Introduction

The writer explores issues of revolutionary discipline pertaining to the ANC as a governing liberation movement in power. Firstly the paper explores the character of the ANC. Secondly the paper explains meaning of revolutionary discipline. Thirdly the paper explores organizational principles of the ANC. Fourthly the paper explores significance of revolutionary practice. The methodology of the writer is an historical perspective. Essentially the discourse on revolutionary discipline traces the development of the ANC as a revolutionary liberation movement.

Character of the ANC

By character the writer refers to the salient features that describe the identity of a phenomenon and endows it with uniqueness. Accordingly the constitution of the ANC is the authentic source that describes its character. Rule 3 (ANC 2007:4-5) states, “the ANC is a non-racial and non-sexist and democratic liberation movement. Its policies are determined by the membership and its leadership is accountable to the membership in terms of the procedures laid down in this constitution.

The ANC also contests elections as a registered political party drawing its electoral support from all sections of South African society. The ANC shall, in its composition and functioning, be democratic, non-racial and non-sexist and against any form of racial, tribalistic or ethnic exclusivism or chauvinism.

While striving for the maximum unity of purpose and functioning, the ANC will respect the linguistic, cultural and religious diversity of its members. The ANC will support the emancipation of women, combat sexism and ensure that the voice of women is fully heard in the organisation and that women are properly represented at all levels.

The principles of freedom of speech and free circulation of ideas and information will operate within the ANC. Membership of all bodies of the ANC will be open to all men and women in the organisation without regard to race, colour or creed. The ANC co-operates closely with religious bodies in the country and provides, on an interfaith basis, for the recognition of the spiritual needs of its many members who are believers.

The writer has quoted the constitution extensively because the character describes in microcosm all the salient features of the ANC. In essence the character of the ANC defines its nature of existence and historical mission. The character provides the context and content of understanding significance of revolutionary discipline.

Revolutionary discipline

Historically revolutionary discipline was first adopted by revolutionary parties guided by revolutionary programmes. Karl Marx founded the First Communist International on the principles of revolutionary discipline. The defeat of anarchism led by Bakunin and the triumph of Marxism marked a historic milestone in the development of working class movement.

Revolutionary discipline belongs to the subjective factor of the revolution and is informed by the vision of a new society free of oppression and exploitation. The critical question is how to change the world. (Karl Marx in Renton 2001:107). Revolutionary discipline is underpinned by revolutionary consciousness a product of revolutionary theory and revolutionary practice. New values are a prerequisite of a new society. The builders of a new society are themselves change agents(ANC 2002: Stellenbosch conference on cadre development).

Lenin the leader of the Bolshevik party founded the Bolsheviks on the principles of Marxism that put a premium on revolutionary discipline. In Russia Bolshevism represented the triumph of revolutionary discipline against petty bourgeois spinelessness and indiscipline of the Mensheviks. The birth of the new world does not arise spontaneously but is a product of struggle against the old order. Necessarily the architects of the new world must be change agents inspired by a new vision .

In this connection Karl Marx in Renton 2001 (105-106 ) said “ the materialist doctrine concerning the changing of circumstances and upbringing forgets that circumstances are changed by men and that the educator must himself be educated. This doctrine must, therefore, divide society into parts, one of which is superior to society. The coincidence of the changing of circumstances and of human activity or self-change can be conceived and rationally understood only as revolutionary practice.”

Revolutionary discipline represents a paradigm shift in the notion of discipline. Revolutionary discipline transcends a mere adherence to rules of behaviour based on the consequences of breach. More significantly revolutionary discipline is conscious observance of rules inspired by revolutionary morality and political consciousness. Revolutionary discipline is the embodiment of new morality that reflects profound interests of working people and social progress.

As part of the anti-imperialist movement the African National Congress (ANC) has embraced revolutionary consciousness as a compass in its struggle against apartheid. Leadership is an indispensable ingredient for the emergence and nurturing of revolutionary discipline. Leadership inspires and influences followers with revolutionary discipline underpinned by the vision of a new society.

