Communism in Action here ♦ “The Change We Want Is Communism” here ♦
Communism in Action Shows the Future of the International Working Class
UITENHAGE, (South Africa), May 3 —“I am determined,” Siya said as she organized 18 high school students for our May Day event in Kariega (Uitenhage). They marched enthusiastically to our hall, chanting revolutionary songs ending with “Viva.” The hall was packed with over 100 comrades.
“I won’t be free until everyone is free in Palestine” was another determined response from a worker who came to our event after he read our flyer.
“I joined the SACP when I was very young. They bribed us by feeding us McDonald’s food. How will you be different?” asked an old industrial worker. An ICWP comrade said, “We will abolish money and mobilize the masses. Without money, there will be no bribe.”
“A comrade asked me to join ICWP. I was not convinced. She asked me again. I was still not sure. She asked for the third time, and I joined. I can see the communist future now; there is no going back. We can do it!”
This comrade who did not join ICWP the first time she was asked to join is now a key leader of our party. She is determined as she has organized her large family members to not only join ICWP, but they are active in cooking, cleaning, leafleting, and mobilizing the masses.
“We have to go to the root of the problem; it is capitalism that we must destroy.” Several hospital workers are spreading the word by distributing RF and bringing other workers to our event.
Young comrades like Siya are giving tremendous leadership to the entire party. Comrade Siya organized 250 students to confront the administration without a maths teacher. They toyi toyied until the school hired a teacher. Some months later, Siya joined ICWP.
Comrade Siya is relentless. On May Day, she started early. She helped peel vegetables and cook food for lunch, went to the hall early to greet and lead young students, led songs, distributed food and drinks, cleaned the hall, and then had a meeting to plan our future. All this was done collectively, encouraging others.
This is the future of the party; this is communism in action. When millions of people like Siya organize and fight for communism, the future generation will be built on fulfilling the needs of the international working class.
South Africa: “The Change We Want Is Communism”
GQEBERHA (South Africa), April 26— Every person who came to our organizing branch meeting promised to bring more comrades and recruit them to our party. A nurse, a teacher, a VW worker, a hospital cleaner, a machine operator, and many more said unanimously, “We want change. The system is rotten, infested with drugs, gang violence, and hunger, as the capitalist bosses amass super profits.”
The change we want is communism, a system without the capitalist bosses and their wage slavery.
A VW worker said, “The bosses don’t even know how the plant is run. They live in Munich. We do all our work, and they throw us peanuts. After over thirty-two years, I couldn’t afford a new VW car, yet I was responsible for producing thousands of cars. I have three years left before I retire. I will train new workers on communism.”
A grandmother was the person who opened our discussion. She was sick and tired of gang violence that had claimed so many lives. Why do we have drugs and gangs? This topic was discussed by many. They all agreed that it is a sign of a very sick society where high unemployment and corruption push many young people to turn to drugs. We have to get rid of capitalists who are responsible for creating conditions for drugs. Many young people in the meeting said they are taking RF to their township to organize for May Day.
Last week, a soldier told us that after fourteen years in the army, he did not have enough food to eat. When the soldiers are hungry, the bosses give them guns. He said that in the past he used to read Red Flag, but due to some personal problems, he did not actively participate in our discussions. But now he talks to many soldiers about RF and plans to form a collective.
A nurse has taken time off to come to our communist camp and is inviting others to May Day. The horrific atrocities in Gaza moved another nurse and a hospital cleaner. They are all organizing to bring more people to May Day.
We had a braai (barbecue) prepared by our loving comrade, who also organizes in her neighborhood. Her comrade in the township, who participates in climate change organizations, brought five comrades today, and they plan to bring more for May Day.
Now, we have a leadership team of about ten comrades, and that is growing. Everyone at this afternoon’s event was overwhelmed by the possibility of big change coming, which means more ICWP comrades.
A comrade summarized the meeting when she said, “These coming events for communism will be a life-changing experience for us.”
These life-changing experiences do not happen overnight. They require many visits, many rejections, endless driving, calling, discussing communism and RF, talking about personal problems, becoming truly part of a family, and helping each other. We overcame seemingly impossible problems of load shedding (power outages), Covid 19, irregular internet and many more. We have built a solid bond that will continue to grow and attract many others to join the party. Let us all continue to focus our efforts and energy on building communist relationships that will change society.