Resolutions of the
National Forum Committee
THE FOLLOWING are a selection of the resolutions and commissions voted for in the June 11-12, 1983 conference of the National
P.C. Constitutional Proposals and the "Disorderly' Bill.
* That our primary task is the building of independent workers organisations - independent of the bosses, the state and reactionary petty bourgeois leadership on the basis of actively taking up the daily struggle of workers against exploitation and oppression.
* That we popularise the demand for a united front of workers'
Forum Committee. (Source; publication). RESOLUTION 2 That this National Forum noting:
(1) The struggle waged by the toiling masses is nationalist in character and socialist in content;
(2) The Black working class is the vanguard of this just struggle towards the total liberation from racist capitalism; • (3) The future Azanian state will be an anti-racist, democratic one;
(4) The international imperialism and racist capitalist systems promote the bantustans as counter-revolutionary elements to the revolutionary forces; And further noting that
(5) The usage of the land shall not be to the benefit of Azanians only but for the benefit of all Africa, the Third World, and the international community as a whole; Therefore resolves that:
(1) The land and all that belongs to it will be wholly owned and controlled by the Azanian people;
(2) Each individual will be expected to contribute labour according to ability;
(3) All proceeds accruing from collective labour shall be distributed according to the needs of each and every individual in Azania:
(4) The usage of the land and all that accrues from it shall be aimed at ending all forms of exploitation of man by man.
* * * COMMISSION 1 THE BASIS FOR PRINCIPLED UNITY Our struggle for national liberation is directed against the system of racial capitalism which holds the people of Azania in bondage for the benefit of the small minority of white capitalists and their allies, the white workers and the reactionary sections of the Black middle class. The struggle against apartheid is no more than the point of departure for our liberatory efforts. Apartheid will only go once the system of racial capitalism itself has been abolished by the people of Azania. 22
The National Forum Committee
The Black working class is the driving force of our struggle. They alone can end the system as its stands today because they alone have nothing at all to lose. They have a world to gain in a democratic, anti-racist Azania in which their interests shall be paramount. It is the historic task of the Black working class and its organisations to mobilise the urban and the rural poor together with radical sections of the Black middle classes in order to put an end to the system of national oppression and capitalist exploitaiton by the white ruling class.
The successful conduct of our national liberation struggle depends upon the firm basis of principle whereby we will ensure that the liberation struggle will not be turned against our people by treacherous and opportunist leaders' '. Of these principles, the following are the most important:
* Anti-racism and anti-imperialism.
* Non-collaboration with the oppressors and their political instruments.
* That our struggle is one led by the Black working class to put an end to exploitation and oppression. The Foundations:
* That anti-racism will not only be an aim but a method of struggle.
* That we actively mobilise the exploited and oppressed in opposition to the combined strategy of reform and repression as manifested in the
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for a united front of workers' organisations in direct opposition to any Popular Front Strategy.
That we popularise and explain thoroughly the demand for a Constituent Assembly as opposed to the popular demand for a National Convention.
* That our co-operation be based on principled unity by which all tendencies have the right to propagate their programmes and the right to criticism but must adhere to the democratically drawn up principles and carry out the decisions taken by the majority after full discussion.
* * * COMMISSION 3 THE LAND QUESTION The commission recognises the need for a blueprint structured as follows: 1. Ownership. 2. Distribution. 3. Usage. Ownership:
The general feeling was that the ownership of the land should rest in the dictatorship of the Black working class.
On the question why the land is going to be owned by the dictatorship of the Black proletariat it was answered that the outcome of the struggle should not be viewed in isolation from the fact that the Black working class should control the outcome of what they have struggled for and guard the future developments of socialism. Distribution: It was felt that in a socialist Azania each individual will be expected to contribute his or her labour according to ability and, therefore, the distribution of the proceeds accruing from collective labour shall be distributed
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International Viewpoint 30 September 1985
according to the needs of the individual. Usage:
The usage of the land and all that accrues from it shall be aimed at ending all forms and means of exploitation of man by man. The land shall be held in trust by the state and not be alienated to the detriment of the people. The usage of land shall not be to the benefit of Azania only but for the benefit of all Africa and international trade. Land should act as a unifying force.
