Nuclear Weapons on the Table
GQEBERHA (South Africa), 7 March— “My cousin just joined the army,” a comrade reported. “Winning people like him will be key to making any revolution.”
South Africa is currently in a political and diplomatic rift with the US. Its government called the US killing of Iran’s Ayatollah Khamanei a violation of sovereignty. They also expressed fear and shock after the US captured Venezuela’s Maduro.
The real reason for this rift is the crisis of capitalism and the intensification of inter-imperialist rivalry. For most of its modern history, South Africa sided with western imperialism. Especially during Apartheid, when it had nuclear weapons.
However, more recently, South Africa has fully joined the Chinese-led economic development. It has sided with western imperialism’s opponents or competitors. This, although “BRICS” is now effectively dead since India and other countries are siding with the United States in the war between Iran and US/Israel.
South Africa “officially” stands against Israel and the genocide it is committing in Gaza. For that, the US has warned that it will sanction South Africa. It seeks to undermine it and change its policies. This threat was taken seriously in South Africa, especially after Maduro’s capture. A representative of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) International Relations department questioned if it is not the time for South Africa to revive its nuclear doctrine and weapons program.
South Africa’s Nuclear Weapons
South Africa, in the 1990s, dismantled its missile program. More accurately, disassembled it. Often, we hear that Iran is weeks away from developing nuclear weapons. However, it can be said that South Africa is months (or a year) away from developing nuclear weapons. Its enriched uranium is still intact and has caused a headache in the US over the years.
South Africa does not have a ballistic weapons program. However, it is intensifying its development of air naval defence weapons, particularly at the Denel Overberg Test Range and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The South African ANC regime sees nuclear weapons as their ultimate defence against potential aggression from US imperialists. Most analysts and ANC forces on the ground are debating whether to revive this program.
None of this is done in order to better the lives of the working class. Rather, it’s to protect the capitalists and their profits inside the country as they pivot towards China, Russia, and Iran. One of South Africa’s most important banks (Standard Bank) has joined the Chinese payment system, the alternative to US-dominated SWIFT system.
South Africa hosted recent naval drills with these “eastern” imperialists off the coast of Cape Town. These were to prepare to protect shipping in the case of imperialist World War III.
Organise for Communism among Industrial Workers and Inside the Military
We have to meet these imperialist rivalries with communism and communist organising. Soldiers and industrial workers are key for a communist revolution. Without industrial workers, like auto workers, we cannot build a communist system.
Industrial workers function in an ecosystem that makes Gqeberha, for example, a functioning city. They are key to the functioning of the capitalist economic system. They have knowledge of production.
Soldiers are important because if ever we are to have a revolution of any kind, we need soldiers trained to fight. Sometimes this might appear as a slogan because we haven’t made great strides in recruiting soldiers. Our comrades are expanding and developing their contacts with comrades inside the military here in South Africa.
Some comrades, relatives and friends are stationed at an Air Force base in Gqeberha. We hope to make progress in getting them to read the Red Flag and recruit them to join our communist fight against imperialism and capitalism.
We tend to be apprehensive when trying to recruit soldiers. However, they are our class siblings. We are determined to turn this fear into courage and opportunity. We plan to revive contacts we have made in the past with soldiers and have conversations with them. We will talk about turning the weapons against capitalists and fighting for our working class. We must fight for communism in the face of imperialism and death.