Township Politics: Civic Struggles for a New South Africa
This insider’s account of an extraordinary period of national political transition is also a primer on a new radical philosophy, the street–smart Marxism that developed in South Africa’s sprawling townships between 1985 and 1995 and rendered them ungovernable for the apartheid state. Mzwanele Mayekiso, a young leader of the “civics”—as South Africa’s popular community organizations are called—spent almost three years in prison as a result of the civics’ militant organizing. Here, he interlaces his personal story with caustic assessments of apartheid’s hand–picked township leaders, with rebuttals of armchair academics, and with impassioned but self–critical analyses of the civics’ struggles and tactics. He ends with a vision of an international urban social movement that, he argues, must be a crucial component of any emancipatory project.
Product details
Chapters
-
Prologue
-
Foreword
-
Preface
-
1. Alexandra as Freedom Dawned (early 1990s)
-
2. My Pre-Alexandra Years (1964-1985)
-
3. Alexandra Awakening (1985-1986)
-
4. The Advent of People's Power (1986)
-
5. Lessons of the Uprising
-
6. Behind Apartheid Bars (1986-1989)
-
7. Back to the Streets and the Struggle (1989-1990)
-
8. Civics and 11Working-Class Civil Society" (1989-1991)
-
9. From Protest to Development? (1989-1991)
-
10. Campaigns for Community-Controlled Development (1990-1993)
-
11. From Protest to War (1990-1993)
-
12. The Drama of Local Government Negotiations (1990-1993)
-
13. 11lnstitutions that Themselves Need to Be Watched Over"A Review of Intellectual Attacks on the Civic Movement ( 1992-1993)
-
14. The Civic Movement's Agenda (1993-1995)
-
15. Conclusion: The Future of the Civics ( 1994-1995)
References
Bernstein, A. and McCarthy, J. "High Time for Some Soul-Searching by Civic Organizations." Business Day, 4 November 1994.
Boaden, B. and Taylor, R. "Informal Settlement: Theory Versus Practice in KwaZulu/Natal." The Apartheid City and Beyond: Urbanization and Social Change in South Africa. Edited by D. Smith. London: Routledge, 1992.
Bond, P. "Township Housing and South Africa's 'Financial Explosion': The Theory and Practice of Financial Capital in Alexandra." Urban Forum l, no. 2 (November 1990).
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03036573
Boraine, A. "Managing the Urban Crisis, 1986-1989." In South African Review
, edited by G. Moss and I. Obery. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1989.
Botha, T. "Civic Associations as Autonomous Organs of Grassroots Participa tion." Theoria, no. 79 (May 1992).
Callinicos, A. South Africa Between Reform and Revolution. London: Bookmarks, 1988.
Carter, C. "Community and Conflict: The Alexandra Rebellion of 1986." Journal of Southern African Studies 1 8, no. 1 (1991) .
https://doi.org/10.1080/03057079208708308
--. "Comrades and Community: Politics and the Construction of Hegemony in Alexandra Township, South Africa, 1984-1987." Ph.D diss., Oxford University, Oxford, England, 1991.
Castells, M. The City and the Grassroots. Berkeley: University of California Press,
Centre for the Study of the South African Economy and International Finance
Quarterly Report, August. London: London School of Economics, 1993.
Cronin, J. "Workers' Party Plays into Nat Hands." Weekly Mail, 29 July 1993. Cross, S. "From Anomie to Civil Society in South Africa: Reflections on Develop ment Planning." African Studies Seminar paper, St. Anthony's College,
Oxford, 1992.
Engels, F. The Housing Question. Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1979.
Frank, A. G. and Fuentes, M. "Civil Democracy: Social Movements in Recent World History." In Transforming the Revolution: Social Movements and the World-System, edited by S. Amin, G. Arrighi, A.G. Frank, and I. Wallerstein. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1990.
Friedman, S. "An Unlikely Utopia: State and Civil Society in South Africa."
Politikon (December 1991).
Friedman, S. "Bonaparte at the Barricades: The Colonisation of Civil Society."
Theoria, no. 79 (May 1992).
--. "Having SANCO at the Table Will Be Bad for Digestion." Business Day,
November 1994.
Gramsci, A. Selections from the Prison Notebooks of Antonio Gramsci. Edited by Q. Hoare. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1971.
Jacobs, B. "Heading for Disaster?" Work in Progress (December 1992).
Jochelson, K. "Reform, Repression and Resistance in South Africa: A Case Study of Alexandra Township, 1979-1989." Journal of Southern African Studies 1, no. 16 (1990).
https://doi.org/10.1080/03057079008708222
Kane-Berman, J. South Africa's Silent Revolution. Johannesburg: Institute of Race
Relations, 1990.
--. Political Violence in South Africa.Johannesburg: Institute of Race Relations, 1993.
Lucas, J. "Civic Organization in Alexandra during the 1990s: An Ethnographic
Approach." Paper prepared for the Albert Einstein Institution Project on Civil Society, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1994.
Marx, K. The Civil War in France. In Selected Works by K. Marx and F. Engels.
Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1968.
Mashabela, H. Mekhukhu. Johannesburg: Institute of Race Relations, 1990. Mayekiso, Moses. "State of the Civic Movement: Year-€nd Statement by SANCO
President Moses Mayekiso." Johannesburg, 17 December 1992.
Morris, M. and Padayachee, V. "State Reform Policy in South Africa." Transfor- mation, no. 9 (1988).
Murray, M. The Revolution Deferred. London: Verso, 1994. Mzala. "Building People's Power." Sechaba (September 1986).
Nzimande, B. "Let Us Take the People with Us: A Reply to Joe Slovo." African
Communist, no. 131 (Fourth Quarter 1992).
Nzimande, B. and Sikhosana, M. "Civics Are Part of the National Democratic Revolution." Mayibuye (June 1 991).
--. "Civil Society and Democracy." African Communist, no. 128 (First Quarter
.
--. "Civil Society Does Not Equal Democracy." Work in Progress (September 1992).
Peires, J. The House of Phalo. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1984.
Petras, J. and Morley, M. U.S. Hegemony Under Siege: Class, Politics and Development in Latin America. London: Verso, 1990.
Sader, E. and Silverstein, K. Without Fear of Being Happy. London: Verso, 1991. Sarakinsky, M. "From 'Freehold Township' to 'Model Township': A Political
History of Alexandra, 1905-1983." BA thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 1984.
Schlemmer, L. "Organizing Communities: The International Experience." Strate
gic Planning for Civics. Report on Workshop of Civic Associations of Johannesburg and the Urban Foundation Development Strategy and Policy Unit, Urban Foundation, Johannesburg, August 1992.
Seekings, J. "Quiescence and the Transition to Confrontation: South African
Townships, 1978-1984." Ph.D. diss., Oxford University, Oxford, England, 1990.
--. "South Africa's Townships 1980-1991: An Annotated Bibliography." Department of Sociology Occasional Paper No. 16. Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch Research Unit for Sociology of Development, 1992.
--. "Civic Organization in South African Townships." South African Review
, edited by G. Moss and I. Obery. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1992.
--. Heroes or Villains? Braamfontein: Ravan Press, 1993.
Shubane, K. "Civil Society in Apartheid and Post-apartheid South Africa."
Theoria, no. 79 (May 1992).
--. "The Changing Urban Environment." Strategic Planning for Civics. Report on Workshop of Civic Associations of Johannesburg and the Urban Founda tion Development Strategy and Policy Unit, Urban Foundation, Johannesburg, August 1992.
-- and Madiba, P. "The Struggle Continues? Civic Associations in the Transition." CPS Transition Series, Research Report No. 25. Johannesburg: University of the Witwatersrand Centre for Policy Studies, October 1992.
