Anarkismo.net: Southern-Africa, What does the ZACF stand for?

Zabalaza means struggle, the continual struggle of the working class to access real 
freedom. We mean freedom from the repression of the state, and oppression by 
multi-national as well as local companies. Too long has a small elite been in control. 
Workers and their communities have risen up many times in the past but have always been 
crushed by the police forces of the state. In the past the working class ? including the 
poor and unemployed ? has protested but often lost: social movements have burnt out and 
trade union leaders have made bad deals with the bosses. ---- We advocate workers? 
self-management over the mines, factories ? and all other workplaces. Also, 
self-management in our communities to make our own decisions on the resources we need to 
run our lives, to have access to water, electricity, jobs, housing and to receive decent 
education.

We cannot achieve this under the system of the state and political parties, because these 
only serve the small ruling class elite. This ruling class enjoys the lion?s share of 
wealth and power, and uses the resources of society to benefit itself, first. So, there is 
not enough public transport, but there are factories making BMWs for the elite few; there 
is not enough food for the people, but rich people spending millions of Rands on parties, 
billions are spent on arms deals while the poor die in run-down government hospitals.

Anarchist ideas, made real through political education and mass organising, will confirm 
the power within the working class to organise and smash the state and company system. 
Anarchist ideas are not as widespread within southern Africa as in other parts of the world.

To build for anarchism, we all need to be in agreement about our strategic plan and our 
political ideas. So, we need to reflect on the past mistakes and successes in order to 
regroup. Mass movements will be stronger if we are all clear on one vision. Once we are 
all clear on the same position we can proceed to the revolution to overturn the state, and 
live in a true communist society not run by political or ?worker? parties, or vanguards.

This new (anarchist) society will be self-controlled. It will be based on working class 
power from below, grassroots democracy, production for need not profit or elite power, and 
a democratic militia (army) under the control of the working class.

We want a revolutionary front of the oppressed classes. We want to organise in the 
southern part of Africa from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, 
Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi. In all these regions the vast majority of the working class 
is black. Most of these countries fought for liberation from imperialist powers and local 
colonialism, but today we, the working class, are still oppressed in our work environment, 
and still have to continually struggle for equal access to land, water and electricity. 
This can only end by revolution from below. It cannot change through elections, which 
betray the people, or politicians, who cheat the people, or capitalists, who exploit the 
people.

Anarchist specific organisations in Southern Africa and the rest of the world need to keep 
comrades in check to not be hijacked by political parties. Because ultimately the state is 
the enemy, it will not solve the class struggle ? it serves the ruling class, not the 
people. So, we must organise outside of elections, outside of the system, from below, in 
mass organisations that are democratic and that have a clear political (anarchist) line.

Related Link: http://zabalaza.net