The end of the left as we know it

It's all hot air. It's a POWER struggle for the climb up the ladder. Note the scrambling and tampling that is going on. They believe those that shout loudest with get to the top. Dumb power hungry bunch. Stuff the poor, it's all about getting to the top of that ladder first. Afterall there's a lovely gravy trough up there!!!!!

ANC leaders insist Malema is a "waning star" in the party despite the increasingly inflammatory nature of his rhetoric and high public profile. "People are fed up with him. He’s angered so many," one leader said.
ABOUT TIME....
Second article in M&G where COSATU makes more sense than the ANC. Lets hope the trend carries on

A fairly poor article, Mandy. I think you have misjudged much of the SACP and COSATU's stance in the last 15 years. And, I think you have conflated 'the left' with 'the leadership of the insitutionalized left'

The 'new left' are probably the ANC's greatest hope, and the best chance of transforming the ANC into a normal social democratic party and SA into a normal democracy. The Africanists are probably an anachronism, but loud as you say. The least that is said about those who would be considered criminals in a normal country (those who were so keen on the disbandment of the Scorpions and the neutralisation of any independent prosecution capabilities), the better. Please note this is a hopeful viewpoint - there is a great deal of talent in the middle ranks of the ANC and if wiser heads prevail, a 'social democratic' outcome may well benefit all.

So why don't they just drop the tag "communist" . It only invites ridicule.

HAHAHAHHH Louise, good one. My thoughts exactly. All that is really happenning are people jostling and widening thier stance in an attempt to get a better gulp at the trough. Segoya, you are correct, a rather week attempt. However, a real point of interest, certainly for me, is the effect the economic crash (which is far from over, forget about any technical issues) is going to affect the way our ruling elite spin the inevitable results of no growth, no jobs(Still declining) no real development, (2010 will end and then??) etc etc for the next 5 to 10 years. How long will it take for the disenfranchised to rise up like a massive tsunami and begin destroying the country. (Literally) Or has that already started, what with the lack of service delivery riots....... Is it just me, or could that be the reason we are seeing such a huge grab (corruption in all areas of gov)for public funds by all and sundry before the shit really begins happenning.....Is that maybe the real reason behind the large SA corporates moved listings offshore years ago?....

Right wing? Come to think of it though, with all his racist screeching, Malema does kind of look like a not-very-bright black Hitler...

This is a weak article. Its been written by so many commentators like Alistair Sparks that this article is actually a joke.

Apocalypse: Good question. Though I'm not sure there are very many more service delivery protests now than there have been in the past. Since the early 2000s they have been happening everywhere, but they have generally been under-reported in the news, or have been hidden in back pages in the newspapers.

The difference now, to some extent, is that there is more recognition of them by politicians. In the Mbeki era, the protests were ignored, called insignificant, called the work of a 3rd force/ counter-revolutionaries/ enemies of the NDR. Since Zuma has taken over, they have become sexier, politically speaking. Now the SACP - having dismissed these protests for a long time - wants to claim them, and own them. As does the ANC - as has been done in the Western Cape.

Where will the disaffection end? In an uprising? I'm not sure. You're right that 2010 will come and go. The millions who have been told that 2010 will usher in some kind of salvation will realise the shallowness of those lies. And then, what will happen?

The ANC staved off some of the fall-out due to it when it hyped up Zuma for president. They created a new hope. But there were not too many people who bought into that myth. Despite the ANC's 66% victory in the elections, they actually only won 38% of the votes of eligible voters in South Africa. That's cause only 59% of eligible voters actually voted.

I think that is a fairly good indicator of how far disillusioned people are with the ANC (and with every other party, since the others managed to get even fewer votes).

But will this disillusionment and disaffection translate into an uprising though? I have my doubts.

I think the next election might be time to vote for a new party in government, so that the anc can step aside and sort out it's differences.

Sego, how else do the masses voice thier disapproval, thier only real option, one that gets everybody listenning, is to riot. I think these folk have to get to the point where they have had enough. Gat vol, in SA speech. You are correct, JZ was touted as going to be the real "liberator" similar to Obama, but reality is fast beginning to set in and this is where there could be a real issue. The anc actually lost ground in the last election. Something I think would not even have been contemplated just a little while ago. I assure you, if they see this slide continuing we will definitely begin to see some very drastic "measures", as they attempt to hold on at all costs.

