The Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) was established in
Johannesburg in July 2000 by activists and organisations involved in two key anti-privatisation struggles: the struggle against iGoli 2002, and the struggle against Wits 2001 at
Wits University. The APF had affiliates from the unions, communities, students and the left: while most affiliates were township-based community movements, it also included small leftwing political groups, like
Keep Left and the anarchist Bikisha Media Collective (later part of the
Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front
The Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front (ZACF, also known as ZabFront or simply as Zabalaza), formerly known as the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation (ZabFed), is a platformist–especifista anarchist political organisation in South ...
).
For ten years the APF was a vibrant social movement in Gauteng townships, including areas on the
East Rand and in
Soweto and
Orange Farm. It is now defunct.
The APF had fairly detailed positions on a wide range of issues, and was self-described as 'anti-capitalist.' However, its focus was on struggles, and in practice, affiliate organisations and individuals could take a wide range of positions. Many ordinary members were interested primarily in fighting against immediate problems, such as evictions and cut-offs, and did not take hard political positions.
Others however were influenced by left-wing ideas, including Marxism–Leninism in the
Socialist Party of Azania tradition,
Trotskyism in various forms, and anarchist communism. There was also a small autonomist current, based largely among university intellectuals.
Trevor Ngwane
Trevor Ngwane is a South African socialist and anti-apartheid activist. He previously worked as a sociology lecturer at Wits University where he helped found the Wits Workers' School, to teach literacy to the campus cleaners and gardeners. He wa ...
, one of the founding members, and a former town councillor was the APF's best known figure: his politics were orthodox
Trotskyism.
Repression
The movement suffered significant state repression, largely directed at protestors from APF community-based affiliates.
Dissent Under Thabo Mbeki
Jane Duncan, May 2011
References
External links
*https://web.archive.org/web/20180928043635/http://apf.org.za/ The Anti-Privatisation Forum webpage (still online)
*http://www.saha.org.za/publications/anti_privatisation_forum.htm Dale McKinley, ''Transition's Child: The Anti-Privatisation Forum'', a history produced for The South African History Archive (SAHA)
*http://www.saha.org.za/apf/labour.htm The Anti-Privatisation Forum's engagements with the trade unions
2000 establishments in South Africa
Defunct social movements in South Africa
Political party alliances in South Africa
Social movements based in Johannesburg
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