South African Movements Continue Their Struggle Against NGO Authoritarianism
Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign | 02.12.2007 18:13 | Social Struggles
The Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign, the oldest of the militant popular movements to emerge after apartheid, the key force behind the many vigorous struggles in Cape Town and probably the most engaged movement at the moment has written an open letter excoriating the Social Movements Indaba (SMI) and its European funders for attempting to take over popular struggles. The SMI began as a networking forum for popular movements a few years ago but soon degenerated into an extremely authoritarian project of a network of NGOs. Last year the Anti-Eviction Campaign and other movements that rejected NGO control of their struggles were publicly accused of being criminal and irrational by the NGOs. In this respect their paranoid response to democratic counter power has been indistinguishable from that of the state... But it is clear that even though the donors continue to support NGOs that assume a right to speak for movements the movements, largely unfunded and suffering serious state repression, will continue to reject NGO authoritarianism no matter how well funded and no matter how much these NGOs continue to be welcomed in spaces like the WSF at the expense of the movements on the ground.
An open letter to participants in the Social Movements Indaba
The Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign wishes to make clear to all social movements and participants in the Social Movements Indaba that its representatives will not be attending the SMI to be held in Cape Town from 2-5 December 2007.
We have seen the "Planned Agenda" and want to make absolutely clear that we did not give the SMI leadership permission to cite our name as participants. We reject the dishonesty of the SMI leadership in this regard with the utmost contempt. Our inclusion as participants will mislead other social movements throughout South Africa, Africa and internationally. It also will mislead funders such as the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation who have partly financed this gathering of the SMI
One of our constituencies has indicated the very same sentiment: the Joe Slovo Residents Association, also cited in the agenda as participants, will not be attending the SMI.
The Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign was a founder member of the Social Movement Indaba in its original intention to be a platform for social movements. In its ranks it concentrates the experience of most of the mass struggles in the Western Cape since that time: in Mandela Park, Tafelsig, Silvertown, QQ section, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Gympie Street and so on.
But since its inception the SMI has degenerated into a vehicle controlled by NGOs. Now it merely poses as a forum for bringing together social movements. In reality the SMI has become an obstacle to the linking up of real social movements around the country and is a source of division.
The Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign will not allow some NGO's and academics to further their careers with the blood, sweat and tears of communities. We despise the way they act as Trojan horses and the way they co‑opt activists because of the resources they enjoy. Major social movements such as Abahlali base Mjondolo in Natal and the WCAEC withdrew from the SMI a year ago because it no longer fulfilled its original function. The SMI needs to be reclaimed and driven by people on the ground and not by its self-appointed 'leaders'.
Let us compare the record of the SMI in the Western Cape in 2007 with that of the AEC. With far less resources than the Western Cape SMI, the AEC has done the following:
(1) As a result of years of campaigning under the leadership of the AEC, by ten villages with defective housing managed by the Cape Town Community Housing Company, the government allocated R46 million to repair the defects.
(2) As a result of the AEC's 'scrap the arrears' campaign (directed against the pink letters issued by the Cape Town Council), the Council agreed to scrap arrears up to September 2003. This was a partial victory.
(3) The AEC has been involved in helping organise marches of thousands of people on parliament by N2 Gateway residents and by Joe Slovo settlement residents, worked with Joe Slovo on the occupation of the N2, and has also cooperated with the Joe Slovo task team in working out a strategy to fight the forced removal being attempted by Sisulu, Dyantyi and Thubelisha. This has thus far won a reprieve until the High Court hearing on 12 December.
All this is in addition to regular assistance by the AEC of individuals and small groups with struggles against evictions.
What has the Western Cape SMI done in 2007? So far as we know, it has only organized one small demonstration at parliament of some 50-80 people! There has not even been an SMI presence at the court appearances in Bishop Lavis of 8 Joe Slovo militants on charges of public violence. This shows the extent to which the bureaucracy of the SMI has lost touch with community-based organizations.
We invite all representatives of genuine social movements – provincial, national and international -- attending the SMI conference to join residents of Joe Slovo and members of the Anti-Eviction campaign in showing our solidarity with the 8 Joe Slovo militants at their next court appearance in Bishop Lavis at 9am on December 5.
