From Comrades to Citizens: The South African Civics Movement and the Transition to Democracy (International Political Economy Series)

This book represents the culmination of a long-term, collaborative research project on popular resistance in South Africa. Its specific focus is on the civic organizationsÐpopularly known as `civics'Ðin the country's black townships which played a key role in challenging and undermining the apartheid government during the 1980s. Both because of the timing and the approach of the project, the papers included here reflect a perspective that is probably unique to the immediate post-apartheid period. Concerned with popular participation in the process of national democratization, each of the authors brought to their research a particular sensitivity to the ways in which that participation might be sustained or sidelined in the so-called `new' South Africa. The project's original conception took place in 1989 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just prior to the dramatic changes in South Africa that followed the unbanning of opposition political organizations in February 1990. At the time, the country had witnessed the most prolonged and widespread upsurge of political protest in its history, and its most brutal experience of repression. Because the upsurge was characterized by a mass-level return to non-violent methods of struggle, it was of particular interest to the Albert Einstein Institution whose central concern is with forms of non-violent direct action and their relationship to democratization in post-authoritarian societies. In 1992, the Institution established a South Africa Program, providing most of the funding for three research projects, of which the largest, on the nature of black township opposition to minority rule, provided the basis for this volume. The papers included here were produced for the project between 1995 and 1998. The `civics' project sought answers to a variety of questions about South Africa's black township organizations in the 1980s. What prompted their burgeoning presence throughout the country? How were they able, albeit unevenly, to sustain themselves during a period of constant police harassment resulting in imprisonment, torture and death? What stimulated their adoption of non-violent methods of struggle, decades after the African National Congress switched to a policy of armed struggle? What influenced their selection of particular tactics, and prompted the elaboration of their repertoire? How was leadership selected or established? How were clandestine pathways of viii Foreword ix communication formed? Apart from their interest to South Africans and students of African affairs, it is hoped too that they will be of value in considerations of popular protest, resistance and participation in social processes toward democratization. The project was housed in the Department of Political Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand through the exceptionally generous support of Professors Alf Stadler and Tom Lodge. Despite heavy departmental and university commitments, Tom Lodge gave unstintingly of his time and efforts as a committee member, mentor, editor and friend of the project. In Glenn Adler, the project enjoyed a dedicated editor and research co-ordinatorÐa role he took over from Jeremy Seekings who brought his expertise to the earlier shaping of the project. Jonny Steinberg provided the project with his considerable skills as a scholar, contributor and editor, and devotion to the project's completion. Mrs. Hilary Barker contributed far more to the project than the secretarial tasks she expertly and efficiently provided. The civics project is indebted to the Albert Einstein Institution for substantial support, and not least to Dr. Christopher Kruegler's astute instincts for opportune research, to the Ford Foundation for their financial assistance, and most of all, to the enthusiastic support of all who participated in the project. In the 1980s South Africa's urban townships exploded into insurrection led by youth and residents' organizations that collectively became known as the 'civics movement'. The apartheid government never recovered. Ironically this movement has found great difficulty finding a place for itself in the post-apartheid order it helped create. The high levels of participation by township residents - which civics' very form demanded - was era-bound. The civics relied on the drama of the times and the presence of an enemy, and have been unable to adapt to the role of a voluntary association in a liberal polity. This volume charts the rise and fall of the movement in the transition to, and consolidation of, a democracy in South Africa. Among the issues addressed are: If the organizations which brought down an authoritarian regime are unable to survive the transition, what forms of associational life can replace them? Are these appropriate or inimical to the healthy life of a new democracy? The volume brings together many leading writers in the field and helps the reader to gain a greater understanding of this important part of South African history and politics This Volume Charts The Rise And Fall Of The Movement In The Transition To, And Consolidation Of, A Democracy In South Africa. Among The Issues Addressed Are: If The Organizations Which Brought Down An Authoritarian Regime Are Unable To Survive The Transition, What Forms Of Associational Life Can Replace Them? Are These Appropriate Or Inimical To The Healthy Life Of A New Democracy?--jacket. Survival And Resistance / Colin Bundy -- The Development Of Strategic Thought In South Africa's Civic Movements, 1977-90 / Jeremy Seekings -- Hegemony, Democracy And Civil Society / Janet Cherry -- Fenced In By Ideas Of Modernity / Steven Robins -- Civic Organization In Alexandra In The Early 1990s / Justine Lucas -- A Place For Cicics In A Liberal Democratic Polity? / Jonny Steinberg -- After Apartheid / Jeremy Seekings. Edited By Glenn Adler And Jonny Steinberg. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Introduction: From Comrades to Citizens....Pages 1-25 Survival and Resistance: Township Organizations and Non-violent Direct Action in Twentieth Century South Africa....Pages 26-51 The Development of Strategic Thought in South Africa’s Civic Movements, 1977–1990....Pages 52-85 Hegemony, Democracy and Civil Society: Political Participation in Kwazakele Township, 1980–93....Pages 86-113 Fenced in by Ideas of Modernity: Land Struggles and Civic Activism in Namaqualand, 1980–1993....Pages 114-144 Civic Organization in Alexandra in the Early 1990s: An Ethnographic Approach....Pages 145-174 A Place for Civics in a Liberal Democratic Polity? The Fate of Local Institutions of Resistance after Apartheid....Pages 175-204 After Apartheid: Civic Organizations in the ‘New’ South Africa....Pages 205-224 Back Matter....Pages 225-253 In the 1980s South Africa's urban townships exploded into insurrection led by youth and residents' organisations that collectively became known as the civics movement. Ironically the movement has been unable to adapt to the role of a voluntary association in the liberal polity it helped create, and has great difficulty defining any alternative role. This volume charts the rise and fall of the movement in the transition to and consolidation of democracy in South Africa.