Publication Details Reference Mthembu, Ntokozo  (2006) South African crime: resistance against white theft?.  : -. Summary Academic Ntokozo Mthembu explains himself in an e-mail interview with Dan Roodt DR: I see that you use the name "Azania" for South Africa. So I gather that you reject the 1910 name that was given to this country by Botha, Smuts, Hertzog and others? NM: It is true that I reject the colonialist name South Africa, as it represents western glory of victory and steam rolling over indigenous populace ideals of this part of Africa in the arrogant and vicious manner. I argue that it is foolish for anyone who thinks that the naming spree of the white colonialist settlers in likes of Botha, Smuts, Hertzog which is still visible today is justifiable to exist forever. I’m saying this because it is a known fact that the murderers, thieves or the evil doers will not rule or sustain or hide the truth forever or cannot go away just like water fading in the sand. No ways! That cannot happen, no matter the number of generations after generations can be killed or tamed, threaten like in times of Botha and the crew. The name issue is not a negotiable like anything that belongs to Africans and you need not to be fooled by the concoction of negotiated political settlement at CODESA circus. DR: How do you feel about name changes in general, for example Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Jan Smuts airport that became Johannesburg International and now O.R. Tambo airport? NM: Firstly, when you whities named these African places on your names who did you consult and debate with except amongst you party of European gangs disguised in the name civilisation whilst it meant daylight robbery? In addition to what I have said above, I will argue that the name change is not an issue that need to be negotiated. It is a known fact that names such Pretoria or names that refer to those settlers and its crime in terms of true humanity- ubuntu to continue calling these places in the name of the colonialists’ settlers. I will argue that the government of the day is wasting time and resources in entertaining jokes by western clowners such as those one who refuse the name change programme. If anyone claims that it is justifiable to retain Botha’s names, I will argue that s/he believe in the ideals of Blood River- where Africans were slaughtered in the name of white supremacy of which need to be dealt with accordingly in Africa and need to be encouraged to prosper in Europe. In addition, it still shows that the government of the day is nothing more than one of those famous shows in town that normally those are usually seen to be and still entertain racist driven arguments that argue against or refuse the name change. We also see the inheritors of colonialist spoils have guts to claim to deserve some rights or privilege to sustain stolen property of the African people. So far the privilege that they still have for now is to hand over peacefully the stolen property and the wealth accumulated there from. DR: John Pilger, the Australian journalist, has just written a book called Freedom Next Time in which he says that "the African National Congress sold its soul to corporate bosses over glasses of single-malt whisky." According to Pilger then, the revolution never happened. We also know that individual blacks only own 2% of the shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Would you agree then with Pilger's view that the white ruling class has retained control of assets? NM: Whilst I agree with Pilgner but is worthy noting that this organisation did not start selling-out at CODESA but you need to remember the historical reasons led to emergence of the Pan Africanist Congress. In addition, I concur strongly with the views of Pilger in this respect, as that is seen by the new shopping centres that are mostly accessible to the rich white and few rich Africans. Even the 2% that is claimed to be owned by the so called “African tycoons” of which is doubtable because how can a poor unionist/ returned exile become the millionaire overnight? If indeed takes place, I will argue that there is something unusual happened on the normal processes of wealth accumulation. One of the good example about the scrupulous processes where government ministers reach secret deal and end up in prison to secure the interests of the capitalist in the name of freedom. These types of ministers exposes the true character of the government in which they are serving, as it was meant to lure Black people in believing in the white liberal- Joe Slovo’s Sunset Clause that guaranteed the land stolen to remain to the European thieves led by the Dutch and Britons. Just to mention the recent white activists without referring to the previous or earlier abalengu abasithatndayo the likes of Bishop John W. Colenso and his gang. Furthermore, we need not to confuse the right of Black people of owning the wealth of their country with the opportunistic tendencies of individuals whose interests is to enrich themselves at the expense of the black majority and the advantage of the western world economic system. Whose interests are characterised by a corrupt deals that create assumptions that Africans own some wealth whist in fact they are just a front of the super corrupt rich white class. These are just individuals who are used in order to justify the political settlement that promotes white values and western ideology- democracy. DR: Could you elaborate on what you understand by "total liberation"? NM: Total liberation of African people will be characterised by the following:- Self determination of Africans as all others races aspire