Latest news with #RenevaFourie
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Israel, Iran Conflict: Peace is a Fantasy When Faced With a War Machine Addicted to Dominance
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, on June 16, 2025. Iran unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities early on June 16, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation. Image: JOHN WESSELS / AFP) Dr. Reneva Fourie Israel has gone completely rogue, making it the greatest threat to world peace. Having all but obliterated Gaza, it is now turning its aggression towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran is defiantly responding with its Iron Dome penetrating Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles. Defiance is a characteristic of most in West Asia. Its people have paid dearly for daring to assert their political independence, safeguard their resources, and give their support to Palestine. The cost has been staggering: millions of lives lost – victims of Western-instigated wars cloaked in the language of human rights, democracy, and counterterrorism. Over the past few months, that same machinery of destruction has intensified its focus on Gaza. Israel, the United States' key proxy in the region, has unleashed devastation on a shocking scale. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been massacred with impunity. It began when Hamas, the governing party of Gaza and a key component of the Palestinian liberation movement, launched an attack in response to Israel's decades of repression. What followed was not proportional 'defence'. It was genocide. Civilians – mostly women and children – were annihilated or buried under rubble. Survivors were starved and denied clean water. Humanitarian aid was blocked, hospitals were bombed, and neighbourhoods were razed. While the world fixated on hostages taken by Hamas – many of whom were later killed by Israel's indiscriminate bombings – the real humanitarian catastrophe was being ignored. Israel detained thousands, including children, and subjected them to systematic torture and sexual violence as it continued its military rampage, emboldened by unconditional US and European support. International outcry, court rulings by the ICJ, and arrest warrants from the ICC were brushed aside. Nothing could stop the West's killing spree; not law, not diplomacy, not conscience. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ But Israel's aggression extends beyond Gaza and the West Bank. It has steadily eroded Syrian sovereignty, assassinating Iranian advisors who were legally assisting the Syrian government. Together with the US and Turkey, Israel facilitated regime change in Syria, deposing the elected Ba'ath Party in favour of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an extremist outfit with little public legitimacy. Hezbollah, an unwavering defender of Palestine, saw key members of its leadership wiped out and much of southern Lebanon reduced to rubble under Israeli bombs. And then there is Yemen. When Ansar Allah declared solidarity with the Palestinians, their resistance was met with significant military force. The US, unashamedly, used its might to pummel one of the poorest nations in the world. At the heart of Western aggression lies Iran – a country that has shown enormous restraint in the face of years of provocation, assassination, and sabotage. Its military and political leaders have been murdered, not on battlefields, but in targeted killings. Its scientists – brilliant minds working to advance nuclear energy for peaceful medical and industrial purposes – have been gunned down simply for daring to dream of self-sufficiency. A Palestinian man carries a wounded child in Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip after the area was targeted by an Israeli strike, on June 17, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Image: Eyad BABA / AFP Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology is not a prelude to war. It is an assertion of dignity. Its nuclear programme powers homes, fuels hospitals, and propels research in oncology and aerospace fields. Yet that progress has become a threat to the West, not because of its military potential, but because it symbolises independence, ingenuity, and resilience. Washington cannot tolerate a West Asian power that surpasses it in science or dares to challenge its monopoly on influence. It is conveniently ignoring the reality of Iran's nuclear programme, elevating its military capability above civilian use. Ironically, the US, as well as Israel, apartheid South Africa and others, produced significant nuclear military capability during the Cold War era. Although Israel has not confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that Israel possessed 90 nuclear warheads in 2024. However, some analysts suggest a maximum of 300 warheads using the estimated amounts of fissile material. Furthermore, Israel possesses three types of delivery systems for military use of nuclear weapons: F-15 aircraft, ground-based missile installations, and German Dolphin I and II class submarines. While democratic South Africa willingly signed and complied with treaties containing prohibitions on participating in nuclear weapon activities, Israel and the US are escaping accountability. In 2024, it was estimated that the US had 1,770 active nuclear warheads, 1,938 stored as reserves, and 1,336 that were retired and pending dismantlement. It is the US that reneged on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on nuclear programmes with Iran, and it is the US that betrayed the current nuclear negotiation efforts. History is being repeated. The US plays a double game – stalling negotiations while equipping Israel with the intelligence, weapons, and diplomatic cover to strike Iranian assets. Just as the US and allied forces invaded Iraq in 2003 on the pretext of disarming its non-existing weapons of mass destruction, Israel launched an unprovoked missile attack on Iran on 13 June. International law is failing. It has become a selective tool, weaponised against the weak and ignored by the powerful. The principles of sovereignty, justice, and human rights lie in tatters as the US-Israel-Europe axis champions their compulsive fixation on warfare, dominance, and aggression. Reason no longer applies. Appeals to humanity fall on deaf ears. The corpses of children, the wails of mothers, and the ruins of ancient cities are met with silence, or worse, justification. Iran, like many in the Global South, has drawn its conclusions. Civilians died. Hundreds were wounded. Iran responded with precision – as allowed under international law – but was met with more indiscriminate Israeli bombing. Once again, innocent lives are the collateral damage. As the US-Israel-Europe axis enforces the logic of war, Iran has accepted reality. The only way to avoid destruction and the blatant move towards regime change is to resist. Diplomacy is worthless when the other side bargains in bad faith. Peace is a fantasy when faced with a war machine addicted to dominance. Iran has no choice but to mobilise its full military capacity. The fire that was ignited in Ukraine has now expanded to West Asia. A new front has opened, and Iran will not fight it with half-measures. This moment is a wake-up call for the Muslim world and, indeed, for all oppressed countries and for the anti-imperialist peoples of the world. As Ayatollah Khamenei warned, 'The Zionist regime won't bring security for any government.' Those states collaborating with Israel in hopes of American favour are deluding themselves. The West respects no ally; it respects only obedience. You are discarded or destroyed when you cease serving their interests. The solution lies not in appeasement but in self-reliance. The only protection against bullying is economic, military, and cultural strength. Domestic manufacturing must rise. Regional alliances with proven partners must be deepened. Nations that have weathered sanctions, sabotage, and siege understand the value of loyalty. Those are the partnerships worth investing in. The people of West Asia deserve peace. They deserve to preserve their history, teach their children without fear of bombs, and build a future rooted in dignity and sovereignty. But peace cannot come from pleading with aggressors. Sometimes, unfortunately, it must be sought through force. I share a poem written by Gail Van Breda in honour of my son, Sebastian, who died in a motorbike accident in Simonstown on 4 June. I, in turn, dedicate it to the people of West Asia. Let us not crash, too many deaths. How can we breathe, when breath ended for our loved ones. Let us not crash, too many voices gone silent, all at one time Let us not to crash, because how much more can this body take. We have to absorb so much. Let us not crash, because the living must now adjust to this new reality Let us not crash, let us not fall apart, How do we keep all together to grieve, loud or in silence. Let us not crash, where is our hope, what can we hold on to, what would make this time of mourning better, how are we expected to get through this! Let us not crash, maybe join hands, to keep this life together Let us not crash, let us not fall apart Because this life is teaching us how to die. We have been dying. The walking dead. Let us not crash, because we know, this life is not forever Cry, feel, let us not crash Let us find comfort. But I don't know from where, because nothing makes sense. Death, you remind us of the dualism of life. Death and life. In our lived experiences, we cannot even live. Everyone is in a fight for survival. And when death opens its coffin, we die again. We are always dying. Our children, our parents, our loved ones, dying Let us not crash, because how much more must this body, this physical earth life experience take. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
'Peace is a fantasy when faced with a war machine addicted to dominance'
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, on June 16, 2025. Iran unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities early on June 16, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation. Image: JOHN WESSELS / AFP) Dr. Reneva Fourie Israel has gone completely rogue, making it the greatest threat to world peace. Having all but obliterated Gaza, it is now turning its aggression towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran is defiantly responding with its Iron Dome penetrating Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles. Defiance is a characteristic of most in West Asia. Its people have paid dearly for daring to assert their political independence, safeguard their resources, and give their support to Palestine. The cost has been staggering: millions of lives lost – victims of Western-instigated wars cloaked in the language of human rights, democracy, and counterterrorism. Over the past few months, that same machinery of destruction has intensified its focus on Gaza. Israel, the United States' key proxy in the region, has unleashed devastation on a shocking scale. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been massacred with impunity. It began when Hamas, the governing party of Gaza and a key component of the Palestinian liberation movement, launched an attack in response to Israel's decades of repression. What followed was not proportional 'defence'. It was genocide. Civilians – mostly women and children – were annihilated or buried under rubble. Survivors were starved and denied clean water. Humanitarian aid was blocked, hospitals were bombed, and neighbourhoods were razed. While the world fixated on hostages taken by Hamas – many of whom were later killed by Israel's indiscriminate bombings – the real humanitarian catastrophe was being ignored. Israel detained thousands, including children, and subjected them to systematic torture and sexual violence as it continued its military rampage, emboldened by unconditional US and European support. International outcry, court rulings by the ICJ, and arrest warrants from the ICC were brushed aside. Nothing could stop the West's killing spree; not law, not diplomacy, not conscience. But Israel's aggression extends beyond Gaza and the West Bank. It has steadily eroded Syrian sovereignty, assassinating Iranian advisors who were legally assisting the Syrian government. Together with the US and Turkey, Israel facilitated regime change in Syria, deposing the elected Ba'ath Party in favour of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an extremist outfit with little public legitimacy. Hezbollah, an unwavering defender of Palestine, saw key members of its leadership wiped out and much of southern Lebanon reduced to rubble under Israeli bombs. And then there is Yemen. When Ansar Allah declared solidarity with the Palestinians, their resistance was met with significant military force. The US, unashamedly, used its might to pummel one of the poorest nations in the world. At the heart of Western aggression lies Iran – a country that has shown enormous restraint in the face of years of provocation, assassination, and sabotage. Its military and political leaders have been murdered, not on battlefields, but in targeted killings. Its scientists – brilliant minds working to advance nuclear energy for peaceful medical and industrial purposes – have been gunned down simply for daring to dream of self-sufficiency. A Palestinian man carries a wounded child in Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip after the area was targeted by an Israeli strike, on June 17, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Image: Eyad BABA / AFP Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology is not a prelude to war. It is an assertion of dignity. Its nuclear programme powers homes, fuels hospitals, and propels research in oncology and aerospace fields. Yet that progress has become a threat to the West, not because of its military potential, but because it symbolises independence, ingenuity, and resilience. Washington cannot tolerate a West Asian power that surpasses it in science or dares to challenge its monopoly on influence. It is conveniently ignoring the reality of Iran's nuclear programme, elevating its military capability above civilian use. Ironically, the US, as well as Israel, apartheid South Africa and others, produced significant nuclear military capability during the Cold War era. Although Israel has not confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that Israel possessed 90 nuclear warheads in 2024. However, some analysts suggest a maximum of 300 warheads using the estimated amounts of fissile material. Furthermore, Israel possesses three types of delivery systems for military use of nuclear weapons: F-15 aircraft, ground-based missile installations, and German Dolphin I and II class submarines. While democratic South Africa willingly signed and complied with treaties containing prohibitions on participating in nuclear weapon activities, Israel and the US are escaping accountability. In 2024, it was estimated that the US had 1,770 active nuclear warheads, 1,938 stored as reserves, and 1,336 that were retired and pending dismantlement. It is the US that reneged on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on nuclear programmes with Iran, and it is the US that betrayed the current nuclear negotiation efforts. History is being repeated. The US plays a double game – stalling negotiations while equipping Israel with the intelligence, weapons, and diplomatic cover to strike Iranian assets. Just as the US and allied forces invaded Iraq in 2003 on the pretext of disarming its non-existing weapons of mass destruction, Israel launched an unprovoked missile attack on Iran on 13 June. International law is failing. It has become a selective tool, weaponised against the weak and ignored by the powerful. The principles of sovereignty, justice, and human rights lie in tatters as the US-Israel-Europe axis champions their compulsive fixation on warfare, dominance, and aggression. Reason no longer applies. Appeals to humanity fall on deaf ears. The corpses of children, the wails of mothers, and the ruins of ancient cities are met with silence, or worse, justification. Iran, like many in the Global South, has drawn its conclusions. Civilians died. Hundreds were wounded. Iran responded with precision – as allowed under international law – but was met with more indiscriminate Israeli bombing. Once again, innocent lives are the collateral damage. As the US-Israel-Europe axis enforces the logic of war, Iran has accepted reality. The only way to avoid destruction and the blatant move towards regime change is to resist. Diplomacy is worthless when the other side bargains in bad faith. Peace is a fantasy when faced with a war machine addicted to dominance. Iran has no choice but to mobilise its full military capacity. The fire that was ignited in Ukraine has now expanded to West Asia. A new front has opened, and Iran will not fight it with half-measures. This moment is a wake-up call for the Muslim world and, indeed, for all oppressed countries and for the anti-imperialist peoples of the world. As Ayatollah Khamenei warned, 'The Zionist regime won't bring security for any government.' Those states collaborating with Israel in hopes of American favour are deluding themselves. The West respects no ally; it respects only obedience. You are discarded or destroyed when you cease serving their interests. The solution lies not in appeasement but in self-reliance. The only protection against bullying is economic, military, and cultural strength. Domestic manufacturing must rise. Regional alliances with proven partners must be