* * * COMMISSION 4 OUR MINIMUM DEMANDS This document embodies broad principles which can be regarded as the beginning of an ongoing process. The continuity may be maintained by constant contact with all the organisations present and the demands thereby expanded upon. This would be achieved if the NFC convene meetings of this nature, not later than one year from this date. The NFC may co-opt others onto the committee and invite other organisations not present here today to participate in these ongoing deliberations.
That this National Forum realising the need to clearly define our goals and objectives in relation to the future Azanian state, and realising that the working class struggle against capitalist exploitation and the nation struggle against racial oppression have become one struggle under the general control and direction of the Black working class; and further realising that the present South African racist capitalistic order militates against the true aspirations of the broad struggling masses led by the Black working class therefore posits the following as our demands: 1. The right to work where we want to. 2. The right to form Trade Unions that will heighten revolutionary worker consciousness. 3. The establishment of a democratic anti-racist worker Republic in Azania where the interests of the worker shall be paramount through worker control of the means of production, distribution and exchange. 4. State provision of free and compulsory education for all and that this education be geared toward liberating the Azanian people from all forms of oppression, exploitation and ignorance.
5. State provision of free health, legal, recreational and other community services that will respond positively to the needs of the people.
6. Development of one national progressive culture in the process of struggle.
International Viewpoint 30 September 1985
Manifesto of the Azanian people This historic conference of organisations of the oppressed and exploited people of Azania held at Hammanskraal on 11-12 June 1983 and convened by the National Forum Committee, having deliberated on vital questions affecting our nation and in particular having considered the implications of the Botha Government's 'new deal' strategy (the President's Council, constitutional proposals and Koornhof Bills) resolves:
(1) To condemn the murder of freedom fighters by the racist minority regime. To issue the following manifesto for consideration by all the organisations of the people to be reviewed at the second National Forum to be convened during the Easter Weekend of 1984.
Our struggle for national liberation is directed against the system of racial capitalism which holds the people of Azania in bondage for the benefit of the small minority of white capitalists and their allies, the white workers and the reactionary sections of the Black middle class. The struggle against apartheid is no more than the point of departure for our liberation efforts. Apartheid will be eradicated with the system of racial capitalism. -
The Black working class inspired by revolutionary consciousness is the driving force of our struggle. They alone can end the system as it stands today because they alone have nothing at all to lose. They have a world to gain in a democratic, anti-racist and socialist Azania. It is the historic task of the Black working class and its organisations to mobilise the urban and the rural poor together with the radical sections of the middle classes in order to put an end to the system of oppression and exploitation by the white ruling
The successful conduct of the national liberation struggle depends on the firm basis of principle whereby we will ensure that the liberation struggle will not be turned against our people by treacherous and opportunistic "leaders." Of these principles, the most important are: - Anti-racism and anti-imperialism. - Non-collaboration with the oppressor and its political instruments. - Independent working-class organisation. - Opposition to all alliances with ruling-class parties.
In accordance with these principles, the oppressed and exploited people of Azania demand immediately: - The right to work. - The right to form trade unions that will heighten revolutionary worker consciousness. — The establishment of a democratic, anti-racist worker Republic in Azania where the interests of the workers shall be paramount through worker control of the means of production, distribution and exchange. - State provision of free and compulsory education for all and this education be geared towards liberating the Azanian people from all forms of oppression, exploitation and ignorance. - State provision of adequate and decent housing. - State provision of free health, legal, recreational and other community services that will respond positively to the needs of the people. - Development of one national progressive culture in the process of struggle. - The land and all that belongs to it shall be wholly owned and controlled by the Azanian people. - The usage of the land and all that accrues to it shall be aimed at ending all forms and means of exploitation. In order to bring into effect these demands of the Azanian people, we pledge ourselves to struggle tirelessly for: - The abolition of all laws that discriminate against our people on the basis of colour, sex, class, religion or language. - The abolition of all influx control measures and pass laws. - The abolition of all resettlement and group areas removals. - Reintegration of the "bantustan' human dumping grounds into a unitary Azania.
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SOUTH AFRICA
DOCUMENT