ASIJIKI' BAHLALI!
PHAMBILI! ... ANTI EVICTION CAMPAIGN ... PHAMBILI!
PHAMBILI! ... ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO ... PHAMBIlI!
PHAMBILI! ... ACTION ALLIANCE ...PHAMBILI!
Power to the Poor People
NOT
NG0'S & ACADEMICS
Issued by the Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign
Phones: 079 370 9614; 078 580 8646; 073 256 20336; 072 392 5859; 073 144 3619; 076 186 1408
The Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign wishes to make clear to all social movements and participants in the Social Movements Indaba that its representatives will not be attending the SMI to be held in Cape Town from 2-5 December 2007.
We have seen the "Planned Agenda" and want to make absolutely clear that we did not give the SMI leadership permission to cite our name as participants. We reject the dishonesty of the SMI leadership in this regard with the utmost contempt. Our inclusion as participants will mislead other social movements throughout South Africa, Africa and internationally. It also will mislead funders such as the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation who have partly financed this gathering of the SMI
One of our constituencies has indicated the very same sentiment: the Joe Slovo Residents Association, also cited in the agenda as participants, will not be attending the SMI.
The Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign was a founder member of the Social Movement Indaba in its original intention to be a platform for social movements. In its ranks it concentrates the experience of most of the mass struggles in the Western Cape since that time: in Mandela Park, Tafelsig, Silvertown, QQ section, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Gympie Street and so on.
But since its inception the SMI has degenerated into a vehicle controlled by NGOs. Now it merely poses as a forum for bringing together social movements. In reality the SMI has become an obstacle to the linking up of real social movements around the country and is a source of division.
The Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign will not allow some NGO's and academics to further their careers with the blood, sweat and tears of communities. We despise the way they act as Trojan horses and the way they co‑opt activists because of the resources they enjoy. Major social movements such as Abahlali base Mjondolo in Natal and the WCAEC withdrew from the SMI a year ago because it no longer fulfilled its original function. The SMI needs to be reclaimed and driven by people on the ground and not by its self-appointed 'leaders'.
Let us compare the record of the SMI in the Western Cape in 2007 with that of the AEC. With far less resources than the Western Cape SMI, the AEC has done the following:
(1) As a result of years of campaigning under the leadership of the AEC, by ten villages with defective housing managed by the Cape Town Community Housing Company, the government allocated R46 million to repair the defects.
(2) As a result of the AEC's 'scrap the arrears' campaign (directed against the pink letters issued by the Cape Town Council), the Council agreed to scrap arrears up to September 2003. This was a partial victory.
(3) The AEC has been involved in helping organise marches of thousands of people on parliament by N2 Gateway residents and by Joe Slovo settlement residents, worked with Joe Slovo on the occupation of the N2, and has also cooperated with the Joe Slovo task team in working out a strategy to fight the forced removal being attempted by Sisulu, Dyantyi and Thubelisha. This has thus far won a reprieve until the High Court hearing on 12 December.
All this is in addition to regular assistance by the AEC of individuals and small groups with struggles against evictions.
What has the Western Cape SMI done in 2007? So far as we know, it has only organized one small demonstration at parliament of some 50-80 people! There has not even been an SMI presence at the court appearances in Bishop Lavis of 8 Joe Slovo militants on charges of public violence. This shows the extent to which the bureaucracy of the SMI has lost touch with community-based organizations.
We invite all representatives of genuine social movements – provincial, national and international -- attending the SMI conference to join residents of Joe Slovo and members of the Anti-Eviction campaign in showing our solidarity with the 8 Joe Slovo militants at their next court appearance in Bishop Lavis at 9am on December 5.
ASIJIKI' BAHLALI!
PHAMBILI! ... ANTI EVICTION CAMPAIGN ... PHAMBILI!
PHAMBILI! ... ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO ... PHAMBIlI!
PHAMBILI! ... ACTION ALLIANCE ...PHAMBILI!
Power to the Poor People
NOT
NG0'S & ACADEMICS
Issued by the Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign
Phones: 079 370 9614; 078 580 8646; 073 256 20336; 072 392 5859; 073 144 3619; 076 186 1408
Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign
