A-Infos (en) Southern Africa, ZACF statement on the "racist anarchists" of Potchefstroom

Right-wingers in the South African town of Potchefstroom removed street-signs 
with the names of liberation figures and replaced them with those of Boer 
leaders. But the Potch City Council attributed the actions to "racist 
anarchists". ---- ZACF STATEMENT ON THE "RACIST ANARCHISTS" OF POTCHEFSTROOM
The Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation (ZACF) of South Africa and Swaziland 
notes with concern that the removal and defacement of street signs in 
Potchefstroom has been attributed without proof by Potchefstroom City Council 
spokesman Kaiser Mohau to "racist anarchists". We presume that Mohau is simply 
politically naive in putting about his mistaken attribution of these acts of 
vandalism. However, his comments have the unfortunate effect of besmirching the 
good name of the small, but active anarchist movement in southern Africa.

 The ZACF wishes to point out that the first trade unions for people of colour" 
in southern Africa, the Industrial Workers of Africa founded in 1917 and the 
Indian Workers Industrial Union founded in 1919 were established by 
anarchist-syndicalists of all colours including Thomas William "Bill" Thibedi 
(who later became a communist), Bernard Sigamoney, Andrew Dunbar and Johnny 
Gomas. Anti-racism has always been and remains a fundamental ethic of the 
anarchist movement. Today, the ZACF, engages in constructive educational work, 
both within South African townships as well as within the pro-democracy 
movements of Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Other anarchists are similarly involved in 
progressive projects that make no distinction of gender, colour or creed.

 The vandalism of signs in Potchefstroom, in which the names of liberation 
figures like Nelson Mandela have been replaced by those of Boer generals like 
Koos de la Rey, has clearly been carried out by racist right-wingers who are 
opposed to transformation in South Africa, and not by left-wingers among whom we 
anarchists proudly count ourselves. We trust that journalists in the broadcast 
and print media will peruse our website (address below) and will then be able to 
apply a more sound political analysis to the issue than Mr Mohau has.

 best regards
 Jonathan Payne
 ZACF Federation Secretary
 Tel: 078-5774394
 http://www.zabalaza.net/
http://www.zabalaza.net/
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