On Wednesday, 24 February, 21 unions of the South African Federation of Trade Unions went on a general strike against deep and sustained cuts in the living standards of workers, and to fight for a radical change in the country’s economic policies. Frustration runs high amongst the working class over mass retrenchments, wage freezes and brutal austerity measures in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

On the 26th of November, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande announced that students who are funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will receive a ‘living’ allowance for the extended months of the academic year. However this is only applicable to students who are yet to complete the academic year. The academic year was extended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which at one point threatened to collapse the current academic year.

Is there a threat of the rise of the far-right? The question in the above headline has been widely raised following the prominent media coverage received by some far-right elements over the past week. This in turn came after a hue and cry was raised over the issue of rural violence and farm attacks, after a young white farm manager was murdered in Senekal in the eastern Free State province.

The huge hotel-entertainment conglomerate Sun International, who owns popular resorts like Sun City and other casinos and resorts all over South Africa, made a gamble which led to the loss of thousands of jobs.

The Covid-19 pandemic graphically exposed the degenerate nature of the South African ruling class. While millions of workers lost their jobs during the lockdown and hundreds of thousands were infected by the virus itself, the ruling class went on a sickening looting spree. 

On Wednesday thousands of workers took part in a national strike called by all the country’s trade unions federations. 

South Africa has faced one of the strictest lockdown responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the world. The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has been a disaster for the ordinary  working masses.

Bothata ba bokhaphithaliste ba Afrika Boroa bo ka hlola feela ka phetoho ea bochaba. Mokhoa o le mong feela oa ho tsoa litorong tsena tse bohloko ke ho senya tsamaiso e e qapileng. Bokamoso bo ka khonehang bakeng sa bacha ba Afrika Boroa, basebetsi le matšoele a hatelletsoeng ke bokamoso ba bochaba.

Ingxaki yobungxowankulu boMzantsi Afrika inokoyiswa kuphela ngotshintsho lobusoshiyali. Inye jwi indlela yokuphuma kweli phupha libi; kukuqhawuka kulenqkubo edale lengxaki. Elona kamva elicacileyo nelibonakalayo lolutsha lwaseMzantsi Afrika, abasebenzi, kunye nabantu abacinezelweyo likamva lobusoshiyali.

The crisis of South African capitalism can only be overcome with a socialist revolution. The only way out of this nightmare is to break with the system which created it. The only future possible for the South African youth, workers, and oppressed masses is a socialist future.

South African capitalism is in total crisis. The ruling class is divided and the worsening conditions of the workers and poor are causing a groundswell of resentment that will burst to the surface sooner or later, placing renewed class struggle on the agenda.

Two weeks ago, British Prime Minister Theresa May embarked on a three-day jaunt across Africa, visiting South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. The purpose of May’s whistle stop tour (aside from showcasing her inimitable dance moves) was to strike up post-Brexit trade relations with Africa’s “emerging economies”. The visit was a cringe worthy affair that saw May shuffle awkwardly from one public relations blunder to the next, and it highlighted the decline of British imperialism and the crisis facing the capitalist class as the Brexit cliffedge looms.