Perspectives – Zabalaza for Socialism

Adam Habib and the Politics of Opportunism

Ziyad Motala21 August 2026

There is something almost touching about Adam Habib’s faith in Helen Zille. https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-08-18-only-zille-can-save-joburg-ex-wits-vc-habib-says-da-mayoral-candidate-perfect-for-the-job/ Johannesburg, he tells us, can apparently be rescued by one woman. If Zille does not secure an overall majority, he warns, not merely Johannesburg but “the city and South Africa are doomed.” For the job of mayor, he pronounces her “perfect.” Perfect […]

Is Afrophobia a simplistic framing?

Socialist Voice Newsletter of the Marxist Group of Namibia18 August 2026

A left-wing view does not say xenophobia in South Africa is “naturally” Africanist or that “black” people are inherently united. It says xenophobia is a product of racial capitalism, township political economy, state rhetoric, and social fragmentation — and its racialised pattern of targets reflects material conditions, not essential identities. The term “Afrophobia” is analytically […]

Lessons of 1976: ‘Be united to face the common enemy’

Noor Nieftagodien10 July 2026

On 30 June 2026, a few hundred people marched through Soweto as part of the broader campaign of xenophobia that in recent weeks has swept across some parts of the country. In the same month, the country marked the 50th anniversary of the historic 1976 uprising, when tens of thousands of Black students nationally mobilised against […]

INPUT BY SAFTU GENERAL SECRETARY ZWELINZIMA VAVI AT THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION SEMINAR

Zwelinzima Vavi7 July 2026

THIRTY-TWO YEARS OF DEMOCRACY: A WORKING-CLASS ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION Comrades, colleagues, leaders of the movement, intellectuals, veterans of the struggle, and fellow South Africans,I must begin by locating myself.I am not speaking here as a neutral observer.I am not speaking as an academic standing outside the battle.I speak as a trade unionist.I […]

TOWARDS A CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT: THOSE MAKING THE CALL NEED TO ANSWER CRITICAL QUESTIONS

Brian Ashley14 May 2026

South Africa is living through a deepening social crisis. Unemployment, inequality, hunger, state decay, ecological destruction, and violence continue to define everyday life for millions. The political formations that once claimed to represent the aspirations of the working class have lost legitimacy, while the Right – both neoliberal and authoritarian – has grown stronger. In […]

RESPONSE TO THE CONTRADICTIONS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY

Lebohang Phanyeko13 May 2026

The inclusion of right-wing populist formations in the South African Communist Party (SACP) ‘Conference of the Left’ to be held at the end of the month alongside formations such as the African National Congress (ANC) and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), can only escalate rather than resolves the deep contradictions facing the South African left […]

OPEN LETTER TO OPERA SINGER AVIVA PELHAM ON HER OBJECTION TO UCT AWARDING IMTIAZ SOOLIMAN AN HONORARY DOCTORATE IN RECOGNITION OF HIS HUMANITARIAN WORK

Mike Van Graan5 May 2026

Dear Aviva, We do not know each other well, but from our brief interactions over many years and from what I’ve seen of your work within the performing arts, my impression was of a huge musical talent and of a warm, generous, humorous and smart human being. Which is why I find your objection (now […]

Can The Right Be Stopped?

Amandla27 November 2025

Amandla Magazine made it to 100 issues! Find the most recent issue here: Amandla! #100 Unfortunately, we arrived here in a period where the right-wing is rising around the world. So the feature in this issue focuses on the rise of the right and the challenge for the Left to resist. The editorial briefly looks back on […]

Mozambique on a Knife’s Edge

Rehad Desai18 August 2025

The armed conflict in Cabo Delgado between Islamic State–aligned fighters and mercenary forces led by the Rwandan military has escalated sharply in recent weeks. This surge in violence coincides with efforts to reopen the region’s lucrative gas facilities. At the same time, the Frelimo-controlled state is moving to prosecute popular opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane on trumped-up terrorism charges. Mondlane has been a key figure in mobilising mass protests since October last year—protests that have, according to credible sources, already claimed some 600 lives.

The fight for water in Gauteng

Rehad Desai18 August 2025

The Civic Action for Democracy and Equality (CADE) Gauteng was born from a People Assembly that was held in January 2025 following a prolonged period of interrupted supply to households during 2024. The assembly was attended by over 30 civic structures that fall mainly from within the municipal borders of the City of Johannesburg (CoJ). Representatives from the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance were also present as were some civic structures for Erkerhuleni Municipality.

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Category: Perspectives