ARETA announcement in the pursuit of forging left progressive unity towards the 2024 election and beyond

14 December 2023

Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the media, Today is a very important occasion for myself, as President of the Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (ARETA), and for the members of the National Working Board (NWB) here with me, together with the members of ARETA who are here as representatives of the various Provinces and Regions where ARETA established structures over the past ten months. I must say that we are extremely proud of the work that had been done, and the presence that ARETA has throughout the country. In the short period of ten months since our formation, we have signed up a large number of members, and established a presence throughout the country.

Our media presence, and the mature manner in which we have participated in the political discourse in our country and made a principled and ideological sound contribution to what Radical Economic Transformation (RET) stands for and how it should be implemented in a practical and community orientated manner, truly belies the short period of our existence.

I am reminded of a conversation that I had with the Commander In Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), comrade Julius Malema, when we were walking hand-in-hand marching through the streets of Pretoria to the Union Buildings and the Residence of the President, during the National Shutdown on the 20th of March 2023. When I congratulated the Commander In Chief on what he, and the rest of the EFF leadership, have achieved with the momentous growth and presence of the EFF throughout the country, he said to me: “Thank you, it is no child’s play to start a new party. One needs courage to do so, and you guys in 1 ARETA are doing well because you have courage”. I greatly appreciated those words of support and encouragement.

Signing my EFF membership form, after having called on all progressive parties and forces to join the EFF, and build progressive left unity.

A LUTA CONTINUA! ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/AcN1EFLOzJ

— Carl Niehaus (@niehaus_carl) December 14, 2023

The Commander in Chief was absolutely correct about the courage that the members of ARETA have shown, and this announcement today is first and foremost an articulation of that courage, and a victory for the members and supporters of ARETA. When we launched ARETA one the 23rd of February 2023, we stated in our media statement that our beloved country is trapped in the midst of a prolonged, and increasingly deepening socio-economic and moral, crisis.

We noted that this harsh reality is made even worse by the fact that the long suffering people of South Africa had high hopes of true and full liberation when our first democratic elections took place on the 27th of April 1994. However, with the sobering wisdom of the hindsight of the past 30 years, we now know that those high hopes have been betrayed. We referred to how that betrayal can be traced back right to the CODESA negotiations process and the first administration of the ANC and even the neo liberal economic policies that were embraced, and at an alarming rate increasingly strengthened up to the current juncture.

In analysing this wanton betrayal, we noted that neo liberal economic orthodoxy became ingrained into the governing African National Congress way of doing things. Under the administration of Cyril Ramaphosa, the neo liberal economic project became strengthened and implemented without any restraint. It degenerated into a well-planned full sell out project, culminating in the total betrayal of all the high hopes of the long-suffering people of our nation.

The disastrous consequences of all of this are glaringly evident in the total economic collapse of our country as symbolised by increasing loadshedding. This included the destruction and selling off to private ownership of critical State[1]Owned Enterprises (SOE’s) such as SAA, DENEL, SASOL, ARMSCOR, PETROSA, and the destruction of our rail network etc.

The list of devastation and destruction is too long to exhaustively elaborate on in this statement. Suffice to say that we are now truly teetering on the edge of the deepest precipice, with ESKOM having been deliberately mismanaged to the point where it is permanently on the verge of collapse.

The neo liberal economic policies being implemented by the Treasury have resulted in the disaster of no growth, no job creation and an increasingly totally unsustainable international debt burden. All of this is accompanied by the unsurpassed theft of state resources and the impunity with which the governing elite flouts the law as most aptly demonstrated by the Phala Phala farm criminal saga, that President Ramaphosa is embroiled in.

The reality is that the betrayal of South Africa by the ANC as the governing party is now complete and has reached the point of no return. With the total ideological and moral hollowing out of the ANC under Ramaphosa and his acolytes the ANC has died, and can no longer be an instrument for good, and the advancement of the genuine and legitimate liberation ideals of the people of our country. As ARETA said ten months ago in our launch media statement: “The carcass of the now dead ANC has become a Trojan Horse for neo liberalism, and the whole sale subjugation and exploitation of the majority of black, poor, South Africans”.

In order to effectively challenge this unmitigated disaster a united front for the pursuit of economic freedom and land repossession is essential. Ten months ago, at our launch ARETA stated that that this will only be possible to be achieved if we can forge UNITY among all left political parties and progressive forces.

In order to achieve that objective, we have, as we stated in our launch media statement, promised to work tirelessly to forge a united front with other like-minded left, progressive, parties and civil society organisations, in order to save our country from the terrible disaster that has befallen us. We furthermore emphasised that such a United Front will have to be based on a minimum programme of action, with clear practical and implementable time frames that will ensure the economic empowerment of the majority of black, especially African, South Africans.

In order to advance such a Minimum Progressive Platform, we proposed the ARETA Ten Point Plan to save our country as a realistic starting point to advance from, because the Ten Point Plan advances the essential objectives of what Radical Economic Transformation (RET) aims to achieve.

