Towards a People's Coalition by Lindokuhle Mponco

Introduction

In Marxist literature, a People's government has come to mean a government of the majority in terms of class and in terms of aspirations of a government. A people's government centres the core needs of a society, and centres the majority contributors, and ultimately everyone in the process of making, implementing, and analysing the decisions made by the government which not only represent the interests of the majority, but the interests of ensuring we have an equal and equitable society. A generalised summary of all Marxist literature sees a People's government being a government that represents the interests of those that provide labour without a profit returning to them in a form of shares or dividends. It represents those that do not own the means of production. This means that a People's government according to the Marxist methodology of analysis is a government of the toiling masses (all tiers of the working class both in the rural areas and in the urban areas, and the peasants). A People's government stands contra to the government of the bourgeoisie. It stands on the opposite end of the government of the capitalists (those that own the means of production). In summary, a People's government is a government of the oppressed classes and stands opposite to the status quo (a government of the bosses and the elite of the aristocracy).  Therefore, this article explores the theme of ensuring that the Coalition government is not just a mere coalition, but a People's Coalition.

 

A Bourgeois Coalition (DA-ANC/ANC-MK/ANC-IFP and any other Centrist small Party)

The recent engagements on coalitions have seen the outright rejection of either a firmly Socialist Party and programme that comes with it, or an outrightly Neoliberal Party and programme that comes with it. The clear picture we get is that the EFF is to many the most recognizable Left-Wing vehicle, and the DA is to many the most recognizable Right-Wing vehicle. The coalitions engagements have been silently about the continuation of neoliberalism, or the discontinuation of neoliberalism towards a much more radical and socialist leaning path. It seems like the liberation struggle has come full circle and the phrase, 2024 is our 1994 has become a reality in the most poetic and profound sense that will only be felt 5 to 10 years from now. The WMC-owned media has gone on full blast calling for a Neoliberal coalition which includes the DA, the IFP, and at worst, the PA. However, what is becoming apparent is that a traditional bourgeois coalition is off the cards given the fear of potential instability, and obliteration of the ANC. 

The Government of National Unity (GNU), which is a grand coalition, is the favoured option of the ANC, and the Tripartite Alliance in principle is not fundamentally opposed to this approach, while the EFF has made it clear that it is also willing to compromise, however, it is not in support of a GNU, while the MKP is clear that it will not engage the ANC as long as Ramaphosa is President of the ANC. It is quite clear that the Left-Wing is thinking about compromise, and joining their future with the ANC, a party which has been a loyal servant of Monopoly Capital for 30 years straight without a pause. The GNU is another form of a bourgeois coalition which will render South Africa in a cul-de-sac of no qualitative growth, while the gap between the rich and the poor continues to increase. This in Marxist terms is class collaboration. The EFF has been the Vanguard of the Working Class for the past 10 years; however, it might lose the working class to MKP if it forms part of the GNU, while it seems like the DA might be hesitant to form part of this GNU with the EFF involved. The EFF has correctly advanced a Marxist posture that the GNU is a non-starter, while a traditional coalition stands a better chance of working better for the working class. 

A People's Coalition (ANC-EFF-UDM)

While coalitions in this cycle in their nature will lean towards the bourgeoisie, there is one coalition which could possibly swing and tilt the scale to the favour of the People (Working Class, Middle Class, and Peasants). The coalition option of ANC-EFF-UDM at national level might consist of 201 out of 400 seats, which is a simple majority, and just enough to pass certain laws, and take certain decisions but it remains the most stable option politically, socially, and economically. This might be minimal, but might be enough for stability, and fundamental change. The 201 seats might not look numerically appetizing, but it is a coalition which is ideologically balanced, and geared towards strengthening state capacity, and building an economy that is centred around the people. The UDM is not opposed to the nationalisation of the South African Reserve Bank, the establishment of a state bank, the expropriation of land without compensation, free healthcare and 24/7 clinics, free quality education, free housing,  nationalisation of strategic sectors of the economy including the mining sector, and the creation of a sovereign wealth fund. They have voted with the EFF on most of these motions both in the 5th and the 6th administration while the ANC has voted against it. 

 

The current trajectory that is required is a more left-leaning approach which is oriented towards a socialist path. The experience of the 30 years of an ANC majority where neoliberal economic policies were the order of the day has been roundly condemned as a failure, thus meaning that we must shift towards a left-leaning framework. The UDM is not opposed to leftist policies that are centred around nationalisation but rather we can see through empirical evidence (support in motions) that they supported them even though they identify as a Centrist organisation. The ANC calls itself a broad church which implies Centrism, but they infer that they are a disciplined force of the left, while they have been very disciplined with implementing right-wing policy. The ANC is currently led by a neoliberal contingent which has roots to the CODESA grouping. The CODESA grouping is the political elite which brokered the democracy we currently enjoy, which is basically liberal bourgeois in character. The CODESA grouping is dangerous, and definitely a WMC product. However, the changing balance of forces might tilt them towards a posture of temporarily agreeing to a coalition with the EFF, and allowing the people to manage the democracy while capital tries to figure a way out of this mud fest. A People's Coalition (ANC-EFF-UDM) not only undermines the character of the democracy but stretches it to its utmost limit so that the people can realise that this democracy is not enough to advance aspirations of the toiling masses of our people. We are fortunate that the base of the ANC is majority workers and peasants due to their ties to COSATU, SANCO, SACP, SASCO, and many other formations that form part of the mass democratic movement.  Due to the Tripartite Alliance condemning us to the two-stage theory approach, we find ourselves having to yearn for Socialism within this paradigm. However, a diligent socialist will know that the time is ripe for a socialist revolution even though the subjective conditions are not yet ready for such.

 

The ANC acknowledged this in 2012 in its discussion document that there might be a need for a second transition. The National Democratic Revolution speaks of the second transition as a phase where the SACP, and by extension the alliance all fights for the realisation of socialism. The first transition being the phase of we are in which is democratising the state and providing the basic needs. The alliance has failed in providing the basic needs, thus a coalition with EFF and UDM will provide the necessary external pressure and critical support where necessary in terms of providing basic needs. The EFF and UDM have also been bastions of anti-corruption struggles throughout their existence with both leaders of these parties being victims of purges by corrupt leaders within the ANC. Furthermore, the fact that these parties are breakaway movements from the ANC adds to the necessity for a coalition with these parties which are centred in people-centred policies. This is also a chance for the ANC-EFF-UDM to fulfil the Freedom Charter in totality, which will set the necessary conditions for socialism. This coalition can at worst be described a Centre-Left coalition like that of Brazil, and at best a moderate Left-Wing Coalition which is similar in design to that of Bolivia.

 

Conclusion

The Left-Wing is waiting in bated breath as the coalition talks unfold. However, one thing is for sure, a people's coalition is necessary to roll back the tyranny of neoliberalism. It might be ironic that the ANC is a fundamental cog in this reversal of the tyranny of neoliberalism, but it is poetic justice for abandoning its generational mission of liquidating the fascist arrangement, and setting up the foundations for a state that can easily transition to socialism because of the platform provided by the Freedom Charter.