From 12–15 December, Zabalaza for Socialism (ZASO),Amandla! Magazine and the Community Adult and Workers Education centre will host the Socialist Festival in Johannesburg.

We view this as an energising space to confront the crises shaking our country and the wider world, and to debate strategies for a democratic, socialist alternative.

Think Socialism 2025  aims to underline the continuing relevance of a revolutionary, internationalist Marxist perspective for understanding today’s class struggles. At a time when it seems easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism, the Festival will challenge this fatalism, explore concrete anti-capitalist alternatives activists are organising around.

This will not be a series of lectures but a participatory forum where ideas are tested, contested, and sharpened. Non-sectarian and comradely, the Festival welcomes all who wish to debate, challenge, and contribute to advancing collective struggles. Activists engaged in campaigns—from workplace battles to climate  and water justice, anti-racist campaigns, housing struggles to feminist organising—are especially invited to share lessons, seek solidarity, and forge alliances.

The programme will weave together theory, practice, and culture. Sessions will probe urgent questions: What can we learn from past revolutionary crises? How can socialism strengthen struggles against exploitation, oppression, and ecological collapse? Alongside these debates, campaign workshops will offer practical tools for organising, while films, music, poetry, and literature will ensure that the spirit of socialism is nurtured in both head and heart.

For those sympathetic to ZASO’s vision, the Festival is also a chance to connect, learn more, and find meaningful ways to get involved. Above all, it is an invitation to join hands in advancing the struggle for socialism in South Africa and beyond.

Festival Organising Committee