This Ten Point Plan is also ARETA’s compass in ensuring that we remain ideologically rooted, and do not divert from what the original objectives of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) were. In our engagements with South Africans throughout the country, as we were explaining the Ten Point Plan and recruiting membership, it became increasingly clear that our people are thirsting for honesty and practical, achievable plans and engagements, that will ultimately empower them to achieve the liberation ideals that they dreamt about and made so many sacrifices for.

As we engaged in this process it became evident to us that the basic ideals contained in the Ten Point Plan are largely compatible with the ideals that a number of other left, progressive, political parties stand for, and that there are actually much more that unites us than what divides us. This only strengthened our conviction that it is possible for all these left parties to converge on a minimum program of action platform and contest the upcoming elections as ONE UNITED FORCE.

We asked ourselves in exasperation why we continue to exist as small splinter left parties, when there are evidently no ideologically sound reasons for these divisions to persist. The only logical conclusion that we could come to, was that the divisions between us are not ideological at all, but that they are sometimes perpetuated because of personal ambitions and power mongering.

It is commitment to the selfish-self, not commitment to sound ideological ideals, that divide us, and pit us against each other. Ours cannot be a project driven by vanity of some leaders among us for whom it is apparently more important to be called ‘Presidents’, and to have our faces on posters on lamp poles, than to ensure the best chance of success to implement Radical Economic Transformation, and thus positively transform the fate of our long suffering people. The very reason, the raison d’etre, for the existence of ARETA is to make a positive, revolutionary, contribution to the full liberation of all South Africans - specifically black South 3 Africans.

That precludes us from participating in any selfishness, or folly, that will be divisive and perpetuate the continuing oppression and suffering of our people. The logic of this understanding is relentless, and in practice its correct implementation means that we must take the lead not only in words, but in ACTION to pursue the unity of the left that we have right from our inception committed ourselves so unreservedly and fully to. In so doing we need to swallow our pride and do what is in the best interest of the suffering masses. After ten months of various engagements with different left, progressive, political parties to sell the idea of the unity of the left.

As ARETA we came to the conclusion that we are running out of time to achieve our unity objective, and that deliberate action is required now in order to prevent failure, and a perpetuation of all the unnecessary - ideologically indefensible - divisions and splinter groups in the ranks of the left.

As ARETA we said to ourselves “SEKUNJALO”, the time is NOW for us to lead by example and take the bold initiative instead of just talking unity. To us, the only reasonable, and logical, thing to do is to unite BEFORE the upcoming national and provincial elections under one strong already existing political entity/party, in order to present the voters of South Africa with ONE clear unequivocal choice to vote against the continuation of the sellout disaster that the African National Congress presents, or even worse a right wing coalition as represented by the so-called Moonshot pact.

To us, it makes absolutely no sense to talk about electoral pacts of the left AFTER the elections have taken place, the damage and confusion that a myriad of fractional parties with all their logos on an impossibly long ballot paper will cause, will have been done. Such a scenario will most certainly be to the detriment of our objective to forge a strong and plausible united left alternative, and many votes will be lost. We however respect the right of other parties to take these issues to their structures and to propose different models of unity.

In spite of any tactical differences, we are happy to report that the principle of unity of the left has been accepted by all those we have interacted with. It is already evident that the South African voting public are deeply hurt by the betrayal that they have suffered under the thirty years of selling out by the African National Congress. South Africans are truly tired of empty promises, and to be treated as voting fodder.

The steep decline in the percentage of eligible voters who registered and actually voted during the last national and local government elections reflects this sad reality. The challenges to get South Africans to register, and eventually to actually vote, were very evident during the recent voter registration drive, and weekend. The only realistic way - that respects the voters of South Africa - is to present them in an honest manner with a united progressive alternative, BEFORE the elections, that can once again grasp their imagination, and re-kindle their hope.

4 Many votes will be lost to the three Horsemen of the Apocalypse that this will lead to, namely: cynicism, apathy and confusion. Once these votes are lost, they are irretrievably lost, and will not be regained by some unrealistic hope of a vague re[1]grouping left alliance after the elections, under conditions that will be far less conducive to the emergence of a united left progressive government, that can unseat the reactionary right-wing forces of White Monopoly Capitalism, black compradore capitalism, and their international imperialist masters. Voters on the ground have told us in no uncertain terms that the proliferation of so many parties preaching essentially the same message of radical change, is a source of confusion which may weaken the message.

The idea of creating a new political party - or even of resuscitating an existing liberation struggle loved name/entity into the new format of a registered political party - in order to unite the progressive left behind it, is at this late stage, only a few months before the elections, not realistic at all. Even if this was a viable option, which clearly it is not, there is no time left to be able to do so! At best it will only add yet another name and logo to the already far too long list of splinters left political parties, that will only contribute to further confusion and cynicism among the already tired and exasperated voting public. The issue can be revisited after the crucial 2024 election.

The only realistic option for the progressive left to unite with the hope to succeed, is therefore to reduce the number of fractional/splinter political parties, and to unite behind one strong existing left political party that has proved itself to have the political infrastructure and organisational and capability to muster the left progressive vote in South Africa into ONE UNITED VOTING BLOCK.