Control and benefit from their land * Africa from the south tip- Cape Town of the continent to top *Tunis or to the land of the Pharaohs and its resources Define their own political doctrine Control and in charge of the governmental organs such as administration, police, military and judicial system that reflect African ethos not the current joke. Economic system that is pro African needs not European export oriented or mass production system. Respect and promotion of world free from greed, hatred, racism, equality of the human race, Place where ubuntu principles are uphold and not mixed with the individualist oriented capitalism system. Nationhood the highest ideal of all peoples as Africans needs a nation and country of their own because that is the strongest security of any people and they must strive to attain that goal and that “African Republic” should be on the African soil and Remember no one will ever take away the spirit that has been part and parcel of the African people over the years of believing that AFRICA IS FOR AFRICANS, THOSE AT HOME AND ABROAD. This has been proven to any sober person as Africans have skill fully demonstrated that no force can take away that despite the fact some of the leadership has bought to the idea. But what is interesting is that each generation has its rightful rulers that give a sober direction, as the African race is not in charge of their survival or destiny but its Creator or God for that matter. Don’t forget that African people have a promise to fulfill of liberating Africa in all forms of oppression for many years to come any which way that is available in their disposal. Respect of nature-environment and creatures that survive thereto NO TO DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS OF WHATEVER NATURE. DR: Let's now turn to the interesting issue you raised in your comment on Rasa FM. You described criminal acts as "incidences of resistance" by the poor. Would you therefore say that the much-publicised attacks on white suburbanites is part of some sort of guerilla war or resistance? Also, would you describe farm attacks and farm murders as part of the popular resistance you are referring to? NM: Firstly, my comment on Rasa FM question the understanding of the notion of criminal acts as it tends to be bias and defined according to the interests of a particular race and in this case it’s the interests of the white colonialist race. I argue that when we speak of crime in South Africa, we need not to forget the manner in which the vicious way in which the stealing of the African people took place of which is the criminal activity on its own. In addition, that criminal activity is still treated as if it never happened and continues to receive bias publicity as part of protecting the stolen land by whites. The resistance of the fact that the stolen property of Africans by the white criminals using whatever trick that is available in the book even shooting and killing African people on the streets in the broad daylight- do you remember Strydom just to mention few criminals? Lastly, how would you describe the continuous telling lies that African land belongs to everybody and turning a blind eye on the issue of returning it to the rightful owners? The root causes of crime have been described as an expression of lack, a lack of the “good life” currently enjoyed by whites in this country, a good life based on a historical act of crime and mass thievery. Now with that understanding, why do you insist pretending that this “crime” is a new thing? The best way to correct the situation is to correct the original Sin- White theft. For as long as the African remains precarious and wanting, in the continent of origin, for as long as the vast majority of those considered “criminals” remain poor and desperate sons and daughters of this stolen land, then the lines that define crime will remain intensely contested. Lastly, if I new whether it was guerrilla war or resistance I would not writing articles asking whether is crime or surge in resistance but I would part of it parting in the war now the said part is that I don’t know whether resistance. But what I can describe a conventional reasoning I can say definitely is not crime as criminals are still wandering in the streets of South Africa not knowing whether the sun is rising or setting by virtue of the making noise of resisting the change that announce things to come in the future. This is seen by the acts of some of the organisation vandalising the statues of the gallant fighters of these might land- Africa and that cannot be tolerated at a long run. If these acts are not stopped soon, these are the recipe for disaster, we need not to forget how long Africans have be told to humble whilst continue to be oppressed and made a laughing stock. Only sober ones who ask themselves why Mandela just agree to that junk settlement and Africans just agree sheepishly? DR: We have recently seen an uprising in Orange Farm where both sides of the Golden Highway were barricaded by the poor with a large placard reading, "10 years of freedom without water, sewerage, electricity - South Africa f*** democracy". Would you say that there is a tendency among the black poor to reject liberal democracy in favour of a more revolutionary system like socialism or even communism? NM: You must understand that so far there has been no liberation in the true sense of the word especially to Africans but yes to the white populace as their stolen property continues to be protected through Slovos’ Sunset Clause and police and militarily. We need to remember that this western liberal democracy that was negotiated was not part