The South African Revolution Continues Parts 1 and 2

The South African Revolution Continues: First dismantling the Racialist State and Now Dismantling the Capitalist State that Fostered Apartheid 

featuring in a two-part exclusive an expanded conversation with Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of SAFTU, the South African Federation of Trade
Unions.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (“SAFTU”) is the voice of the workers in the struggle for a socialist society. It was formed by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the largest union in South Africa, with more than 350,000 workers and numerous other unions, as an alternative to the Coalition of

South African Trade Unions, which has capitulated to state capital, including defending the South African government's role in the Marikana massacre of 34 striking miners in August 2012.  Cyril Ramaphosa who is currently the President of South Africa was a member of the Board of Lonmin plc, formerly the mining division of Lonrho plc, a British producer of platinum group metals operating in the Bushveld Complex of South Africa, which owns the Marikana mine.

We asked SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi about the history of the South African freedom struggle which overthrew apartheid, but left in place the capitalist economic system, which has continued the exploitation of the working class and fostered mass economic inequality, and whose corruption has been rife under each of the successors to President Mandela.  Vavi talks about these issues and how the now Ramaphosa administration new developments are reaching a crisis: mass unemployment; heightened inequality; and new proposals restricting the rights of unions; and proposals that would gut minimum wages.  He also relates the upsurge amongst the masses, with youth in the

forefront of the protests was led to the general strike in April. 

play stream or download part 1
play stream or download  part 2