Revolutionary leadership is not a prisoner of circumstances but demonstrates tenacity of principle in all circumstances. In his foreword to the Political Lectures and Diary of Jack Simons, the longest serving President of the ANC, O.R Tambo said, “what emerges from the book is an impression of a specialist in the social sciences who did the jobs which he was called on to do in a wide and variety of circumstances, and always with revolutionary dedication.” (Marion Sparg,Jenny Schreiner and Gwen Ansell 2001:1). Commitment to the cause of the people, sacrifice and selflessness are hallmarks of revolutionary discipline. A disciplined cadre is a master of all circumstances.

On the eve of the ANC’s centenary anniversary leaders of the calibre of Jack Simons are sorely missed. The discussion document titled leadership renewal is a pointer to organizational decay and lapses in revolutionary discipline. In a frank introspection the writers posed the question “ when the members of the NEC themselves engage in factionalist activity, media leaks and rumour-mongering, how can we expect the membership of our movement to carry out their duties to observe discipline, behave honestly and carry out loyally the decisions of the majority and the decision of higher bodies?

In this connection the NEC in November 2009 issued a stern warning: the ANC constitutional structures should be resolute and decisive in stamping out ill-discipline and should do so without fear or favour, as such behaviour damages the image of the ANC. Nevertheless, freedom of expression and debate within the structures should be encouraged.” (ANC 2011:2)

The crisis of leadership attests to collapse of revolutionary discipline. Academic Adam Habib in an article titled: give arms deal probe a change makes a salient comment “Perhaps then, the present leadership of the ANC can sit down behind closed doors and truly ask how it is they have could have allowed the greed of their cadres and leaders to soil a movement that was once the envy of revolutionaries the world over.” (New Age 3 October 2011:19). The function of leadership imposes huge responsibility on incumbents because leadership plays a critical role in the destiny of nations. Leaders are torchbearers of a vision and influence followers. Leaders should be the champions of revolutionary theory and revolutionary practice.

Organizational principles of the ANC

The ANC is a unitary national liberation movement that is formed on the basis of a branch as a basic unit of the party. Inner party democracy guarantees membership participation in the processes of the ANC. After deliberations on issues decisions are taken on the principle of majority. Minority viewpoints must submit to the majority once a decision is taken.

Lower structures must submit to decisions of higher structures. Autonomous bodies namely the ANC youth league and women’s league are subordinated to the overall discipline of the ANC. Caucuses in the legislative and executive authorities are subordinated to the overall guidance and discipline of the ANC. The National Conference is a summit of branches and is the highest decision making organ of the ANC ( ANC 2007:4-81).The dialectics of leaders and followers should be understood in the context of branches sitting as national conference as the highest authority of the ANC.

When the ANC was banned by the apartheid regime, the ANC could not fully abide by the principles of inner party democracy. The conditions of clandestine work and security considerations imposed constraints on inner party democracy. But in post-apartheid South Africa there are no objective factors that warrant restrictions on inner party democracy. In this connection the ANC (2007:10-11) provides for the following: A member of the ANC is entitled to:

* Take a full and active part in the discussion, formulation and implementation of the policy of the ANC
* Receive and impart information on all aspects of the ANC policy and activities
* Offer constructive criticism of any member, official, policy programme or activity of the ANC within its structures
* Take part in elections and be elected or appointed to any committee, structure, commission or delegation of the ANC
* Submit proposals or statements to the branch ,province ,region or NEC, provided such proposals or statements are submitted through the appropriate structures

Evidently inner party democracy is institutionalized in the ANC. Constructive self-criticism and collective criticism describe a trait of a learning organization. Essentially a learning organization has the ability to learn from its experiences and adapt to changing circumstances.