of the mandate that African majority gave to the political organisations that negotiated the political settlement. But it was a broad day robbery, as the old poor prisoner * Mandela had to be convinced to believe he had the authority to reach a deal behind prison bars. Again we need not to forget that Mandela is not the first African leader to be sent to the island as part of silencing his freedom, we need not to forget that the Zulu Kings and Royal House were imprisoned in famous St Helena Island and same Robben Island where Mandela was a prisoner. Remember that did not stop the following generation to persue the liberation further, each generation sees fit and a responsibility to further the great march based on the material conditions that prevail then Therefore, it will be stupidity for anyone to believe that African people would just accept that their land is justified to be taken by whites and these thieves to go away with the murder unquestionable. For your information, socialism nor communism is not equipped to total liberate the African race, as it is anti-christ in nature and Slovo good shining example. Do you remember Communist Party of South Africa early slogan- “white workers of the world unite to keep South Africa white” and that is why even today’s communist party kept its promise. DR: You say that "it is criminal to continuously mislead Black people into accepting that the land is not theirs". How do you feel about land reform? What do you think should happen to white farmers? NM: As I have mentioned above that stolen land of Africans is not a negotiable issue but the inheritors of the stolen property should return the land unconditionally whilst we are still sharing ways of returning it instead of Zimbabwe experience. The land reforms are nothing more than dealing darling about the suffering of African people as they continue to be squashed and dying in the slave camps such as townships, rural areas and informal settlements. It will be foolish for anyone to think the majority of Africans can afford to buy the land if they wish to buy it since they gave been selling their labour as cheap labour for more than 200 years. The current land reforms in South Africa are nothing more than just a fallacy to make African people to believe that land has been redistributed. On the humanly spirit the white farmers and those who occupied the stolen land need to hand over the land to the government or time will tell how long Africans will give an allowance to do so. DR: What do you think of Robert Mugabe's land reform policy? NM: Remember the saying that says “let what belong to Caesar be return to Caesar”. So, Zimbabwe land reform policy is the sober policy that is meant for redressing the past injustices. In fact Zimbabwe land reforms have elements of humanity as it did not deal with the land repossession in the same spirit of those cruel, vicious, greedy and racist Cecil Rhodes and his party of gangs. So, Africa is for Africans at home and in the diaspora and that is the standing rule, no matter whatever the case maybe, Africa or Azania will be liberated in all fronts when time is ripe. You need to keep in mind that the land appropriations did not occur as a result of any State policy; rather the contrary is true Mugabe’s State developed a land redistribution policy as a result of ordinary people cynically labelled “war veterans” in a situation where the whole African population was at war against colonial occupiers of Zimbabwe. So too here in Azania, the whithey can think they have bought their insurance by fattening up five or six natives, the fact is the African as a people are not blind and they have began to rise, the Zuid Afrika/RSA state can choose to act similar to Mugabe or they may choose to defend the interests of their Baas- the people shall rise! DR: In your reply to another (white) poster on Raza FM you wrote: "Your time is coming..." and that "Azania, Zimbabwe and the white world will be liberated from all forms of oppression - mental, physical and otherwise beyond your Western brain-washing." Is this the second phase of the revolution that the ANC and SACP have always envisaged or an international revolution against all Western countries? NM: Truly, time is in fact on for those white colonialist settlers and blacks who think their misleading notions that entrenches white supremacy are permanent to see that are slowly and surely fading. We need not forget that now white or black person thought white person can be imprisoned and African people can naturally take repossess what is rightful theirs. We need not to forget that no big gun/s or weapons of mass destruction or mercenaries nor snipers nor murdering nor assassination can stop this last march for a total emancipation of the African race. For example, the times of slavery no one thought it will ever end and again remember the heydays of white colonialist the so called primitive accumulation and now Zimbabwe is the good example of good and unstoppable things to come. Remember that no institution nor gang nor mafia can stop or control the anger of the dispossessed African majority when it erupts. For example, look at Zimbabwean government has been one of the agents of western economic interests that secured land to the minority colonialist white settlers. But when the anger of the indigenous populace rose, the Mugabe regime was forced to choose between to part of enriching and securing the interests of racist white ‘Buckingham palace’ or vanish in the memory archives or be part and parcel of setting the irreversible project that is declared to take more than 200 years. A word of good advice will be that all white