Human rights

South Africa: Freedom of Expression under threat

2001-11-22, Issue 43

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/4298

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Debates and space for critical engagement is essential for democracy. There can never be enough emphasis on this point. It is therefore unfortunate that African National Congress (ANC) has chose to stifle debates by resorting to use of derogatory terms to describe opposing voices in the Congress of South Africans trade Unions (Cosatu), South African communist Party (SACP) and ANC alliance.

Source: Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI)

Freedom of Expression under threat within the SACP, Cosatu and ANC alliance

Debates and space for critical engagement is essential for democracy. There
can never be enough emphasis on this point. It is therefore unfortunate that
African National Congress (ANC) has chose to stifle debates by resorting to
use of derogatory terms to describe opposing voices in the Congress of South
Africans trade Unions (Cosatu), South African communist Party (SACP) and ANC
alliance.

Cosatu's Patrick Craven says there is a tendency within the ANC to label in
derogatory terms those who have different views. Members of the ANC have
used terms such as ultra left and counter-revolution to describe Cosatu
members.

Craven says the labeling is aimed at nothing but stifling debate in the
alliance. "Calling someone counter-revolution in South African basically
means those people are enemies and you do not debate with your enemy you do
away with them," says Craven.

Last month the Mail and Guardian newspaper reported that the ANC released a
paper in which they launched an attack on Cosatu leaders who are seen as
ultra left. The document is said to be targeting Willie Madisha, Cosatu's
general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, SACP secretary general Blade Nzimande,
National Union of Mineworkers general secretary Gwede Mantashe and Cosatu's
public sector policy coordinator Neva Makgetla.

It accuses them among other things of having ultra left tendencies and it
threatens to stamp out left wing elements. According to the Mail and
Guardian, the ANC's paper speculates that Cosatu may want to de-link labour
from the ANC, and that the Cosatu may end up forming an opposition political
party.

Cosatu have however denied these allegation. Despite the fundamental
differences between the two organizations Craven says there are no talks of
forming another political party. "We are a very patient organization," says
Craven.

He says Cosatu is there to look out for its members' interests. He added
that at the moment Cosatu is working towards drawing members from the
country's 20 million people which is the country's workforce to increasing
its membership that currently stands at about two million people. According
to Craven the federation tapping into the informal sector such as the taxi
industry and street traders. The federation has also announced that its
membership is on the rise.

Cosatu and the ANC have fundamental differences around economic policies.
While the two fought apartheid as a united front, they continuously find
themselves at odds in the post apartheid South Africa as ANC follows
pro-market economic policies which are in sharp contrast with Cosatu that
believes in strong developmental state intervention.

Cosatu says it gives credit to the ANC in its major victories against
racism, provision of housing and widening accessibility of other social
services. It however argues that these achievements have been cancelled by
rising unemployment and increasing poverty. "The electricity crisis in
Soweto is a classical example where more people received electricity but
cannot afford to pay for it," Say Craven.

Since the ANC adopted the Growth Employment and Redistribution (gear) policy
Cosatu has been fighting the ruling party to reverse its policies. However,
very little has been achieved from the debates. But, Cosatu remains hopeful
that sooner or later the ruling party will come to its senses. According to
Craven the federation is planning to continue with bi-lateral talks with the
ANC and already there is a meeting schedule to deal with current crisis.
"The problem," says Craven "is that we are not operating as an alliance."
Given the poor servicing of black communities under apartheid South Africa,
critical engagement and cooperation on issues of service delivery and
freedom of expression are crucial. It will be improper for the ANC to coerce
its allies in accepting the ruling party's point of view.

The ANC cannot claim a monopoly on solutions to unemployment, poverty and
other economic, social and political problems of the country. It is
therefore the duty of all organizations, social, political and economic
groups to make a contribution and they should be given a platform to air
their views.

The ANC with its history of struggle against the apartheid regime is better
placed to understand the need for tolerance as far as debating is concerned.
There must be space for critical debates, and they also must accept and
consider valid point coming from the opposing voices.

Denial of space for critical engagement has been a pitfall for almost all
post-colonial government in Africa. Today Zanu Pf in Zimbabwe after 21 years
in power has not build sound political and economic policies for the country
because it completely shut out criticism.

The ANC must learn that the denial of space for critical debate will only
lead to its failure to see alternatives and hence its pitfalls in governing
and retaining democracy.

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