In practice inner party democracy is perverted by the cancer of corruption and the culture of impunity. Factionalism that is prohibited by the constitution has become a modus operandi from branch to highest echelons. President Zuma sharply posed the issue of ANC renewal at the NEC meeting in March 2008. The President reiterated that: “the ANC has not, has never been and will never be a faction. When elected leaders at the highest level openly engage in factionalist activity, where is the movement that aims to unite the people of South Africa for the complete liberation of the country from all forms of discrimination and national oppression?

When money changes hands in the battle for personal power and aggrandizement, where is the movement that is built around membership that joins without motives of personal gain? When members of the NEC themselves engage in factionalist activity, media leaks and rumour mongering, how can we expect the membership of our movement to carry out their duties to:

* Observe discipline
* Behave honestly
* Carry out loyally the decisions of the majority and the decisions of higher bodies?” (ANC 2008:2)

The challenges of ill-discipline have been identified correctly; the challenge however is whether there is political will to take stern measures to uproot the culture of ill-discipline The tragic consequences of factionalism are not fully appreciated. Factionalism at the first instance demoralises genuine cadres and crowds out outstanding patriots from the ranks of the ANC. In this connection factionalism is in reality a liquidation tendency that undermines the hegemony of the ANC in society.

Accordingly the resolution of the 2002 conference correctly asserted thus, “that any deviations from the established norms of the organization and the encouragement of populism, factionalism and division within the ranks of the ANC must be dealt with decisively and speedily by the organisation. RECs and PECs must be seen to act when branches alert them to problems and not allow the development of a belief that there is favouritism or tolerance for ill-discipline or the part of certain members.” (ANC 2002: 214 in ANC Caucus document). The watchword for eternal vigilance should be no individual is indispensable from the perspective of the historic mission of the ANC.

Decisive action against wanton acts of ill-discipline require urgent action if renewal will be translated to the realm of revolutionary practice. In this connection Joel Netshitenzhe in his : Continuity of change.The National Democratic Revolution and the left Agenda. A post-Polokwane perspective argues, “The left understands social cohesion as more than moral ‘regeneration’, which can be distorted to imply hankering for a common moral past that never was.

Rather inspired by the human values ofr a caring society, there should be a thorough understanding of the socio-economic environment that today shapes the South African personality-pummelled by the multiple forces of individualism and greed while the impulse for community solidarity grows fainter by the day.
The left cannot pretend that this reality does not impact on the cadres who are meant to be in the vanguard of the project of change, especially in the context of political incumbency. Frankly and openly, the left needs to examine how the status that attaches to the new environment has the potential to twist minds and lure the most committed of cadres into the vortex of corruption. Education and persuasion-but also stern action- need to be intensified.

There should be no place to hide, least of all behind the deceitful veneer of factionalism, i.e to steal and when acted against to claim that one is being hounded because one belongs to some faction”. Only consistent application of revolutionary discipline will be an effective deterrence against deviations that undermine vital interests of the working people.

Significance of revolutionary practice

The famous words on changing the world were aptly captured by Marx in his theses on Feuerbach when he declared in thesis 11(“the philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it. Marx in Renton 2001:107). Transformation is the essence of revolutionary practice. From apartheid to South Africa to post-apartheid South Africa the vehicle that propelled us from the past to the present is revolutionary practice.

On the issue of revolutionary discipline high sounding phrases not matched by action are mere words. The force of example on the part of leaders and the entire membership is indispensable. In the final analysis we are judged by our actions not pious declarations. Discipline must be administered without fear or favour.

Conclusion

The writer has explored revolutionary discipline in the ANC from an historical perspective. The discourse is informed by the experience of the South African revolution and International working class movement. Numerous resolutions in the ANC attest to the significance of revolutionary discipline. The discussion on organisational renewal attests to negative trends on matters of revolutionary discipline. The sins of incumbency explain serious weaknesses on the subjective factor of the revolution. The emerging consensus is for resolute decisive action against ii-ll discipline and restoration of inner-party democracy. The clarion call is no to the usurpation of the power of branches by factions that liquidate the ANC as an agent of change.

Written by: Mzukisi Gaba, an ANC member in the Govan Mbeki Branch in Western Cape