Forming is a continuous process, so is the ANC’s
commitment to revolution. After close to 20 years of democracy and freedom in South Africa
(17*) Wikipedia states that: “The ANC deems itself a force of national
liberation in the post-apartheid era; it officially defines its agenda as the National Democratic Revolution (NDR)”.
(18*)
A research and policy brief of
the South African Institute for Race Relations reports that: “In the post-Apartheid
period, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has persisted in its
determination to implement a National Democratic Revolution (NDR). The ANC
makes no secret of this, regularly re-affirming this objective at its
five-yearly national conferences”.
(18*) It also claims that: “The
ANC sees itself not as an ordinary political party bound by the ordinary rules
of the political game, but as a national liberation movement responsible for implementing
the NDR”.
The significance of the NDR in ANC governance calls for
more information on this subject:
(To ensure that no meaning is
lost, abstracts from source material, including official ANC documentation are
provided, unchanged).
(17*) Wikipedia – African
National Congress
(18*)SA
Inst for Race Relations: Research and Policy Brief --The National Democratic
Revolution (NDR):
Its Origins and Implications - 31st May 2012
·
AIMS OF THE NDR
o “National
liberation and economically emancipation of Africans in particular and blacks
in general.
o Addressing
gender, national and class contradictions simultaneously.
o Building
a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and prosperous South Africa
o Attaining
the objectives of the Freedom Charter.
o
The
NDR is the road to Socialism, meaning that attainment of Freedom Charter
objectives lays basis for transition to Socialism.
o The
SACP and COSATU: Attaining NDR objectives ‘forming a basis for a socialist
revolution”, as it will create a united and independent nation with internal
capacity to protect and care for its citizens, and would have discontinued
private ownership of the commanding heights of South Africa
o
Working
class: Leading the NDR -- a dynamic link between National Liberation and
Socialism.”
·
THE NDR’S INTENT
“The People Shall Share in the Country's Wealth”
o “The
national wealth of our country, the heritage of South Africans, shall be
restored to the people;
o The
mineral wealth beneath the soil, the Banks and monopoly industry shall be
transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole;
o All
other industry and trade shall be controlled to assist the well-being of the
people;
o All
people shall have equal rights to trade where they choose, to manufacture and
to enter all trades, crafts and professions.”
·
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FREEDOM CHARTER
“The People should share in the Country’s
Wealth”
o Monopoly
Capital, Banks, and Mineral Wealth should be transferred to the ownership of
the people as a whole.
o The
doors of Learning and Culture should be opened to all.
o All
other industry and trade should be controlled to assist the wellbeing of the
people.
o The
movement towards attainment of Freedom Charter objectives should be speeded
up.”
·
MOVING TOWARDS SOCIALISM
o “Socialism
is the transitional phase between Capitalism and Communism. Socialism is linked
to the NDR.
o Under
Socialism, political power and the State is under control of the working class.
o Between capitalist and communist society lies the period of the
revolutionary transformation of the one into the other.
o Corresponding
to this is also a political transition period in which the state can be nothing
but the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat Marx.
o The
first step in this process is the seizure of political power by the working
class majority of society under the leadership of the Working Class Vanguard,
the Communist Party.
o Once in political power, the working class can then move to assert its
control over the economy.
o Once
the working class democratically runs the economy in the interests of all,
instead of in the interests of a handful of capitalists; then very quickly we
will be able to provide the basic necessities and then much more to everyone.
o We
will be able to abolish unemployment, provide free, quality healthcare,
education, housing, and more to everyone.
o The
productive forces will be radically developed to benefit as many people as
possible, and their development will not be privately owned by capitalists.
o Production
and distribution will be socialized.”
(20*) An ANC document titled, “The Nature of the
South African Ruling Class” supports the NDR’s intent set out above: “The
Freedom Charter projects the seizure of economic assets presently owned either
by South African capitalist firms or trans-national corporations”.
It goes on to state that: “Such measures will strip
the present ruling class of the actual substance of its power, by seizing hold
of the commanding heights of the economy. People’s power, as conceived within the
ANC, will entail a democratic revolution of a new type, in which the interests
of the working people, of town and countryside, will be pre-eminent”.
(21*) Full implementation of
the NDR will according to South Africa Reporter deter investment, stall
economic growth, worsen poverty, and increase dependency on the State. “It will
undermine the Constitution, give the ANC totalitarian control, and betray the
bright hopes of the 1994 transition”.
(22*) With regards to socialism,
the message from the SACP is: “Socialism is the Future, Build it Now”!
To open the media sources hold "CTRL" key and click on the shortcut.
(19*) National Democratic
Revolution -- ANCYL Political Education Manual http://www.google.co.za/url?q=http://www.ancyl.org.za/docs/political/2009/NDR%2520Presentationb.pdf&sa=U&ei=QoCvUOOyHIuGhQeg0IG4Dw&ved=0CBQQFjAA&sig2=oK_BNB9D9OdrNfW59beo9g&usg=AFQjCNGDm-FqziG398_FThuWqxoNNOl3Hg
(20*) African National Congress -- “The Nature
of the South African Ruling Class”
(21*) South Africa
Reporter: NDR responsible for cadre
deployment http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CG8QFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsareporter.com%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D1254%26Itemid%3D1&ei=oDTgULH9NsO7hAfLoYGYBQ&usg=AFQjCNElKEVNc8ZO8QGLRvXxThXHQq6UPw&sig2=ECtbE7cELiUYGwrZnjeTlw
(22*) SACP – What is the National
Democratic Revolution?
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