Short of an angry and vindictive divorce you don’t really get a more serious breakdown between previous partners than described by the amazingly revealing Cosatu’s press statement yesterday threatening the end of the ruling alliance because ANC has laid disciplinary charges against Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi. This is what the statement reveals: The powerfulContinue reading “Ruling Alliance breaking under the strain of corruption of “members of the cabinet and/or senior party leaders or officials””
Category Archives: SACP
The ANC is (still) the prize
Why setting back Julius Malema is important Julius Malema has received a body blow and is reeling about the ring. I mostly want to discuss why this is important – beyond the obvious reasons that drive the obsessive media focus on the grandiose little ANC Youth League President. But first a bit of context: AsContinue reading “The ANC is (still) the prize”
London Calling
Herewith a note I wrote a week ago for a South African client concerning a recent whip around the London fund management industry Foreign fund managers perceptions of South African political risk I recently had an opportunity to interact with a few London-based global emerging market fund managers. These were generally from long-only equity funds,Continue reading “London Calling”
The hidden hand in service delivery protests
It is starting to be whispered that there is a “hidden hand” in the service delivery protests*. The problem (of the protests) is serious and threatening and government is starting to worry about high-profile violence during the World Cup. These protest share a strong crossover constituency and architecture with the xenophobic violence that occurred MayContinue reading “The hidden hand in service delivery protests”
The productive classes versus the unproductive classes
As promised another occasional slide that illustrates a major theme of the moment. I have put the meat into the caption – note the reversion to some traditional Marxist theory … fractions of capital and the working class fighting to wield the state? Was that Althusser or Nicos Poulantzas … hmm, no, for them theContinue reading “The productive classes versus the unproductive classes”
The new songsheet of the Left
A quick run through documents and press statement emanating from the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party reveals the existence of a new ‘song sheet’ our crimson brethren have devised to help them sing in tune with each other. This is something more than a coordinated set of slogansContinue reading “The new songsheet of the Left”
Cosatu and the ANC: the fat’s in the fire
I have been sitting on this for a few days partly because Cosatu’s Central Executive Committee statement on Thursday last week and the ANC response are as harsh as we have seen – and that includes the tone of voice that accompanied Cosatu’s huge strike against ‘Mbeki’s privatisation’ in 2002. Cosatu has a long andContinue reading “Cosatu and the ANC: the fat’s in the fire”
Eskom, the ANC, government and public trust
The extreme nature of the reaction to the electricity price increase is about a number of things, perhaps most obviously: the public and institutional suspicion that the crisis in Eskom is due to cronyism at a management level and looting via tender abuse by a politically connected elite, and the Great Recession has left theContinue reading “Eskom, the ANC, government and public trust”
Goodbye Mister Zuma, it’s been …. unsettling
I am trying to work out if Jacob Zuma is condemned to be a one term president; shuffled off the stage by a shamefaced ANC leadership as soon as humanly possible. I think he will be, unless he is saved by a titanic power-struggle that is not settled in time for the 2012 ANC nationalContinue reading “Goodbye Mister Zuma, it’s been …. unsettling”
While we were away …
Having just returned from an idyllic holiday, I am forced to take stock of what I missed … The Communists versus the TenderCapitalists A “TenderCapitalist” is not an over-sensitive entrepreneur. It is a South African person, much loathed by the communists, who uses his or her race and/or political connection to win tenders from theContinue reading “While we were away …”
The SACP Conference – as I head off
Tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn I will begin travelling with my children for a respite after two years of my (it seems somehow personal) Great Recession. We will be moving through some places that are less connected than others, so I will be posting irregularly for some time. For this reason I wantedContinue reading “The SACP Conference – as I head off”
Are we becoming the worst we can be?
Here is something I wrote during the April general election – with a few minor edits. It is becoming increasingly relevant, as “the left” is backed into a corner and the Malema style populists seem to hold sway. Bread and Circuses Opinion polls indicate that the ruling African National Congress will shrug off five yearsContinue reading “Are we becoming the worst we can be?”
Young Communists froth at the mouth – hilariously and for a good cause
This statement from the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) in the province of Gauteng calls on “parents to intensify efforts in teaching their children the dangers of learning from Julius” Malema. Its worth a read – if for nothing else but to see how crazy things are getting between the left-wing of theContinue reading “Young Communists froth at the mouth – hilariously and for a good cause”
Nationalisation: Cronin answers Malema – again … but what about the goose?
It’s getting a little like a tennis match. Eventually you can do well to watch the audience, heads swinging from-side-to-side to the sharp “pok” of the shots, to get a sense of how things are going. As I was reading the article by Cronin, again from Umsebenzi Online, that came out today I groaned. ItContinue reading “Nationalisation: Cronin answers Malema – again … but what about the goose?”
Cronin, Malema and that familiar fetid stench
It is, inescapably, time for a little weekend editorialising. Yesterday I summarised the main content of Jeremy Cronin’s criticism of the ANC Youth League’s “nationalise the mines!” call. In as far as it is possible I summarised Julius Malema’s response to Cronin – his comments consisted primarily of racial abuse and pompous meandering. This morningContinue reading “Cronin, Malema and that familiar fetid stench”
Nic Borain 