Tribute to the revolutionaries who played a key role towards the founding of the Organisation of African Unity
25 May 2021
The South African Communist Party (SACP) guided by its centenary theme, Put People Before Profits, under the Party’s overall strategic theme, Socialism is the Future—Build it now, pays tribute to all the African revolutionaries who played key roles towards the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, the forerunner of the African Union.
In celebrating Africa Day this year, we reflect on the historical struggles that the African people waged, chiefly against colonialism and imperialism, but also the national democratic struggles waged by Africans within their own countries against dictatorships and undemocratic changes of governments. African countries still have the task of resolving internal problems while at the same time waging the struggle to achieve freedom from imperialist domination and exploitation.
Call for unity to end the legacy of colonialism and free African countries from imperialist domination and exploitation
In Africa, no true freedom, in any form, can exist without eliminating the legacy of colonialism, colonial relations and overcoming neo-colonialism and imperialist domination and exploitation. Imperialism not only maintains but also deepens the colonial legacy of uneven development between the African countries underdeveloped during colonial rule and their imperialist exploiters and former colonisers located in the Global North.
There are countries in the continent whose budgets are under the yoke of donor funded dictates. Many African countries are chained to the whims of the international finance organisations and economic policy dictates by the IMF and World Bank. The subordination or subversion of the development of national and continental sovereignty undermines democracy. The African people must develop productive capacity to support the transformation and development of the continent. To this end, mutually beneficial international relations with fraternal countries can play a key role.
The Southern African region continues to be beleaguered by the legacy of colonialism and apartheid both of which have led to the economic depression of the region. Our continent, its resources and labour were exploited under colonial domination by the imperialist powers of the Global North.
This contributed by no small measure to development in the Global North countries that benefitted from colonialism and that continue to benefit from ongoing imperialist domination and exploitation of the countries in our region and continent. We need a stronger regional approach to development in Southern Africa, in the same way as we need to advance and deepen the African revolution. Uneven development in the region will continue to cause problems within each country, between countries and impacting on the continent.
Solidarity among the African people in their various day-to-day struggles is crucial, including in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in which once again imperialist exploitation is manifest in the form, for example, of vaccine imperialism.
Solidarity with the people of Mozambique against attacks
The SACP calls for solidarity with the people of Mozambique in defence of their country against the recent attacks in which many have been killed and wounded, forcing more to be internally displaced while others had to flee their country to neighbouring countries for refuge. There are signs already that the Mozambican economy has taken heavy battering since the attacks began, with some of the major industries being brought to a halt. Over 50,000 people affected by the attacks needed urgent humanitarian assistance in April. In addition, close to a million people face food insecurity in Northern Mozambique and over 700,000 people are currently displaced because of the conflict.
Solidarity with Communist Parties in Africa
We also send our solidarity to all Communist Parties in Africa in their struggles to unite the working class and other progressive strata in their respective countries and as they wage the struggle against imperialism and anti-communist attacks.
Solidarity with the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy
The SACP reiterates its solidarity with the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy. The SACP calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the Swaziland National Union of Students’ Secretary General, Comrade Bafanabakhe Sacolo, and all the incarcerated protesters who were arrested on Friday 21 May 2021, and also extends its solidarity to the Communist Party of Swaziland in its 10th founding anniversary, the People’s United Democratic Movement and other democratic formations in the struggle for democracy.
The SACP reiterates its call for the unconditional release of Amos Mbedzi from unjust incarceration in Swazi prison and strongly condemns his human rights violation by the Swaziland authorities.
As we celebrate Africa Day, the people of Swaziland, largely composed of the youth, are engaged in fierce struggles against police violence, a reality in Swaziland since the inception of the absolute monarchy in 1973. This happens within the context of democratic struggles in a country where the iron-boot rule of the absolute monarchy, which maintains absolute control on the executive, legislature and judiciary continues to deepen along with deepening mass poverty.
Solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe
The SACP expresses its solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe against the background of the economic meltdown that has been ravaging the country for decades now, deepening unemployment and poverty and driving forced economic and political emigration. The democratic space secured by the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe is crucial. It should be protected and expanded as opposed to violence and other human rights violations.
Solidarity with the Communist Party of Kenya against attacks by the authorities
The SACP reiterates its solidarity messages to the Communist Party of Kenya which has been receiving anti-communist blows from the authorities. On 7 April 2021, Kenyan police invaded the headquarters of the Communist Party of Kenya which led to the arbitrary arrest of Party workers and leaders in Nairobi. It is anticipated that the Party in Kenya will face more attacks from the authorities curtailing the democratic space. Thus, more revolutionary voices must rise up against the April 7 attacks on the Communist Party of Kenya.
Solidarity with the people of Sudan
Sudan remains unstable, politically, economically and otherwise. The SACP thus expresses its solidarity with the people of Sudan as well as the Sudanese Communist Party. We also reaffirm our solidarity with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.
Democratic Republic of Congo
One of the world’s richest countries in terms of natural resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been barraged by internal strife for many decades. These instabilities have been largely fuelled by external factors, in this instance the various international mining corporations competing over the DRC’s resources. Imperialism has and continues to drive the problems in the DRC. The situation in the DRC has often spilled over in various ways into neighbouring states, the Southern Africa region and the continent at large. The African people need to unite both in the Southern African region and the continent at large to tackle the problem in the DRC not only focusing on its effects but also its root causes and structural driving forces.
Solidarity with the people of Western Sahara against occupation by Morocco
It is crucial that Africa Day is celebrated without any hypocrisy among Africans, including the African Union. The continuing colonial occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco remains a serious problem. The SACP reiterates its solidarity with the people of Western Sahara. The African Union must rescind its regrettable 2017 decision to accept Morocco as a member state. It marked a reversal of freedom aspirations of the African people. By accepting colonialist Morocco as a member state, the African Union tacitly accepted the policy of oppression of one nation by another. Our government must unapologetically pile pressure on the African Union in solidarity with the people of Western Sahara for Morocco to end its occupation of their land.
The SACP conveys its message of solidarity with the Polisario Front on its 48th founding anniversary.
The imperialist forces must be held accountable for their military attack and interference in Libya and its results
The role of the USA and NATO continues to beleaguer the people of Libya, some of whom have since been sold as slaves to capitalist firms across the Mediterranean. The decade-long violence that has led to untold number of casualties and destroyed the Libyan economy is a direct result of the military attack and interference by the USA and NATO in the internal affairs of Libya in 2011, in violation of international law, even circumventing the African Union. The imperialist forces must be held accountable for what they did in Libya and for its results.
Southern Cameroons
The SACP expresses its solidarity with the people in South Cameroons against killings and other human rights violations.
Fighting corruption and advancing democratic sovereignty in Africa
The SACP stands firmly opposed to all forms of corruption, including corruption committed by African leaders. Defeating imperialism and establishing the sovereignty of Africa, that is, for Africa to freely run its own affairs without interference from external forces, will require revolutionary leadership, in other words leadership which will be accountable to the African people. African leaders must never hide behind their skin colour or their African origins when they have committed crimes against the people, particularly when they have been corrupt and destroyed the peoples’ economies. Corrupt African leaders only serve the interests of imperialism; to keep the African economy underdeveloped and at the mercy of the West or other powerful foreign powers. Such leaders must be opposed by the African people everywhere they emerge.
These struggles will not be overcome by mere wishes for unity and strength, however. The African people must organise themselves into revolutionary organisations, in particular organisations which are decidedly and decisively anti-imperialist.
The SACP calls upon more revolutionary political parties, progressive trade unions and other anti-imperialist forces to unite under the banner of the African Left Networking Forum (ALNEF).
The SACP will continue to offer its solidarity to the African working class. The SACP will also, directly or indirectly, make practical contributions to the strengthening of Communist Parties across the African continent in the ongoing working-class struggle for a socialist world.
Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, SACP Central Committee Member: Media & Communications, 25 May 2021
