As South Africa commemorates the 12th anniversary of the founding of the EFF, a movement born from the unyielding pursuit of economic freedom, it is a moment not only to reflect on the struggles of the past but to peer into the future.
Anchored in the seven non-negotiable cardinal pillars, the EFF’s journey has ignited a surge in revolutionary discourse, stimulating theoretical discussions, political debates, and academic explorations among the masses and opinion-shapers alike. Yet the true milestone lies in contemplating what lies ahead: the prospects of a socialist South Africa in the next 12 years and beyond.
Drawing from Marxist foresight, which prioritises scientific prediction over mere astonishment, this article avoids reckless speculation. Instead, it employs scenario analysis, grounded political reflection and a vision rooted in material reality, steering clear of utopian dreams detached from concrete conditions.
The question of a socialist South Africa remains open-ended. No-one can predict with certainty whether such a society will emerge, let alone its precise form. Historical revolutionaries like Joe Slovo, Chris Hani, Mzala Nxumalo, Bernard Magubane and Ruth First exemplified this caution. They analysed existing societal structures — the exploitive relations in production and ownership — rather than indulging in “socialism in the sky”. Slovo famously pondered, “Has Socialism Failed?” and his legacy inspired the slogan, “Socialism is the future, build it now.” Regrettably, despite this call, tangible efforts to construct socialist elements on the ground have been sparse.
Central to any discussion of socialism’s future is the pervasive bourgeois hegemony. As Marx noted, the ruling ideas are those of the ruling class, and the dominant culture mirrors bourgeois values. Capitalism’s ethos — individualism, greed and “survival of the fittest” — permeates society, eroding leftist ideals through opportunism and aspirations that mimic the elite. This hegemony manifests in institutions, from academia churning out capitalist apologists to prosperity churches sanctifying wealth accumulation.
A socialist alternative is not impossible. It demands cultivating a counter-culture through lived principles: sacrifice, humility, selflessness, love for the people, Ubuntu and simplicity. These are not for the faint-hearted or opportunists — ‘yellow communists’ who hunt with dogs and run with hares
In South Africa, 31 years post-apartheid, we’ve witnessed mere “deracialisation” of capital, not genuine transformation. Skyscrapers and infrastructure symbolise super-exploitation: built by workers’ sweat, yet enjoyed only by the few. Townships and squatter camps persist as concentration camps for the masses, while paper rights to food and shelter mock the reality of poverty and hunger.
Capitalism, as the economic base, underpins a democracy that justifies exploitation. It promises prosperity but delivers atrocities — colonialism, apartheid and ongoing inequality. Socialist ideology, conversely, offers hope to the “wretched of the earth”, per Frantz Fanon’s teachings. Yet capitalism’s allure lies in its intoxicating false hope, luring even socialists into its fold. Workers, creators of value, remain paupers, intoxicated by dreams of bourgeois luxuries they can ill afford. This system thrives on greed: humans are lazy and avaricious by nature and nurture, seek more for less, fuelling technological innovation and consumer traps like credit discounts.
In the next 12 years, South Africa’s trajectory could hinge on confronting these dynamics dominated by bourgeois culture. If unchecked, capitalist democracy will deepen inequality, with AI-driven automation displacing jobs and widening the chasm between the elite and the masses. Bourgeois aspirations among the working class — flashy cars, big houses, bought on credit — will persist, mortgaging souls to capital. Left-wing opportunism, using revolutionary rhetoric for self-enrichment, will sabotage progress, as seen in scandals plaguing municipalities and unions. Corruption, born from these aspirations, sustains artificial lifestyles without productive growth, proclaiming, “We didn’t struggle to be poor.”
Yet a socialist alternative is not impossible. It demands cultivating a counterculture through lived principles: sacrifice, humility, selflessness, love for the people, ubuntu and simplicity. These are not for the faint-hearted or opportunists — “yellow communists” who hunt with dogs and run with hares. Sacrifice entails giving one’s life, time or resources for the common good, echoing Solomon Mahlangu’s fearless march to the gallows for freedom from hunger and homelessness. Humility negates arrogance, ensuring leaders live modestly among the people, wielding power as servants, not overlords. Nkandla-style excesses become unthinkable erasure of the revolutionary morality of the liberation struggle.
Selflessness and love for the people means unconditional service, defending the masses from harm and placing their interest first. Simplicity rejects conspicuous consumption, advocating living within one’s means to achieve spiritual fulfilment. Ubuntu reinforces communal bonds, countering individualism and rapacious greed. These principles must precede macro-policies like nationalisation or land expropriation without compensation. They transform attitudes, behaviours and language, fostering real societal cultural change. In practice, this means revolutionaries embodying socialism daily, not just theorising. Capitalism’s strength lies in its adherents living it relentlessly; socialism must match this through action.
Over the next 12 years, building socialist culture could manifest in community initiatives: co-operative farming on expropriated land, worker-owned enterprises and education programmes instilling these principles. The EFF’s vision, born from capitalism’s failures, could gain traction if it counters bourgeois hegemony practically. Voices on the margins shout alternatives, but they need amplification. Illiterate masses won’t grasp abstract socialism; they need tangible experiences — an “aha moment” through lived equality.
Challenges abound, but require constant and continuous class confrontation. Bourgeois aspirations infect even revolutionaries: poor workers dream of expensive caskets while children starve, or leaders fear losing tenders by offending patrons. Cyril Ramaphosa’s R18m buffalo purchase highlights true bourgeois indifference to the plight of the vulnerable, contrasting artificial status that crumbles without patronage. Left-wing opportunists exploit revolutions for personal gain, masking greed in radical language.
Defeating these requires principles as a compass. Without them, revolutions drift like ships without direction. A true revolutionary rejects bourgeois lifestyles, understanding richness for one means poverty for others. They fight for communal good, negating greed.
Looking beyond 12 years, a socialist South Africa could emerge if hegemony is reversed. Inspired by figures like Ibrahim Traoré’s modest leadership in Burkina Faso — Sankara-style humility — South Africa might nurture ethical foundations. Socialist democracy would justify equitable production, ushering true justice, peace, equality and freedom. Failures of capitalist democracy — poverty amid wealth — underscore socialism’s necessity.
In conclusion, South Africa’s future hinges on foresight over astonishment. This foresight is guided and necessitated by the Marxian dictum “theory without practice is sterile, practice without theory is blind”. The next 12 years could see intensified struggles against neocolonialism, with socialism built through theory and practice. By nurturing principles like sacrifice and humility, we cultivate a culture negating bourgeois ethos. Revolutionaries must live modestly, serving the people unconditionally. As Slovo’s followers urged, “Socialism is the future, build it now.” This involves not borrowing models from the past but forging from the future, grounded in material reality.
The ball is in the revolutionaries’ court: unmask opportunism, defeat bourgeois aspirations and construct a society where workers enjoy the fruits of their labour. Only then, will South Africa transcend capitalist chains, becoming a beacon for the wretched worldwide.
• Sam Matiase is an EFF member of parliament
For opinion and analysis consideration, email opinions@timeslive.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.