Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 15:37:43 +1000 (AEST)
From: Toby Carl Borgeest <borgeest-AT-ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au>
Subject: Re: THE BIG SELL-OUT


On Sun, 9 Jun 1996, Curtis Price wrote:

> 
> 
> I have just started reading a remarkable and rather devastating critique of 
> the ANC/SACP called "The Big Sell Out" by a Dan Mokonyane., who 
> was/is affiliated with something called Azikwelwa, of which it is 
> hard to figure out if this is a journal or movement. A clue: somehow 
> it linked with an Alexandria Bus Boycott of some years ago. Does any 
> one know who Mokonyane, et al are?

I met Dan about a year ago at Dale McKinley's place in Johannesburg, when 
Boris kagarlistky (sp?) was in town (on his way home after speaking at 
DSP gig in Sydney). Azikwela is a journl and a splinter group; a lot of 
ex ISO cadre, and some SACP fringe dwellers. I hadn't heard anything of 
their involvement in the bus buycott, but it doesn't suprise me. 

I'm interested in the critique. Where is it? 

> It's quite a savage read - the author seems influenced in some ways 
> by  semi-situationist views (although perhaps this will not be an 
> accurate assessment after I finish reading the whole book, but just a 
> superficial take) However, there's no clues to be found in his use of 
> terms (i.e. no situ or even 'ultra-left' codewords or phases) which 
> makes the book even more intriguing. . .
> 
Oh, a book, I see.

The ANC are a sitting duck. It doesn't take much to ramp up a critique of 
Mandela these days, and the existence of the alliance with the SACP 
permits a sweeping extension of every criticism to them as well. What I 
have tried to find is any internal SACP account of how they intend to 
influence the alliance over time. Granted, the party are growing as a a 
proprtion of the ANC's membership, but there is no sense that they are as 
significant as COSATU in provoking conflict over significant issues. 

Toby Borgeest


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