals were regarded as the intellectuals of the PAC at the >> time. Thus, it could be argued that Leballo’s action bordered on an >> anti-intellectual crusade. Ntantala further indicates that the differences >> he and his group had with Leballo were mainly based on ideological >> grounds. “Thus, our political, organizational and military differences >> have always stemmed from, and then boil down, to ideological differences >> as a matter of fact.”6 >> >> Ntantala, after a long exposition on the vexing internal challenges that >> were visited upon the PAC, comes to one painful conclusion. >> >> Those leaders of the Party with whom he (Leballo) … has quarreled in the >> past four months are faced with the unpalatable prospect of coexisting >> with him further and stomaching more of his foul doings. Thus, until the >> PAC is in a position to choose for itself a leader worthy of the >> responsibility of leadership, especially in the wake of our beloved >> Sobukwe’s untimely death, it seems natural and inescapable that a marriage >> of convenience be contracted – for the sake of responding to the pressing >> current demands of our struggle’s present phase.7 Leballo on the other >> hand remained with other influential members of the PAC including David >> Siibeko and Vusi Make. >> >> >> The APRP Challenge >> >> With the breakaway of the APRP, the PAC was effectively divided into two >> halves. Many among those who remained in the PAC sympathized with the >> APRP. Some, owing to the division in the PAC, took the conscious decision >> to become politically inactive. A great deal of them pursued other >> personal interests, such as studying. Thus, the PAC lost a considerable >> number of cadres who were both experienced in politics and knowledgeable >> about the organization. In addition, the disaffected cadres included some >> of the best trained members of the PAC and APLA, and their loss to the PAC >> was devastating. Many of them were its outspoken ideologues such as >> Ntantala. One of the cadres who left with the APRP was Zebulon Mokoena, >> who was a survivor of the famous Villa Peri Operation where APLA cadres >> were infiltrated into South Africa. >> >> In the past, the internal contradictions in the PAC would result in the >> suspension or expulsion of an individual. In other cases it would be two >> to three individuals. Never before had such a large group of people left >> the organization at once. What compounded the situation was that most of >> these individuals were very influential and held strategic positions in >> the organization, especially in the army. They left with a great reservoir >> of intellectual property that could have benefited the PAC. >> >> >> Potlako Leballo is deposed >> >> Leballo’s relations with members of the Central Committee deteriorated >> after the Arusha Conference. He was publicly humiliated at an event held >> to celebrate the PAC’s 20th anniversary on April 1979. Cadres stood up, >> booed and jeered as Leballo prepared to deliver the keynote address. They >> shouted ‘for twenty years you have been wrecking this organization’, and >> sang a Zulu song, the lyrics of which, literally translated, mean, >> ‘growing old in exile for the sake of money’. Leballo was humiliated in >> the presence of diplomats, Tanzanian government officials and >> representatives of other national liberation movements.8 >> >> It was this incident, and the resulting attack carried out by Leballo’s >> loyalists against those who humiliated him, that resulted in the death of >> three PAC members. >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> South Africa's premier free email service - www.webmail.co.za >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> For super low premiums, click here http://home.webmail.co.za/dd.pwm >> >> -- >> Sending your posting to [email protected] >> >> Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] >> >> You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco >> >> Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Sending your posting to [email protected] >> >> Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] >> >> You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco >> >> Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com >> > > -- Sending your posting to [email protected] Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to payco+unsubscribegooglegroups.com or reply to this email with the words "REMOVE ME" as the subject.
