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 Platformism is a form of anarchist organization that seeks unity from its participants, having as a defining characteristic the idea that each platformist organization should include only people that are fully in agreement with core group ideas, r ...

–especifista

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not neces ...

political organisation in South Africa, based primarily in Johannesburg. The word ''zabalaza'' means "struggle" or "active rebellion" in isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati and isiNdebele. Initially, as ZabFed, it was a federation of pre-existing collectives, mainly in Soweto and Johannesburg. It is now a unitary organisation based on individual applications for membership, describing itself as a "federation of individuals". Historically the majority of members have been people of colour. Initially the ZACF had sections in both South Africa and Swaziland. The two sections were split in 2007, but the Swazi group faltered in 2008. Currently the ZACF also recruits in Zimbabwe. Members have experienced oppression in South Africa and Swaziland. The ZACF is rooted in the '' Organisational Platform of the General Union of Anarchists (Draft)'' by the '' Dielo Truda'' group, but it does not accept the document uncritically. The ZACF is also inspired by the pamphlet ''Towards a Fresh Revolution'', written by the

Friends of Durruti The Friends of Durruti Group (in Spanish, ''Agrupación de los Amigos de Durruti'') was an anarchist group in Spain, named after Buenaventura Durruti. It was founded on 15 March 1937, by Jaime Balius, Félix Martínez (anarchist), Félix Martínez ...

, a grouping of '' Confederación Nacional del Trabajo'' (CNT, or National Confederation of Labour) members, during the Spanish Revolution, as well as by Georges Fontenis'

post-war In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...

pamphlet ''

Manifesto A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a ...

of Libertarian Communism''. More recently it has come under the influence of South American especifismo, a tendency which originated in the '' Federación Anarquista Uruguaya'' (FAU, or Uruguayan Anarchist Federation).ZACF
'What is the ZACF?'. Retrieved 4 January 2012. ZACF members are expected to be committed, convinced

anarchist communist Anarcho-communism, also known as anarchist communism, (or, colloquially, ''ancom'' or ''ancomm'') is a political philosophy and anarchist school of thought that advocates communism. It calls for the abolition of private property but retains re ...

militants The English word ''militant'' is both an adjective and a noun, and it is generally used to mean vigorously active, combative and/or aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in "militant reformers". It comes from the 15th century Latin " ...

who must be in general agreement with the

principles of theoretical and

tactical Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics ** Political tacti ...

unity, collective responsibility, and

federalism Federalism is a combined or compound mode of government that combines a general government (the central or "federal" government) with regional governments (Province, provincial, State (sub-national), state, Canton (administrative division), can ...

. Its activities include study and theoretical development, anarchist agitation and participation in

class struggle Class conflict, also referred to as class struggle and class warfare, is the political tension and economic antagonism that exists in society because of socio-economic competition among the social classes or between rich and poor. The forms ...

activism. As a platformist–especifista organisation, the ZACF subscribes to the idea of an "active minority". This means that the ZACF, unlike certain anarcho-syndicalist organizations, does not seek to build purely anarchist mass movements or unions; nor does it seek to turn existing

social movement A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a social or political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to resist or undo one. It is a type of group action and may ...

s into anarchist-only movements. Rather, in the tradition of social insertion championed by the ''Federação Anarquista do Rio de Janeiro'' (FARJ, or Anarchist Federation of Rio de Janeiro), the ZACF works within existing movements to fight for the "leadership of anarchist ideas". This entails the implementation of anarchist principles within such movements, along with a revolutionary anarchist programme. This is because the ZACF holds that the strength of trade unions, social movements and other organizations of the working class lies in their ability to unite the greatest number of workers regardless of their political, religious or ideological affiliations. At the same time, the ZACF believes such movements can only undertake a revolutionary transformation of society when they are won to revolutionary anarchist positions.

History

The ZACF is the most recent in a rather short line of South African anarchist organizations stretching back to the early 1990s, from which it has inherited some members. Following the merger of the

International Socialist League International Socialist League can refer to: *International Socialist League (South Africa), a former syndicalist group *International Socialist League (UK), a Trotskyist party *International Socialist League (2019) The International Socialist Lea ...

(ISL) and Industrial Socialist League into the

Communist Party of South Africa The South African Communist Party (SACP) is a communist party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), tactically dissolved itself in 1950 in the face of being declared illegal by the governing Na ...

(CPSA) in 1921 and the destruction of the semi-

syndicalist Syndicalism is a revolutionary current within the left-wing of the labor movement that seeks to unionize workers according to industry and advance their demands through strikes with the eventual goal of gaining control over the means of pr ...

Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union The Industrial and Commercial Union (ICU) was a trade union and mass-based popular political movement in southern Africa. It was influenced by the syndicalist politics of the Industrial Workers of the World (adopting the IWW Preamble in 1925) ...

of Africa (ICU) in the 1930s,Giliomee, H. and Mbenga, B. (2007). ''New History of South Africa''. Cape Town: Tafelberg. pp. 248–250.Schmidt, M. and van der Walt, L. (2009). '' Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism (Counter-Power vol. 1)''. Oakland and Edinburgh: AK Press. pp. 164–170. anarchism (including its syndicalist variant) only began to re-emerge as a movement in South Africa with small anarchist collectives, established primarily in Durban and Johannesburg, in the 1990s. In 1993, the Anarchist Revolutionary Movement (ARM) was established in Johannesburg; its student section included militants from the anti-apartheid movement. In 1995, a larger movement, the

Workers' Solidarity Federation Anarchism in South Africa dates to the 1880s, and played a major role in the labour and socialist movements from the turn of the twentieth century through to the 1920s. The early South African anarchist movement was strongly syndicalist. The as ...

(WSF), replaced the ARM. The WSF incorporated a Durban-based collective which published the journal ''Freedom''. It also produced its own journal entitled ''Workers' Solidarity''. The WSF was in the tradition of platformism, as opposed to the far looser ARM, and focused mainly on work within black working class and student struggles. It established links with anarchist individuals and small anarchist collectives in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Zambia. It also helped to establish a short-lived Zambian WSF. The WSF dissolved in 1999. It was succeeded by two anarchist collectives: the Bikisha Media Collective and Zabalaza Books. These two groups co-produced ''Zabalaza: A Journal of Southern African Revolutionary Anarchism'',"Anarchism, revolutionary syndicalism and anti-authoritarian movements in South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland"
South African Struggle Archives. Retrieved 4 January 2012. which has since become the journal of the ZACF."Constitution of the ZACF"
ZACF. Retrieved 4 January 2012. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, activists in these structures were involved in struggles against privatization and evictions, and Bikisha was formally affiliated to the

Anti-Privatisation Forum 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 ...

(APF), with a Bikisha member serving as APF Media Officer. On May Day in 2003, the ZACF was formed; initially as the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation. The early ZACF was essentially a regroupment of local anarchist groups, bringing together a number of new anarchist collectives in Gauteng and Durban (including a local chapter of the Anarchist Black Cross), along with the Bikisha Media Collective and Zabalaza Books. In 2007, to strengthen its structures, the ZACF was reconstituted as the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front based on direct individual affiliation in a unitary structure, rather than the looser federal system in place. By this time, the ZACF also had members in Swaziland, and was running a small social centre in Motsoaledi squatter camp in Soweto. Effectively, in its first phase, the ZACF was built through the affiliation of groups, and members came into ZabFed through the groups, each with somewhat different structures, aims and recruitment systems. With the December 2007 restructuring, members joined the ZACF directly, and then the groups. The 2007 restructuring also saw the ZACF became South African only, with a separate Swazi anarchist group set up in 2008 that remained closely allied to, but distinct from, the ZACF. ZACF policy throughout has stressed the need for a non-racial formation, with members of all races, and opposed separate organizations on the lines of race or gender. While committed to promoting syndicalism in the unions, ZACF work was in practice largely focused on the so-called " new social movements", formed in South Africa in response to the perceived failures of the African National Congress (ANC) government post- apartheid. The ZACF was involved in the campaigns of the

(APF) and the

Landless People's Movement The Landless People's Movement was an independent social movement in South Africa. It consisted of rural people and people living in shack settlements in cities. The Landless People's Movement boycotted parliamentary elections and had a history ...

(LPM). It has also been involved in solidarity work with Abahlali baseMjondolo and the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign. CNT. (2011)
"Zabalaza: A Voice for Organised Anarchism in South Africa"
Barcelona: CNT. Retrieved 4 January 2012. In addition to such work, the ZACF is active in organizing workshops and propaganda. Following the formation of the Democratic Left Front (DLF) in 2011, the ZACF became a member organization. However, it was critical of the mostly middle-class composition of the DLF's leadership, and of the electoral ambitions of some DLF affiliates."The 'Democratic Left': A Small Step Towards United Working Class Struggle"
Anarkismo.net, 23 February 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012. Like a substantial section of DLF supporters, the ZACF questioned the DLF's organizing processes up to, and during, the protests at "COP-17" in Durban, that is, the

2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference The 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17) was held in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 11 December 2011 to establish a new treaty to limit carbon emissions. A treaty was not established, but the conference agreed to est ...

