Category: South Africa

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

[ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “’Fight for Africa, Which you Deserve’: The Industrial Workers of Africa in South Africa, 1917-1921”, in ‘Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library’

Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “'Fight for Africa, Which you Deserve': The Industrial Workers of Africa in South Africa, 1917-1921”, Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library, number 24, pp. 2,5,6. Get the PDF here. Better quality one (as part of complete Bulletin) here.

[ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “Putting Profit First” [university restructuring]

Lucien van der Walt,  7 September 2000, "Putting Profit First," The Sowetan. Still relevant. Get the PDF here.   Lucien van der Walt, September 7, 2000, PUTTING PROFIT FIRST, in THE SOWETAN Wits is rapidly turning into a market university that serves the wealthy, while excluding working class people, writes Lucien van der Walt Just … Continue reading [ANALYSIS] Lucien van der Walt, 2000, “Putting Profit First” [university restructuring] →

[PHOTO + SPEECH]: Prof Lucien van der Walt at fees protests: “Free higher education, complete national liberation,” at “Rhodes” University, 19 October 2015

      Personal statement by "Rhodes" University professor Lucien van der Walt: "Rights are not given from above but won from below. Fight for free higher education as part of the struggle for change and completing the black working class national liberation struggle in South Africa. Move the struggle from individual VCs and universities … Continue reading [PHOTO + SPEECH]: Prof Lucien van der Walt at fees protests: “Free higher education, complete national liberation,” at “Rhodes” University, 19 October 2015 →

[ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power”

New article: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, "From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power," South African Labour Bulletin, volume 39, number 2, pp 35-39 Get the PDF here **Based on a talk given in Kenya, this article argues that, while official minimum wages and other improvements are welcome gains, they are inadequate in an exploiting … Continue reading [ANALYSIS]: Lucien van der Walt, 2015, “From Living Wage to Working Class Counter-power” →

[PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing state of the unions in South Africa

Mail and Guardian here 'Workers do not have a good story to tell' 30 Jul 2015 16:09 Sarah Evans Between the second quarters of 2014 and 2015, union membership in South Africa decreased by 17 000 members Levels of unionisation in South Africa remain stable relative to other countries, but union membership is on the … Continue reading [PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: discussing state of the unions in South Africa →

[PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: quoted on “working class solution” to anti-immigrant attacks

Mail and Guardian, from here Swinging guns and fleeing foreigners: What is the state doing? 15 Apr 2015 18:32 Sarah Evans Although the latest outbursts revolve around xenophobia, the state needs to put a stop to all violence in South Africa. From the varied reactions of politicians to the xenophobic violence to the response of … Continue reading [PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: quoted on “working class solution” to anti-immigrant attacks →

[PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: quoted in Polish press on SA anti-immigrant violence

    From here   Michał Staniul akt. 07.05.2015, 13:30 Pogromy imigrantów w RPA -​ co kryje się za ksenofobicznymi wybuchami? Osiem ofiar śmiertelnych, dziesiątki rannych, setki zniszczonych sklepów i mieszkań oraz tysiące ludzi zmuszonych do ucieczki. A dodatkowo dyplomatyczna wojna. W RPA przez niemal cały kwiecień dochodziło do pogromów imigrantów. Jednego z brutalnych mordów … Continue reading [PRESS]: Lucien van der Walt: quoted in Polish press on SA anti-immigrant violence →

[JOURNAL]: Lucien van der Walt, “Bakunin’s Heirs in South Africa: Race, class and revolutionary syndicalism from the IWW to the International Socialist League, 1910-1921”

Lucien van der Walt, 2004, “Bakunin's Heirs in South Africa: Race, class and revolutionary syndicalism from the IWW to the International Socialist League, 1910-1921”, Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies, volume 30, number 1, pp. 67-89. Get the PDF here ABSTRACT: The historiography of the socialist movement in South Africa remains dominated by the … Continue reading [JOURNAL]: Lucien van der Walt, “Bakunin’s Heirs in South Africa: Race, class and revolutionary syndicalism from the IWW to the International Socialist League, 1910-1921” →

[REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Anarchism and syndicalism, Southern Africa”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest

Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Anarchism and syndicalism, Southern Africa”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest, Blackwell, New York, pp. 147-155. Get the PDF here     Anarchism and syndicalism, Southern Africa   Lucien van der Walt   p. 147 Anarchism, and particularly its syndicalist variant, played an important role in early labor and socialist … Continue reading [REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Anarchism and syndicalism, Southern Africa”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest →

[REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Plaatje, Solomon Tshekisho (1876–1932)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest

Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Plaatje, Solomon Tshekisho (1876–1932)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest, Blackwell, New York, online edition Get the PDF here   Plaatje, Solomon Tshekisho (1876 –1932) Lucien van der Walt Solomon Tshekisho “Sol” Plaatje was an African intellectual, publisher, and prominent early nation- alist. Like many other early African leaders, he … Continue reading [REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Plaatje, Solomon Tshekisho (1876–1932)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest →

[REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Kadalie, Clements (ca. 1896–1951)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest

Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Kadalie, Clements (ca. 1896–1951)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest, Blackwell, New York, online edition Get the PDF here   Kadalie, Clements (ca. 1896 –1951) Lucien van der Walt Born in or just before 1896 at Chifira village near the Bandawe mission station in Nyasaland (now Malawi) to a chiefly … Continue reading [REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Kadalie, Clements (ca. 1896–1951)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest →

[REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Barayi, Elijah (1930–1994)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest

Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Barayi, Elijah (1930–1994)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest, Blackwell, New York, p. 349 Get the PDF here   Barayi, Elijah (1930 –1994) Lucien van der Walt p. 349 Born in Lingelihle in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, Barayi joined the Youth League of the African National Congress (ANC) in … Continue reading [REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Barayi, Elijah (1930–1994)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest →

[REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Kotane, Moses (1905 –1978)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest

Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Kotane, Moses (1905 –1978)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest, Blackwell, New York, online edition Get the PDF here   Kotane, Moses (1905 –1978) Lucien van der Walt Moses Kotane was a South African communist and nationalist credited with uniting the Com- munist Party of South Africa (CPSA) at a … Continue reading [REFERENCE]: Lucien van der Walt, 2009, “Kotane, Moses (1905 –1978)”, International Encyclopaedia of Revolution and Protest →