Author: Lucien van der Walt

I teach at Rhodes University, the Eastern Cape. I’m 10th generation South African, born and bred. I have long been involved in union and working class education, and have a background in social movement and left-wing activism, the Workers’ Library and Museum, the Anti-Privatisation Forum, and the National Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU). I’ve presented or published 450+ papers, including conferences and workshops, co-edited 4 journal specials (on global and African labour history, and the left), and produced five books. Southern Africa editor for the 2009 'International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest' (Blackwell). I won the 2008 international ‘Labor History’ PhD thesis prize, and the 2008/2009 Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) award for best African dissertation, for my thesis on South African anarchism, syndicalism and black militants. I have also done research in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

[unpublished] van der Walt, Bolsmann, Johnson & Lindsey Martin, 2002, “Outsourcing: The Dirty Secret of Post-Apartheid University Transformation”

CITATION: Lucien van der Walt, Chris Bolsmann, Bernadette Johnson and Lindsey Martin, 2007, "Outsourcing: The Dirty Secret of Post-Apartheid University Transformation," unpublished paper. This was submitted to Debate magazine, but not published. Stumbled across a hard copy: extracted text below. OUTSOURCING: THE DIRTY SECRET OF POST-APARTHEID UNIVERSITY TRANSFORMATION Lucien van der Walt, Chris Bolsmann, Bernadette … Continue reading [unpublished] van der Walt, Bolsmann, Johnson & Lindsey Martin, 2002, “Outsourcing: The Dirty Secret of Post-Apartheid University Transformation” →

[unpublished] Lucien van der Walt, 1994, “Syndicalism on the Rand 1910-1913: The rise and fall of the IWW (SA Section)”

NOTE: I recently found the laid-out print-out of this old piece, which I wrote as an undergrad student. It had been intended for local magazine Unrest, which I co-edited; Unrest later merged into Workers Solidarity. At the last minute, I withdrew the piece and sent in a replacement. I'm not in 100% agreement with all … Continue reading [unpublished] Lucien van der Walt, 1994, “Syndicalism on the Rand 1910-1913: The rise and fall of the IWW (SA Section)” →

[ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2024, “The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) and the Battle to Organise across Southern Africa” [Workers World News]

Lucien van der Walt, December 2024, "The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) and the Battle to Organise across Southern Africa," Workers World News (ILRIG), number 129, p. 3. PDF is HERE.

[ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2024, “Zarina Patel and the story of Kenya’s labour and left movements” [‘Amandla’ magazine version]

Lucien van der Walt, 6 June 2024, "Zarina Patel and the Story of Kenya’s Labour and Left Movements," print version from Amandla magazine, number 93, July 2024, pp. 38-40. Online version, somewhat longer, is  HERE. PDF is HERE

[Workshop] Lucien van der Walt (2020), “Can we mix litigation and mass‐democratic mobilisation? Critical reflections on current community‐based legal challenges in the Eastern Cape, and the lessons of the 1980s and 1990s”

Workshop input: Lucien van der Walt, 2020, "Can we Mix Litigation and Mass-Democratic Mobilisation? Critical Reflections on Current Community-Based Legal Challenges in the Eastern Cape, and the Lessons of the 1980s and 1990s," presented at workshop / summit of Eastern Cape social movements on "Participatory Budgeting," Makhanda, 30 November 2020. Workshop hosted by Unemployed Peoples … Continue reading [Workshop] Lucien van der Walt (2020), “Can we mix litigation and mass‐democratic mobilisation? Critical reflections on current community‐based legal challenges in the Eastern Cape, and the lessons of the 1980s and 1990s” →

[TALK]: Lucien van der Walt, (2022), “Are Unions Still Relevant in 2022? Power, Prospects and Pitfalls,” presentation to South African Society of Bank Officials (SASBO)

Lucien van der Walt, 2022, "Are Unions Still Relevant in 2022? Power, Prospects and Pitfalls," presentation to general secretariat, South African Society of Bank Officials (SASBO - The Finance Union), SASBO House, Four Ways, Johannesburg, 6 September. The slides are HERE.

[TALK]: 2022 – Young Workers and Unions: Prof Lucien van der Walt, NALSU, and Dr Alex Mashilo, SACP, Address SAMWU Young Workers

Workshop input: Lucien van der Walt, 2022, "Positioning Young Workers for their Rightful Place in the Economy, Politics, Labour," presented at South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) Young Workers workshop/ panel, online, 28 June. My slides are available HERE. A video of the whole event can be found HERE (Facebook). Report on event, via Neil … Continue reading [TALK]: 2022 – Young Workers and Unions: Prof Lucien van der Walt, NALSU, and Dr Alex Mashilo, SACP, Address SAMWU Young Workers →

[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2007, “Afrique du Sud: Résister à l’université bourgeoise” [Le Combat Syndicaliste]

Lucien van der Walt, 2007, “Afrique du Sud: Résister à l’Université Bourgeoise,” Le Combat Syndicaliste, November 2007, number 232, p. 8. This was written in support of, and as part of, protests around privatisation at the University of the Witwatersrand in October 2007. PDF HERE   A version also appeared on Anarkismo, and is archived … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2007, “Afrique du Sud: Résister à l’université bourgeoise” [Le Combat Syndicaliste] →

[BOOK] “Labour Struggles in Southern Africa 1919-1949: New Perspectives on the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU)” (David Johnson, Noor Nieftagodien & Lucien van der Walt, 2022)

David Johnson, Noor Nieftagodien and Lucien van der Walt (eds.), 2022, Labour Struggles in Southern Africa 1919-1949: New Perspectives on the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU), Cape Town: HSRC Press, 308pp. Materials from the publisher are HERE. Introduction (David Johnson, Noor Nieftagodien and Lucien van der Walt) Section A: The ICU in Southern Africa … Continue reading [BOOK] “Labour Struggles in Southern Africa 1919-1949: New Perspectives on the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU)” (David Johnson, Noor Nieftagodien & Lucien van der Walt, 2022) →

[BOOK] “Politics at a Distance from the State: Radical and African Perspectives” (Kirk Helliker & Lucien van der Walt, eds., 2022, paperback)

Kirk Helliker and Lucien van der Walt (eds.), 2022, Politics at a Distance from the State: Radical and African Perspectives, Oakland: PM Press, 172pp. Publisher information on book HERE. Description For decades, most anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist movements identified radical transformation with capturing state power. The collapse of these statist projects from the 1970s led to … Continue reading [BOOK] “Politics at a Distance from the State: Radical and African Perspectives” (Kirk Helliker & Lucien van der Walt, eds., 2022, paperback) →

[ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2008, “Political Differences on the Role of the State and of Trade Unions: Neo-liberal, Social Democratic and Socialist Views” (DITSELA / COSATU)

Lucien van der Walt, 2008, "Political Differences on the Role of the State and of Trade Unions: Neo-liberal, Social Democratic and Socialist Views," in Organiser Modules - Module 3:  Political Economy and Alternative Organising under Neo-liberal Capitalism in South Africa, Development Institute for Training, Support and Education for Labour (DITSELA) / Congress of South African … Continue reading [ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2008, “Political Differences on the Role of the State and of Trade Unions: Neo-liberal, Social Democratic and Socialist Views” (DITSELA / COSATU) →