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March 20 Shutdown: Results and Prospects by Sandiso Mbulawa & Lindokuhle Mponco

The March 20th National Shutdown was a historical move in the epoch of post-apartheid South Africa. The National Shutdown demonstrated one thing and one thing only, the power of the EFFSC in the inner workings and organizational lifeblood of the EFF. This demonstration of the EFFSC being a fighting organ not only in the hands of students from working class and peasantry backgrounds, but also the working class and the peasantry in itself is a demonstration of the power of students in the class struggle in South Africa. Our history is filled with such realities; however, the exercise of this article is to assess the overall performance of the Organization and many other organizations that joined the shutdown.


Results

The EFF National Shutdown of March 20th was a shutdown like no other. For the first time in a long time, we saw the might of the South African Police Service (SAPS) on full display. The State reacted to a threat from a grouping of Socialist Organizations (EFF, Land Party, PAC & SAFTU) in a fashion that any bourgeois state would react in. Even when Centrist organizations like UDM, ATM, and ARETA joined, the State refused to tone down the rhetoric of war and violence due to the threat of the regime being overthrown. This panic was caused by the reality of an organized shutdown being a potential spark for an insurrection that could sweep the current regime away with a drop of a hat. The State flexed its bourgeois muscles in defense of bourgeois property and bourgeois law & order. The rhetoric of defending the economy fell flat as many on social media came to the realization that the economy is not even in their hands, and it has tanked. The panic was evident when the DA went on a court interdict spree which also failed to produce the result that they wanted, which was an interdict against the shutdown. 

The result of this panic from both the State, and the bourgeois official opposition party led to an awakening of some sorts from certain sections and layers of the working class. This awakening made them realize that capital was pushing a holy matrimony of the ANC led regime and the DA. This is due to these two parties being the primary agents of capitalism in South Africa. Action SA joined the bandwagon with various other capitalist influencers and commentators. The mainstream media was also in on the attack against shutdown due to most media houses being owned by the ruling capitalist class. The NASPERS owned media outlets were at the forefront of a campaign to render the shutdown useless; however, the working class surprised them. It is predicted by various bourgeois media and research outlets that over 70% of the workforce did not pitch up for work on Monday. This is the largest stay-away post-Apartheid and rendered the economy inactive. Even those that pitched up for work were not productive, and this means that over 80% of the economy was inactive.  Objectively speaking, this is one of the biggest stay-away in South African history and has shown the bosses that workers do not trust the assurances from this bourgeois government led by the ANC. 

Business owners were sending letters left, right and center encouraging workers not to risk their lives. The contradiction of protecting their stock and future profits saw business owners prioritize the workers' lives and their concerns. The mobilization work from the EFF and SAFTU led to one of the biggest police mobilizations, and deployment of SANDF forces post-lockdown. This is evidence that the State saw their life flash right before their eyes when they saw the pre-Shutdown mobilization from the EFF and SAFTU. One thing that was evident throughout the shutdown was that most of the protestors were EFF members. In some parts of the country, the core of the protestors was EFFSC members. This shows the advanced character of the EFFSC and the role it plays in the life of the EFF. The EFFSC proved to be a key component in the machinery of the EFF. This was proof that the EFFSC is one of the motive forces of the protest movement called the EFF. Due to the relatively small nature of the other organizations (besides SAFTU) and their lack of mobilization, we saw the EFF take the bulk of the spotlight. This was because the call came from the EFF and carried through by the EFF till the end. 

The threat of this shutdown even forced the State to suspend loadshedding to appease the masses. Suspending loadshedding didn't assist as the masses continued to soldier on. Small towns like Alice, Lusikisiki, and Qonce felt the might of the EFF in a way they have never felt it before. These small towns were shut down and some felt the impact of the decisive vanguard movement of the working class and the poor post-Apartheid. This shutdown has not only opened the eyes of the masses to the hypocrisy of the ANC government and the bourgeois regime but also positioned the EFF as a fighting organ in the hands of the People.

Prospects


The prospects created by this shutdown are clear for all to see; we are heading towards rolling mass action. This rolling mass action needs to be guided by a Party that can unite all the oppressed layers of society and advance a program that can be the basis of a new society. The EFF's basic program (7 Cardinal Pillars) contains the essence of this new society that we seek to build; however, the basic program is only a plank or rather a bridge to Socialism. The 7 Cardinal Pillars lay the foundation for a Socialist government and order, thus rendering it a Socialist Oriented program rather than a fully-fledged Socialist basic program. The 7 Cardinal Pillars are essentially a radical and revolutionary summary of the Freedom Charter. The prospects of rolling mass action have been laid out by this shutdown. As a result, SANTACO blocked the N2 from Mt. Ayliff to Butterworth in the Eastern Cape. Their shutdown is based on the conditions of the road, high petrol prices and high interest rates. Slowly but surely the economic protests are intersecting with the political protests. The situation is slowly turning, and the masses are rapidly being radicalized with every passing day. 

The prospects of an EFFSC led shutdown based on the demand of Free, quality, well-resourced, and decolonized education are high. As a result, the EFFSC has announced that on the 28th of March there will be a program of occupying the headquarters of Department of Higher Education & Training. These are the opening shots of revolution, and any revolutionary must take heed. However, for these prospects to materialize the movement must take stock of the failures and weaknesses of the movement. The next step must be to ensure that every branch is politically and legally ready for the shutdown. The step that follows is a clear plan of mobilizing the working class and the peasantry towards this aim of shutting down the country for Free, quality, well-resourced, and decolonized education in our lifetime. After the success of the Bolshevik Revolution Lenin said the following words, "The important thing is that the ice is broken; the road is open, the way has been shown." Now that the ice has been broken, the road has been opened and the way has been shown; it is time for us to move towards the seizure of power by the masses through a popular seizure of power and liquidation of the ruling classes!

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