Shuman, M. Toward a Global Village. London: Pluto, 1994.
South African Communist Party. "The Role of the SACP in the Transition to Democracy and Socialism." African Communist, no. 132 {First Quarter 1993).
South African Government. White Paper on Reconstruction and Development.
Capetown: Office of the President, November 1994.
South African National Civic Organization (SANCO). "Bank Capital Flight: SA's Next Economic Catastrophe?" Paper issued in conjunction with Eltsa {London), Johannesburg, 23 February 1993.
--. Making People-Driven Development Work. Johannesburg, April 1994. Stadler, A. "A Strong State Civilises Society: A Response to Louw." Work in
Progress (December 1992).
Swilling, M. "Socialism, Democracy and Civil Society: The Case for Associa tional Socialism." Work in Progress Uuly/August 1991).
--. "Quixote at the Windmills: Another Conspiracy Thesis from Steven Friedman." Theoria, no. 79 (May 1992).
--. Roots of Transition. Berkeley: University of California Press, forthcoming.
Tourikis, P. "The 'Political Economy' of Alexandra Township: 1905-1958." BA thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1981.
Tsenoli, L. and Mgidlana, S. "SANCO Has a Key Role in Economic Policy
Making." Business Day, 17 November 1994.
Tshandu, Z. "The State of Health Care Services in South Africa: A Case Study." BA thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1986.
Tucker, B. and Scott, B., eds. South Africa: Prospects for Successful Transition, Nedcor/0/d Mutual Scenarios. Johannesburg: Juta Press, 1992.
Urban Foundation. "Local Government Negotiating Initiatives in the PWV." Unpublished paper, 1992.
Walton, J. and Seddon, D. Free Markets and Food Riots. Oxford: Basil Blackwell,
Wisner, B. Power and Need in Africa. London: Earthscan, 1988.
World Bank. "Effective Implementation: Key to Development Impact." Report of the Portfolio Management Task Force. Washington, DC: World Bank, 1992.
Published articles by Mzwanele Mayekiso
"Carnage Comes lo Alexandra." Africa South (May 1991).
"Hands Off the Civics and Civil Society!" Work in Progress (February 1992). "Working-Class Civil Society: Why We Need It, and How We Get It." African
Communist, no. 129 (Second Quarter 1992).
"The Mood Is Changing... but Which Way?: A Departing View from Alexandra."
Africa South (August 1992).
"Civil Society and Local Government Negotiations: The Alexandra Experience."
Urban Forum 3, no.2 (1992).
"Harlem Trotting." Africa South (January/February 1993).
"Organizing Civics: We Need a Tight Federation." Work in Progress (April 1993).
"'Institutions that Themselves Need lo Be Watched Over': A Review of Recent Writings on the Civic Movement." Urban Forum 4, no. l (1993).
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03036582
"Heat, Light and Civil Society: Another Rejoinder lo Nzimande and Sikhosana."
African Communist, no. 134 (Third Quarter 1993).
"Reinventing the Hammer and Sickle." Work in Progress (August 1993). "I'm Black, So What's Bad?" Africa South (October 1993).
"The Legacy of Ungovernability." Southern African Review of Books (Novem- ber/December 1993).
"ACO Presidential Address." Alexandra Times (December 1993).
"Civics Are Here to Stay." Africa South and East (January 1994). "From the Trench to the Table." Work in Progress (February 1994). "Report from the International Desk." Umthunywa, 21 March 1994.
"The 'Civics': Hope of the Townships." Times literary Supplement, 1 April 1994. "Charting a Future in South Africa." Multinational Monitor (May 1994). "South Africa's Stepping Stone." Red Pepper (June 1994).
"The New Terms of Solidarity: A South African View." Southern Africa Report
(December 1994).
"Bell Curve, South African Style: Rewriting the Civics Movement." Southern Africa Report (January 1995).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
