Category: South Africa

Pieces that have South Africa as a central focus – but are often relevant to labour and the left more generally

[unpublished] Lucien van der Walt, 1994, “Syndicalism on the Rand 1910-1913: The rise and fall of the IWW (SA Section)”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 I'm not in 100% agreement with all … Continue reading [unpublished] Lucien van der Walt, 1994, “Syndicalism on the Rand 1910-1913: The rise and fall of the IWW (SA Section)” →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.

[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) →

[TALK]: Lucien van der Walt, 2003, “University Restructuring: Whose Gain, Whose Pain, Whose Transformation?,” poster for talk to UDW’s Combined Staff Assoc.

This was a talk I gave to the independent Combined Staff Association (COMSA) at the University of Durban-Westville, Durban as part of a campaign against outsourcing. The published talk is HERE. Poster in PDF is HERE.      

[WORKSHOP]: Lucien van der Walt, 2020, “Working Class Heritage: The Creation of the Working Class and its Struggles in South Africa,” Sundays River Valley Farm Workers Forum

Workshop input: Lucien van der Walt, 2020, "Working Class Heritage: The Creation of the Working Class and its Struggles in South Africa" Heritage Day event,   Sundays River Valley Farm Workers Forum, Masizakhe Community Hall, Nomathamsanqa township, Addo, Eastern Cape, 26 September.  

[CHAPTER]: van der Walt & Moussouris (2020), “Anarcho-syndicalism and Union Education in South Africa: A Critical Evaluation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Tradition”

Lucien van der Walt and Mandy Moussouris (2020), “Anarcho-syndicalism and Union Education in South Africa: A Critical Evaluation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Tradition,” in Linda Cooper and Sheri Hamilton (eds.), Renewing Workers’ Education: Towards a Radical, Alternative Vision, HSRC Press: Cape Town, pp. 199-214. PDF of this chapter HERE  

[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “The Neo-Liberal Agenda: GEAR versus the working class,” Anti-Privatisation Monitor

Lucien van der Walt, 2000, "The Neo-Liberal Agenda: GEAR versus the working class," Anti-Privatisation Monitor, number 2, pp. 12-13. PDF HERE