, which it argued were top-down and manipulated.Jonathan Payn
"Towards a Truly Democratic Left"
Anarkismo.net, 27 December 2011. By 2012, the ZACF had effectively left the DLF.

Links to other organizations

The ZACF, as ZabFed, was part of the short-lived International Libertarian Solidarity (ILS),
broadleft.org, 6 May 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2012. as were its predecessors Bikisha Media Collective and Zabalaza Books."South African Anarchists Join International Libertarian Solidarity Network"
InterActivist Info Exchange, 8 September 2002. Retrieved 4 January 2012. Following the disbanding of the ILS, the ZACF became part of the platformist–especifista Anarkismo network."Anarkismo Network"
ZACF. Retrieved 4 January 2012. As such, the ZACF has close links to the member organizations of the Anarkismo network; particularly with the Workers' Solidarity Movement (WSM) in Ireland, Common Struggle – Libertarian Communist Federation (formerly NEFAC) in the United States, the ''Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici'' (FdCA, or Federation of Anarchist Communists) in Italy, the FAU in Uruguay, ''

Alternative libertaire ''Alternative libertaire'' (''AL'', "Libertarian Alternative") was a French anarchist organization formed in 1991 which publishes a monthly magazine, actively participates in a variety of social movements, and is a participant in the Anarkismo.ne ...

'' (AL, or Libertarian Alternative) in France, the ''

Federación Anarco-Comunista de Argentina The Argentinian anarchist movement was the strongest such movement in South America. It was strongest between 1890 and the start of a series of military governments in 1930. During this period, it was dominated by anarchist communists and anarcho ...

'' (FACA, or Anarcho-Communist Federation of Argentina), the FARJ in Rio de Janeiro, the ''Organização Anarquista Socialismo Libertário'' (OASL, or Libertarian Socialism Anarchist Organisation) in São Paulo and the ''

Federação Anarquista Gaúcha Anarchism was an influential contributor to the social politics of History of Brazil (1889-1930), Brazil's Old Republic. During the epoch of transatlantic migrations, mass migrations of European labourers at the end of the nineteenth and the be ...

'' (FAG, or ''Gaúcha'' Anarchist Federation) in

Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, , ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative_units_of_Brazil#List, fifth-most-populous state and the List of Brazilian st ...

. (The latter three are members of the ''Coordenação Anarquista Brasileira'', or Brazilian Anarchist Coordination.) It has also had intermittent contact with the

Awareness League Anarchism in Nigeria has its roots in the organization of various stateless societies that inhabited pre-colonial Nigeria, particularly among the Igbo people. After the British colonization of Nigeria, revolutionary syndicalism became a key fac ...

in Nigeria and with numerous smaller anarchist collectives in Africa."About Us"
Anarkismo.net'. Retrieved 4 January 2012."Anarchism in Africa"
African Struggle Archive. Retrieved 4 January 2012. It retains contact with syndicalist unions linked to the erstwhile ILS, such as the '' Confederación General del Trabajo'' (CGT, or General Confederation of Labour) in Spain.

Publications

The ZACF publishes ''Zabalaza: A Journal of Southern African Revolutionary Anarchism''. This journal is the organization's theoretical journal and contains ideological and analytical articles aimed to benefit the anarchist communist movement in general, and the southern African anarchist communist movement in particular. Additionally, it publicizes and promotes the official line of the ZACF as determined by the organization's membership. The ZACF's other major publication is ''Zabalaza.net'', the official website of the organization.

Zabalaza Books

Zabalaza Books is an anarchist publishing project linked to the ZACF. It is an anarchist literature mail order project that publishes and distributes classic and contemporary anarchist books, pamphlets, music, and videos in the southern African region. It originated as an underground collective in the 1990s at the end of apartheid. The topics covered include

anarchism Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessa ...

, revolutionary unionism, women's liberation, revolutionary history, national liberation and decolonization, and many others. It distributes much of the literature in

PDF Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. ...

format on its website."About Us"
Zabalaza Books. Retrieved 4 January 2012.

References

External links

Official websiteZabalaza BooksPosition Positions of the ZACF, adopted 2003Position Paper against "Separate Organizations" (by race, gender etc.) of the ZACF, adopted 2003''Zabalaza: a Journal of Southern African Revolutionary Anarchism''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front 2003 establishments in South Africa Anarchism in South Africa Anarchist Federations Anarchist organizations in Africa Civic and political organisations of South Africa Communism in South Africa Civic and political organisations based in Johannesburg Organizations established in 2003 Platformist organizations