In fact, ARETA strongly believes that the most sensible and revolutionary thing to do is for all the myriad of left splinter parties to unite behind one strong left political party that has proved itself to be capable of bringing out the massive left progressive vote, especially the youth vote, that represents the largest percentage of the voters in South Africa.

That party is the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) under the capable leadership of the Commander in Chief (CIC) of the EFF, comrade Julius Sello Malema, and the Central Command Team. The National Working Board of ARETA has therefore determined that we must execute this careful political analyses, and be true to our convictions, and join the EFF.

ARETA will therefore not register to participate in the upcoming elections, and will join the EFF as individual members, starting with me. The ARETA logo and colours will not be on display during the election campaign, and our members are urged to join the EFF, and be integrated into, the EFF organisational structures in order to muster the most effective election campaign under the leadership and the logo of the EFF.

The message and appeal to our members is clear: look for the EFF branch in your ward and join as an individual. We are not joining the EFF as a block or a faction, but we will subject ourselves to its democratic processes and its 5 Constitution. We will join the ground forces of the EFF and campaign without any personal expectations except the ushering in of economic freedom for our people.

In order for this approach to be effective there will be no half measures, the ARETA membership will join the EFF and become one united progressive left force. Only the EFF logo will appear on the ballot papers, and in line with the careful analyses that I have presented, there will thus be no confusion, and the South African voter will be given a clear, unequivocal, opportunity to vote for the EFF and the progressive revolutionary policy programme that it represents. That programme is clearly set out in the Founding Manifesto of the EFF and the seven cardinal pillars for Economic Freedom, which we fully embrace and support.

There is no other option - anything less will lack integrity if we are truly committed to bringing a left political government into power that can fundamentally transform the lives of all South Africans - overwhelmingly black and specifically African. In taking this decisive step we call on all the other progressive political parties to seriously consider also doing the same, for the sake of the future of our country and the salvation of our people.

We call with humble urgency on Comrade Vuyo Zungula the President, and the leadership and members of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), General Bantu Holomisa the President, and the leadership and members of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Comrade Mzwanele Nyhontso the President and the leadership and membership of the Pan African Congress of Azania (PAC), Comrade Nelvis Qekema the President, and the leadership and members of the Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO), Comrade Ace Magashule the President, and the leadership and members of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), Comrade Themba Godi President, and the leadership and members of the African People’s Convention (APC), and all other political parties and left formations, in accordance with unassailable revolutionary logic of this decision by ARETA, to present to their structures and membership the possibility to unite with the EFF so that we can finally present a UNITED left and progressive option for economic freedom and total liberation, to the people of South Africa and our continent as a whole.

At the barest minimum we call on these organisations to engage among themselves to agree on mutual co-operation during the forthcoming election period, to attend each other’s major events, to spread the message of unity and to share resources such as party agents and other means to police the possible corruption and vote-stealing by the desperate ANC and its allies. These forces of the left must also avoid attacking each other during the campaign.

We furthermore make a special call to our beloved leader and father, President Jacob Zuma, to refrain from supporting the ANC in any way whatsoever during the upcoming elections, we appeal to him not to campaign for the ANC, and for him to support our courageous clarion call for this unity among all the progressive forces of the left and Africans in particular. The first common demand must be for land expropriation without compensation. The return of stolen land cannot be negotiable.

In conclusion we must reiterate our firm belief that there is no salvation possible for the erstwhile liberation movement, but now sell out, ANC. It is from top to bottom rotten to the core and cannot be saved. All that remains is for it to be removed from power, and for its sadly disgraced corpse to be buried. Recently the ANC has been voting with other right-wing force such as the DA, Freedom Front and the IFP. They deserve each other. All that remains is for the ANC to formally join the Moonshot Pact of Helen Zille and John Steenhuisen which is the brainchild of the Oppenheimers and the Stellenbosch Mafia headed by Johan Rupert.

For us as members of ARETA only sensible and practical way to do this, is to join the largest and most organised formation of the progressive left in South Africa, which is the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). In doing so we will empower the people of South Africa to also now finally unite - without any distractions and confusion - behind ONE POWERFUL PROGRESSIVE FORCE, that can finally bring the ideals of true and full liberation to fruition that so many South Africans have sacrificed their lives to.

In the names of Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani, Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Hellen Joseph, Harry Gwala, Robert Sobukwe, Jafta Masemola, Beyers Naudé, Solomon Mahlangu, and the many other martyrs and heroes, of our liberation struggle, let us now - once and for all - empower the people of South Africa to next year impeach the sellout ANC at the ballot box, and liberate themselves!

ONE UNITED PROGRESSIVE LEFT, ONE EFF, ONE LIBERATED SOUTH AFRICA FORWARD TO ECONOMIC FREEDOM IN OUR LIFETIME! A LUTA CONTINUA!

Issued by Carl Niehaus, President of ARETA, 14 December 2023