Comrades, I found this interesting article in COSATU's Media Monitor of the 21st of June. I apologize if this article has been posted on this forum before. I think that this is also an example of what Cde. Dominic refers to as false literature of reactionaries. Besides a dubious interpretation of the democratic transition the writer imbues Van Zyl Slabbert's views and actions with normative legitimacy. I suggest that you read it yourselves- I have highlighted the parts that I find particularly problematic.
Slabbert’s political career cut short at great cost to all SA RW Johnson, Business Day, 21 June 2010 THE passing of Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert has occasioned many obituaries but none has really looked at the meaning of his career in historical context. Allister Sparks, in an interesting piece, talked about Slabbert as one of the heroic figures of the anti-apartheid epoch — a comparison rather spoilt by his nomination as another such hero of Richard Goldstone, who hanged 28 black men and sentenced another four to be flogged. This during the period when Goldstone was trying to curry favour with his apartheid masters. Little wonder that nowadays his CV omits all mention of his years as an apartheid judge. Slabbert does not belong in such company; indeed, his memory is insulted by the comparison. Slabbert represented the very best that white SA had to offer: intelligent, humorous, humane, liberal-minded and deeply concerned for the future of his country beyond any personal motive. So his truncated and ultimately unsuccessful political career poses the question, what went wrong? The answer is traceable to the meetings with the exiled African National Congress (ANC) that Slabbert had as Progressive Federal Party (PFP) leader in the mid-1980s. Slabbert told the ANC: Look, we’re both anti-apartheid, though we use different means. I think the armed struggle is both wrong and ineffectual but, okay, that’s your method. We believe in peaceful political change and since there’s no doubt that that will have to happen in the end, we ought to talk to one another. To which his ANC interlocutor, Thabo Mbeki , replied that the ANC would be happy to talk but the great obstacle was the fact that he led a white party in an all-white parliament. It was a matter of principle for the ANC not to have any relationship with such a party for that might be thought to imply acceptance of racial separateness and white rule. What is missing from all the obituaries is the fact that it was this leverage from Mbeki that caused Slabbert to resign the PFP leadership in 1986. In effect a deal was done: Slabbert would resign, form the Institute for Democracy in Africa (Idasa) and he would then be rewarded with public talks with the ANC — hence the famous Dakar meeting and subsequent meetings Slabbert organised between South African business and the ANC. There is no doubt that Slabbert placed enormous store on his relationship with Mbeki — he was so grateful for his support on one occasion that he exclaimed: “I would die for that bugger.” As I know from many conversations with Slabbert, he had high hopes that this relationship would ultimately lead him to playing a significant role in making sure the new dispensation would work. “When the ANC take over”, he told me, “they’re going to need all the help they can get. And it’s vital for all of us that they succeed because only that way can the country succeed.” But Slabbert, of course, was just one more person who had been charmed and deceived by Mbeki: trusting him had been a fatal error. Slabbert was not a gullible man. I think the reason he trusted Mbeki was twofold. One was that, like so many white South Africans, he had been driven to the point of desperation by apartheid and he was thus ready — too ready — to believe in someone who might be a saviour. The other was that, big-hearted and large- spirited himself, he probably didn’t allow enough for the fact that other people might not be the same. As Jan Smuts said, “small men prefer sycophants around them” — and Slabbert was nobody’s sycophant. In retrospect, one can see that it was a disastrous error for Slabbert to give up the PFP leadership, a post which, had he retained it, would have allowed him to play a key role in the transition, especially since he would probably have accepted FW de Klerk’s proposal for a joint Democratic Party-National Party caucus at Codesa, an offer Zach de Beer refused without informing the Democratic Party caucus. The notion that the ANC could set preconditions about what Slabbert had to do before it could talk to him depended, of course, on its possession of the moral high ground — an idea that now seems merely funny. Slabbert should really have refused this precondition — in effect, a demand that he give up his political career. After all, the ANC was no better: it didn’t allow whites to join until the Morogoro conference in 1969 and it was perfectly happy to deal with bantustan politicians or, ultimately, the National Party