thieves to hand over the spoils of colonialism unconditionally and soon whilst the moment of repossession still at reasonable rate. DR: Many Afrikaners believe that that they have been betrayed by FW de Klerk and Roelf Meyer into surrendering power and that there is an African-style "uhuru" coming in which large numbers of them will be killed or otherwise they will be kicked out of Azania by force. Are they justified in having these fears? NM: Any Dutch or British settlers that think de Klerk and his gangs betrayed them they will sick because they were supposed to be regarding this “bhunu” as their messiah as he managed to manipulate and market their own made leaders as they managed to convene the CODESA circus and endorse same white supremacy interests like Mugabe in the 1980s * Lancaster Agreement. Another interesting part is that circus that was characterised by the most famous opportunists ever produced by the white race civilisation. All settlers need not to be fearful but what they need to do is to hand over the land and all the resources that are justified to be were stolen property. There will be no peace in South Africa, no matter whites can cry aloud as possible or organise expensive conferences or apologise in whatever manner or wash feet for many people as possible as today and every hour African people are subjected to fatal socio-political environment in their many thousands. Peace will realised the day the inheritors stop saying they were not there in times of accumulation whilst riding high on privileges or spoils of colonisation and handover peacefully. DR: Is there still a place for Afrikaners in Azania as you call it or do you think they should leave of their own free will while they still can? NM:DR: Do you feel that Afrikaans should still be an official language of Azania? NM: Afrikaans need to be taught in Holland where it belongs and those who are eager or passionate about its survival they are justified to do so as it their language not African Language. Remember June 16 1976, blood was shed to resist that madness of Afrikaans as the language of education. But it is a known fact that white settlers enjoy shedding the blood of African people and fear, they will attempt to persue the failed project as the strategy of prompting the possibilities of shedding blood. All white in Africa must start learning one indigenous language soon as time is sweeping and more interesting moments ahead. DR: How would you describe your own ideas? As African nationalism, black consciousness, négritude, pan-Africanism or some other term? NM: I would describe my ideas as Ethiopianism because they refer to the fundamentals of Black world and the manner of defending itself and as well as the fulfilment according to time as it was prophesised and promised that will be fulfilled. It was promised that when the time is ripe, we will recognise by the fact that “great men and women of our times will be a disaster to their humankind and defended illusion”. This is witnessed by the fact that whites have scrapped the apartheid policies automatically Africans will accept that everything is ok as they “enjoy” the smell of sharing the same toilet and continue to be servants and whites remain masters as possible. Ethiopianism is not something that one is inventing but it’s the time that determines its proclamation. We need not to forget that history indicates that Africa was and is still a world of faith or in short a theocratic world. So, Africa reaches a point is slowly reverting forward to its state of perfection as it was and it is going to be as promised. This promise or fire is unstoppable no water can chill this fire not like the ancient Zulus whose fire was quenchable with water, as they were fulfilling their work for the set time. Lastly, Azania of which is the province of this mighty continent- Africa has been and is still a theocratic state that need to be liberated from western capitalist, democratic, barbaric and greedy system that breeds poverty, hatred, racism and disguises as civilisation. This proven by the fact Africa since the white laid his foot on the shores of the mighty continent it has become the cradle of poverty in the world. Whilst Europeans have become enriched many times than before they started colonising Africa and still continue looting wealth at a greater scale than before. No matter whatever the case maybe, the total liberation of Azania or Afrika is certain. Thank you for interview and hoping it will in addressing outstanding doubts about the future of this land that has turned to be a cradle of poverty and its riches continue being drained to Europe. Ntokozo Mthembu is an Outreach Officer at the Centre for Civil Society in Durban, a think-tank supported by the National Research Foundation and the Embassy of Finland, among others. He holds a postgraduate (B.A. Honours) degree from he University of Natal in Social Science and is the author of numerous articles. Comments on the RASA FM website that sparked the debate: http://rasa.m2014.net/spip/article.php3?id_article=90 South Africa (Azania): In a state of crime or a surge in resistance? By Ntokozo Mthembu 28 June 2006 Today the media and electronic publications tell us about the soaring crime rate and its negative effect on South Africa. But it is interesting that we hear little or nothing about the rationale behind these incidents of ‘crime’; all we hear is that ‘crime does not pay’ and this and that. This situation raises a lot of questions about what is really facing this country, in view of the fact that it is a country still characterised by clear lines between the former (and still) oppressed and the former (and still) apartheid beneficiaries. I wonder whether these reports that crime is rising in this country are true. Perhaps the better question is whether these activities should actually be described as criminal; labelling these activities as ‘crime’ fails to acknowledge the fact that disadvantaged communities are sick and tired of being given false promises that things will be better. In order to better understand exactly what is happening in South Africa, one must look to the historical background of this highly celebrated country. With this in mind, it becomes clearer that what is viewed or defined as crime by the capitalists or the rulers in a particular time or place cannot necessarily be regarded as such by the poor populace and visa versa. Writers like Schönteich et al (2001) urge us to note that crime cannot be understood as a problem of today, and must be understood within South Africa’s history. It is argued that the issue of so-called crime began to be seen as a threat to apartheid capitalism in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. Some people will recall that this was a period of intensified struggle by the popular organisations resisting against the apartheid regime. This period was characterised by intense, violent crime perpetrated by the South African security forces against anybody who was identified as or associated with ‘terrorists’. Most of the oppressed majority hoped that this violent time would pass; they hoped that the country’s majority who had been dispossessed of their land would get their land back. They hoped for more than the dangling carrot in the form of the so-called right to vote. The criminals who dispossessed the Black majority, on the other hand, hoped that the dispossessed people would just sheepishly accept the crumbs which fell from the capitalist masters’ tables, without any form of resistance. These hopes were not realised after 1994 because levels of recorded ‘crime’ (what I will call ‘incidences of resistance’) have increased since then. I would argue that if the so-called ‘crime’ has been increasing this only shows that the Black majority’s aspirations were not met; it means that people are continuing with the resistance that was hijacked by the Black elite in conjunction with their buddies - ‘amabhunu’ - at the expense of the oppressed populace. In addition, if ‘crime’ started increasing in the 1980s, it shows that the goals of these actions were to unseat the apartheid regime and its economic system (goals which were not achieved). Instead of thrashing down apartheid, we saw the co-optation of a few Black elite into the ranks of capitalist apartheid. On the other hand, the super-exploited majority remains in the same status as they were in the times of Botha and de Klerk; now under Mbeki they are still subjected to selling their labour power as the ‘only’ way of making a livelihood, but the labour market still sees very high rates of unemployment. In addition, the Black townships and city streets are still characterised by that famous dance, the toyi-toyi; the rich still lock themselves in behind high concrete walls. The majority remain beggars in the city streets - a sign of not yet uhuru, not yet liberation. The poor black people remain landless despite their tireless struggles to liberate themselves from the vicious oppressive system; their elite leadership had a different view, as they saw the only way to fight colonisation as becoming part of it. It seems that the leadership of the oppressed majority opted to follow the famous proverb that says ‘if you cannot beat them, join them’. In other words, the leadership did not have a mandate that was reached at CODESA (the Convention for a Democratic South Africa); instead deals with ‘amabhunu’ were made that secured the stolen property in the hands of the thieves and ensured that the Black majority remained squashed in the labour reserves. Incidences of ‘crime’ are viewed differently by the ‘Rainbow Nation’ community, as they have different interests in the survival of the ‘New South Africa’; they are encouraged to see everything as as normal as possible, given their interests in the new dispensation. Again, I ask myself whether these incidences that are reported as crime are not in fact the continuation of popular resistance. Popular resistance under apartheid came in various forms, many of which are being repeated now; workers strike and attack what they see as part of the problem. Communities are up-in-arms in various parts of the country, demanding the same old demands such as access to basic services and land distribution. I know the schools of thought of resistance differ but, in reality, when did this thing of ‘crime’ start? In the 1980s, blacks increased attacks on whites in various forms that included making them feel uncomfortable in their stolen cocoons and that was regarded as ‘crime’. But what about the crime committed by whites to the blacks, crimes that include colonisation that was characterised by extreme violence, at magnitudes unseen before. Furthermore, it is criminal to continuously mislead Black people into accepting that the land is not theirs. In short, I am trying to highlight fundamental things which cannot be easily ignored by sober-minded people, especially when we aspire for a peaceful world, free from hatred in the form of racism, violence, crime and exploitation for profit. When we talk of the rise of crime in South Africa (Azania) what are we really saying? Are we judging ‘crime’ as threats against capitalists, whose profits and interests continue to grow? What is it that is happening in the land of the ‘colonised and the coloniser’?  Back