My concern is this;
"But the ANC's "new right" should not be written off too quickly ... its support from the marginalised masses will make it a power that the ANC cannot afford to ignore."

Considering the extent to which the ANC screws up daily, their inability to start 'delivering' - despite all the rhetoric - and the recent spate of disastrous decisions by Zuma (Shaik, Simelane) the 'marginalised masses' can only increase in number.

God! With Malema and Yengeni waiting in the wings there could come a time we'll all be longing for 'the good old days of Zuma'.

Imagine that!!

@Apolcalypse...wow, maybe you're on to something; "Is it just me, or could that be the reason we are seeing such a huge grab (corruption in all areas of gov)for public funds by all and sundry before the shit really begins happenning.....Is that maybe the real reason behind the large SA corporates moved listings offshore years ago?...."

In Zim we didn't see it coming...

We need a Hugo Chavez or Eva Morales. Someone strong to bring about real change in this country, to the benefit of all the people. Nowhere the current system of "democratic capitalism" has been installed by colonialists has it worked. Not in Latin America or Africa, and I can't think of a country in Asia do the people benefit equitably from the resources of their own country.

The occupying entity has always benefited richly, by keeping the indigenous people poor, driving them off their land and forcing them to head to the slums around the cities to work for a pittance. They've been deprived of basic services like water, sanitation, education, health care facilities, electricity. The list goes on and on, while a minority of privilege reaps a disproportionate share of the wealth generated.

Sound familiar? That's what happened here and many other nations in Africa, Latin America, Asia.

Sadly, someone with the balls, undoubted integrity, support and vision doesn't seem to be surfacing.

I wouldn't write off the left too quickly...

hugo is an embarassment to the left, and feeds, through state controled media, populist garbage financed by oil money. Expect the same without any economic backing, only the power of the "machine gun".....

How exactly is Chavez "an embarassment to the left" David Hurst?

Hold on David, Billy has got a very good point. As I think I have mentioned already somewhere, both of these guys, Evo and Hugo are absolute populist leaders. In fact, certainly is thier countries thay have done amazing things for the upliftment of the peoples. Dave you need to look into some of thier local (non USA funded) news wires.One example, probably the foremost one, because that is really all they have, is, he took thier oil back from the major multinationals, who were literally sucking the country dry for pur profits, giving back absolutley nothing, and began using the money to develop Venuzuela and helping surrounding countries also being held by the short and curleys of the multinationals. (Much less so now because the oil price has lost so much over the years or so) You see, South America is essentially owned and run by a number of HUGE multinationals, backed by thier own armies and the US gov. They bribed previous heads of state for massive oil rights leaving the countries needing to borrow money to develop internally. These countries have since been caught in the proverbial debt trap, essentially needing to screw thier own people (Taxes etc) to pay the debt, again owned by HUGE international interests. Hugo has and is trying to stay afloat, what with these Multinats and the USA gov on behalf of these same Multinats trying to either kill him or somehow get rid of him so that they will be once again able to mild the country.

Hugo is making moves to consolidate power and remove contitutional term limitations. You are clearly watching his government controled media, doofs. The USA is always the bad guy. Why did hugo buy 500000 AK's, morons. Invasion from the US no doubt. When his petrodollars run out, he will be out. Beware populist control of Zim and SA, you only seem to read the Harare peoples daily. Frikken brainless. Support Stalin, why don't you. Hugo is not of the left, he is of the totalitarians who manipulate with populism government controled media, making spectacles of a fist full of dollars for the vote with scenes of health clinics. First class bribery for vote, and propaganda of the simplist calculation. Kamrad brother.

Machiniwa anyone?

I see the whole thing in a more simple light. After 2010 and things have not improved for our under privilaged. The government will as always blame apartheid and the anger of the masses will be towards the whites. This way the ANC can save their fat A..ses and have time to leave if things get too hot here.

Geez, sorry dude. now sit down before you hurt yourself. Hugo is a plitician, so yes of course he is a compltet whore. however, when he was flush, with his oil dollars which the multis were just taking out he did more for the basics, school, hosp, roads, infrastructure than all 5 pressy's before him. ok, so that pisses some multis off. fuck em, they sucked the country dry for decades. gave jack back leaving them heavily in dept with a burguning poor class. he has tried to make amends. Yes he does acquire arms but with CIA and every other special ops people fron USA tying to kill him, wouldn't you too.

AN, the US multis are now Chinese multis, you have been watching too many movies...