itself. Both the PFP’s all-whiteness and the ANC’s all-blackness were equal results of the same troubled national history. Sensible men would have accepted that, sat down and talked. By accepting Mbeki’s precondition, Slabbert had also shown that Mbeki could make even a liberal leader jump through any hoop of his devising. It was a fatal admission of weakness which, of course, Mbeki took full advantage of. Why honour any deal with someone who was willing to sacrifice his entire political career just for the right to talk to you? And, of course, the ANC wanted more. Idasa had to lean its way and give jobs to its friends. “We let all sorts of rats and mice in,” Slabbert once told me. It was the same at the Open Society Foundation. Slabbert tried to keep the door to Mbeki ajar long after Mbeki had slammed it shut. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) visited Slabbert in Oxford just before FW de Klerk’s 1990 speech to ask his advice. Whatever you do, he told them, don’t unban the ANC but leave the ban on the South African Communist Party (SACP). The SACP flourishes in secrecy and likes it. It’s vital to get them out in the open so they can’t control things from the shadows. The NIS was surprised but took his advice. In 1995, Slabbert asked what I thought if he should join the cabinet, perhaps as foreign minister. I said that it would be hopeless unless he joined the ANC. It was a price he was prepared to pay. Jokingly, I pointed out that Joe Slovo would never tolerate a liberal white who was smarter than him at the cabinet table: maybe Slabbert would need to join the SACP. Slabbert said, “No way.” But that, of course, was the point: Slabbert could never have accepted the discipline of either the SACP or ANC. One suspects Mbeki realised that about Slabbert from the start. Slabbert was always his own man and somewhat larger than life. He also tended to assume an intellectual equality with whoever he was talking to — and he was, in fact, far cleverer than Mbeki. From Mbeki’s viewpoint, this was a toxic mix. One just has to imagine Mbeki trying to put AIDS denialism past Slabbert at the cabinet table to realise how unworkable it would have been. But in any case, for Mbeki there were comrades (ie clients) and there were enemies: there was no room for good-hearted independents in that vision. Slabbert achieved a lot despite an extremely tough family background and political circumstances, which were always adverse. He was probably the most talented South African politician since Smuts. So the tragedy of his truncated political career was not just his, but all of ours. On Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 3:01 PM, morgan phaahla <[email protected]>wrote: > I beg your pardon, maqabane! I wrote this in a hurry... > > The statement should have read: Therefore to blame new democratic order > without *reconciling* itself with these complexities is equally myopic and > foolhardy. > I trust you will find this in order > > "Sometimes, if you wear suits for too long, it changes your ideology." - > Joe Slovo > > --- On *Wed, 6/23/10, morgan phaahla <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: morgan phaahla <[email protected]> > > Subject: Re: [YCLSA Discussion] Please comment on this article > To: [email protected] > Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 8:21 AM > > > Comrades, > > I was not suprised by the tone of this article and would not draw the name > of Govan Mbeki in the subject simply because Moeletsi has distinguished > himself as a renegade and political nonentity. > > I hate sounding like someone who trades insults or name-calling to > establish basis for an argument. However, at times provocation like this can > lead one to such limits. > > Be as it may, if you read Moeletsi's book, Architects of Poverty: Why > Africa's Capitalism needs Changing, you will draw a parallel between this > article and the book. For instance, the book does not offer any solutions to > Africa or alternative economic system except to apportion blame on its > previous leaders doing wrong under the pretence that colonial capitalism was > not the root cause of these wrongs. > > The same can be said in the article, it's common knowledge that > Apartheid capitalism was an instrument of destruction in South Africa and > all models of reconstruction failed to yield desired results due to the > severity of the mess caused to this country by the Nats. Therefore to blame > new democratic order without itself with these complexities is > equally myopic and foolhardy. > > As such, I see no need to dignify Moeletsi's malady of mind with a > response. However, for the benefit of this forum, comrades should post their > views on the subject matter and challenge this incompetent and inept > article. > > Remain, > Morgan Phaahla > > "Sometimes, if you wear suits for too long, it changes your ideology." - > Joe Slovo > > --- On *Mon, 6/21/10, sabelo gina <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: sabelo gina <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [YCLSA Discussion] Please comment on this article > To: [email protected] > Date: Monday, June 21, 2010, 2:01 PM > > Dear Comrades, > > I agree with Dominic that the article was reactionary and opportunistic > from Mr Mbeki. This is the same Mr Mbeki who has written a book on the > mining industry in South Africa few months ago. > > I am ashamed that Mr Mbeki once worked for COSATU, and yet he says that the > time is ripe for COSATU to leave the Alliance. I am not surprised when Nqaba > defends Mr Mbeki and Rossouw because they are raising what Cope tried to do > and failed to chase COSATU from the ANC with assertions like 'I did not join > the struggle to be poor", we stayed in the midst of that provocation. > > COSATU is committed to an alternative economic system and therefore I do > not think that its existence is about opportunistically weighting the > opportunities and timing for forming a political party. We are far ahead of > the likes of Morgan from Zimbabwe who when he saw the possibility of > entering parliament tried to form a political party which has not been able > to carry the aspirations of workers of Zimbabwe even as a prime minister in > the Zimbabwe government. > > We will not leave the alliance, we will help the alliance and the ANC to > rid itself of people who have forgotten why we fought for freedom in the > first place. > > Regards, > > Sabelo > > > On 6/21/10, Dominic Tweedie > <[email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>> > wrote: >> >> >> >> Then please defend the article Cd Nqaba, and not just on the basis of your >> acquaintance and friendship. >> >> The article says: "These companies played a pivotal role in the transition >> from Afrikaner nationalist rule to African nationalist rule," and there is >> more in that spirit. >> >> This is a return to the falsification of history whereby the big >> bourgeoisie is held to have been the agent of revolutionary change in South >> Africa. It leads to the proposal of the big bourgeoisie as a "motive force" >> and part of the alliance. >> >> This is what I am calling reaction. >> >> >> >> VC >> >> >> >> >> >> On 21 June 2010 15:03, Nqaba Bhanga >> <[email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> >>> Govan has never Called Moeletsi a Reactionary ,who are you and i know he >>> is not a reactionary . >>> I hope we understand the meaning of a reactionary in a Revolutionary >>> Politics. >>> >>> >>> >>> Disclaimer >>> >>> Before acting on the contents of this e-mail, the recipient should verify >>> that the originator has the appropriate authority and any person neglecting >>> to obtain such verification will be acting entirely at his/her own risk. >>> >>> Please further note that any confidential, private or privileged >>> information contained in the message is subject to legal privilege. >>> >>> -- >>> You are subscribed. This footer can help you. >>> Please POST your comments to >>> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>or >>> reply to this message. >>> You can visit the group WEB SITE at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery >>> options, pages, files and membership. >>> To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email >>> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>. >>> You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to >>> put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to >>> this address (repeat): >>> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>. >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Blog at: http://domza.blogspot.com/ >> Communist University web site at: http://amadlandawonye.wikispaces.com/ >> Subscribe for free e-mail updates at: >> http://groups.google.com/group/Communist-University/ >> Library of documents (CU "CD") at: http://cu.domza.net/ >> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> >> -- >> You are subscribed. This footer can help you. >> Please POST your comments to >> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>or >> reply to this message. >> You can visit the group WEB SITE at >> http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery >> options, pages, files and membership. >> To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email >> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>. >> You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to >> put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to >> this address (repeat): >> [email protected]<http://us.mc502.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>. >> > > > > -- > Cedric Sabelo Gina > NUMSA President > NUMSA Head Office > 153 Bree Street > Newtown, Johannesburg > 2021 > Tel: 011-6891700 > Fax: 011-8344320 > Mobile: +27836335381 > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > -- Egmont Bouwer SRC Academic Councillor 2009/10 Rhodes University +27 71 475 6685 "Sometimes, if you wear suits for too long, it changes your ideology."- Joe Slovo. -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
