Build a Better Workers’ Movement: learning from South Africa’s 2010 mass strike Lucien van der Walt and Ian Bekker Zabalaza: a journal of Southern African revolutionary anarchism, no. 12, 2011, pp. 11-15 PDF online here The biggest single strike since the 1994 parliamentary transition in South Africa showed the unions’ power. It won some … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt and Ian Bekker, 2011, “Build a Better Workers’ Movement: learning from South Africa’s 2010 mass strike”
Category: South Africa
Pieces that have South Africa as a central focus – but are often relevant to labour and the left more generally
[TALK]: Remarks to the 2010 NUMSA/ Wits graduates, Monday 6 December 2010
Professor Lucien van der WaltRemarks to the 2010 NUMSA/ Wits union graduatesMonday 6 December 2010Hofmeyer House, University of the WitwatersrandThank you. I will say a few words, if I may. In the first place, let me say a few ‘thank you’s:- To the comrades who attended the course studied hard and achieved; if you learnt … Continue reading [TALK]: Remarks to the 2010 NUMSA/ Wits graduates, Monday 6 December 2010
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “Neo-liberalism comes to Wits University – 600 jobs on the line,” in ‘Umsebenzi’
[I wrote this as part of the campaign against the neo-liberal Wits 2001 restructuring at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa. The plan cut jobs, mainly in support services, sought to commercialise reserach and teaching, and imposed a series of mergers and managerial reforms. We lost, but when we went down, we … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “Neo-liberalism comes to Wits University – 600 jobs on the line,” in ‘Umsebenzi’
[JOURNAL]: Ian Bekker& Lucien van der Walt, 2010, “The 2010 Mass Strike in the State Sector, South Africa: Positive Achievements but Serious Problems”
Ian Bekker and Lucien van der Walt, "The 2010 Mass Strike in the State Sector, South Africa: Positive Achievements but Serious Problems" Social.History Online / Sozial.Geschichte Online, open access journal Issue 4 / 2010 pp. 138-152 Article in PDF here Mirrored here Journal issue here The August-September 2010 mass strike in the South African state … Continue reading [JOURNAL]: Ian Bekker& Lucien van der Walt, 2010, “The 2010 Mass Strike in the State Sector, South Africa: Positive Achievements but Serious Problems”
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 1997, “South Africa after Apartheid ,” ‘Le Monde Libertaire’
Translated from Lucien van der Walt, "Afrique du Sud apres l'apartheid," 13-19 November 1997, Le Monde Libertaire, no. 1100Historically, South Africa epitomized the poverty and oppression associated with capitalism and racism. The first non-racial elections to parliament in April 1994 gave many hope for the redress of the injustices of the past. The holding of … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 1997, “South Africa after Apartheid ,” ‘Le Monde Libertaire’
[JOURNAL]: Lucien van der Walt, Chris Bolsmann, Bernadette Johnson, & Lindsey Martin, 2003, “Globalisation, the Market University and Support Service Outsourcing in South Africa: class struggle, convergence and difference, 1994-2001”
van der Walt, Lucien (and Chris Bolsmann, Bernadette Johnson, and Lindsey Martin), (2003), "Globalisation, the Market University and Support Service Outsourcing in South Africa: class struggle, convergence and difference, 1994-2001," Society in Transition, volume 34, number 2 PDF is now online here ABSTRACT: 'Globalisation' is all too often understood m a monolithic process that produces … Continue reading [JOURNAL]: Lucien van der Walt, Chris Bolsmann, Bernadette Johnson, & Lindsey Martin, 2003, “Globalisation, the Market University and Support Service Outsourcing in South Africa: class struggle, convergence and difference, 1994-2001”
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “GEAR versus Social Security”
Lucien van der Walt, Lucien, 2000, "GEAR versus Social Security," South African Labour Bulletin, volume 24, number 5 Get the PDF here
[SPEECH]: Lucien van der Walt, 2003, “University Restructuring: whose gain, whose pain, whose transformation?” presentation to COMSA union
van der Walt, Lucien, (2003), "University Restructuring: whose gain, whose pain, whose transformation?" presentation to Combined Staff Association, University of Durban-Westville, 2 July 2003 This was a talk to the militant, independent union COMSA, based at the then-University of Durban-Westville. PDF online here
[INTERVIEW]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Subcontracting is Just a Ploy to Woo Votes”
‘Subcontracting is just a ploy to woo votes’Vuvuzela, 27 February 2009Masibulele Yaso reportsThe ANC’s policy on outsourcing and subcontracting is ‘just a ploy to woo voters’, according to sociologist and lecturer in the Sociology Department, Dr Lucien van der Walt. Van der Walt told Vuvuzela that ‘because of the election mood’, the ANC would … Continue reading [INTERVIEW]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Subcontracting is Just a Ploy to Woo Votes”
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2007, “Afrique du Sud: Résister à l’université bourgeoise” [Anarkismo]
This was written in support of protests around privatisation at the University of the Witwatersrand in October 2007, in which I was involved, gave several speeches and faced some consequences . This version is from http://www.anarkismo.net/article/7706. A version was also published by Le Combat Syndicaliste (CNT-Vignolles), a copy of which I only located many years, … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2007, “Afrique du Sud: Résister à l’université bourgeoise” [Anarkismo]
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “The South African Elections, Neo-Liberalism and Working Class Strategy”
Previously published at anarkismo.net, 23 April 2009 The renewed Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) support for the ruling nationalist African National Congress (ANC) has seen the unions dedicate organisers over the last few weeks to ensuring an “overwhelming” ANC victory in the national elections on the 22 April 2009. How valid is such … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “The South African Elections, Neo-Liberalism and Working Class Strategy”
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2008, “The 2010 World Cup, the Neo-liberal Agenda and the Class Struggle in South Africa”
Lucien van der Walt, 2008, "The 2010 World Cup, the Neo-liberal Agenda and the Class Struggle in South Africa" Zabalaza: A Journal of Southern African Revolutionary Anarchism, number 8, pp. 8-9. Get the PDF here The 2010 World Cup is part and parcel of the neo-liberal restructuring of SA capitalism. It is also, however, a major … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2008, “The 2010 World Cup, the Neo-liberal Agenda and the Class Struggle in South Africa”
[ARTICLE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2008, “ASGISA: a working class critique”
Previous published in Zabalaza: a journal of southern African revolutionary anarchism #8, February 2008 Get the PDF here The announcement of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative – South Africa (Asgisa) in 2006 has been met with some enthusiasm in left and labour circles. There is, however, very little to be excited about. The SA … Continue reading [ARTICLE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2008, “ASGISA: a working class critique”
[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2005, “BEE-llionnaires in Mbeki-stan: BEE debate shows nature of post-apartheid SA, and limits of ‘left’ critique”
Lucien van der Walt, 2005, "BEE-llionnaires in Mbeki-stan: BEE debate shows nature of post- apartheid SA, and limits of 'left' critique," Zabalaza: a journal of southern African revolutionary anarchism, number 7. Get the PDF here Recent debates in the press around the issue of “Black Economic Empowerment,” or BEE, bring key features of the post-apartheid … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2005, “BEE-llionnaires in Mbeki-stan: BEE debate shows nature of post-apartheid SA, and limits of ‘left’ critique”
[TALK]: Lucien van der Walt, 2005, “Rethinking welfare, building the working class movement”
Presented at the NALEDI OPEN FORUM, 10th -11th November 2005 Venue : Parktonian Hotel, Cnr. Rissik and De Korte Street, Braamfontein Social Policy and Development section PDF available here [FIXED BROKEN LINK]. Rejecting technocratic modes of policy intervention by labour's experts, this paper argues for a model of “policy-from-below”, based in mass campaigns that … Continue reading [TALK]: Lucien van der Walt, 2005, “Rethinking welfare, building the working class movement”