deepened. Nations that have weathered sanctions, sabotage, and siege understand the value of loyalty. Those are the partnerships worth investing in. The people of West Asia deserve peace. They deserve to preserve their history, teach their children without fear of bombs, and build a future rooted in dignity and sovereignty. But peace cannot come from pleading with aggressors. Sometimes, unfortunately, it must be sought through force. I share a poem written by Gail Van Breda in honour of my son, Sebastian, who died in a motorbike accident in Simonstown on 4 June. I, in turn, dedicate it to the people of West Asia. Let us not crash, too many deaths. How can we breathe, when breath ended for our loved ones. Let us not crash, too many voices gone silent, all at one time Let us not to crash, because how much more can this body take. We have to absorb so much. Let us not crash, because the living must now adjust to this new reality Let us not crash, let us not fall apart, How do we keep all together to grieve, loud or in silence. Let us not crash, where is our hope, what can we hold on to, what would make this time of mourning better, how are we expected to get through this! Let us not crash, maybe join hands, to keep this life together Let us not crash, let us not fall apart Because this life is teaching us how to die. We have been dying. The walking dead. Let us not crash, because we know, this life is not forever Cry, feel, let us not crash Let us find comfort. But I don't know from where, because nothing makes sense. Death, you remind us of the dualism of life. Death and life. In our lived experiences, we cannot even live. Everyone is in a fight for survival. And when death opens its coffin, we die again. We are always dying. Our children, our parents, our loved ones, dying Let us not crash, because how much more must this body, this physical earth life experience take. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
A storm with catastrophic consequences brewing
Members of civil society take part in a peace rally in Lahore, Pakistan on May 6, 2025. The mutual weaponisation of conflict makes de-escalation difficult. When political survival becomes tied to nationalistic posturing, the space for diplomacy shrinks, says the writer. Dr. Reneva Fourie THE latest escalation of military tensions between India and Pakistan is a stark reminder of the fragility of peace. Border skirmishes, intensified military manoeuvres, and inflammatory rhetoric from both sides have renewed fears of a conflict that could potentially spiral completely out of control. These developments seriously threaten regional stability and international peace and security, prompting urgent calls for de-escalation from the global community. On 7 May, India launched 'Operation Sindoor', a military offensive targeting what it claimed were terrorist infrastructures linked to militant organisations Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. These strikes, India said, were in direct response to the killing of 26 civilians, primarily Indian tourists, in the India-administered region of Kashmir. India has blamed Pakistan-based groups for the attack, holding Islamabad responsible. Pakistan viewed the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty, claiming that India targeted civilian sites, including the densely populated Punjab province, compelling it to retaliate. One must revisit the area's fractured history to understand the current crisis. The origins of the India-Pakistan conflict emanate from decades of distrust and a colonial legacy that left unresolved tensions. British colonial authorities implemented a 'divide and rule' strategy, which involved the exploitation of ethnic and religious cleavages to maintain dominance. These policies deepened Hindu-Muslim divides and fuelled the eventual demand for separate states. The 1947 partitioning, which resulted in the creation of two separate states – India and Pakistan – was not merely administrative; it was accompanied by one of the largest mass migrations in human history and widespread communal violence. An estimated 12 to 20 million people were displaced, and over a million killed in sectarian violence. This traumatic process entrenched deep-seated animosities between the two newly formed states. In their haste to exit the region, the borders drawn by the British were arbitrary. They rushed, leaving behind unresolved territorial disputes, most notably the question of Kashmir, which was left in limbo. The lack of a formal dispute resolution process set the stage for decades of hostility and violence. Since then, India and Pakistan have engaged in multiple wars and countless border skirmishes, with Kashmir remaining the most sensitive flashpoint. Each confrontation has widened the trust deficit and made future reconciliation more difficult. Both India and Pakistan have used this rivalry for political gain, particularly during moments of internal crisis. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have often used national security issues to strengthen their nationalist credentials. Following previous incidents, such as the 2016 Uri attack and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, the government employed a heavy-handed response that played well with its Hindu nationalist base. Such strategies are often deployed to divert attention from domestic challenges, including high unemployment, inflation and economic stagnation. The narrative of a strong government defending the nation from external threats allows the ruling party to consolidate political unity and marginalise dissent. Pakistan has employed similar tactics. Facing internal instability, including economic hardship, political turmoil, and the persistent threat of terrorism, Pakistani leaders often amplify anti-India rhetoric to redirect public attention and rally national cohesion. The use of Kashmir as a unifying grievance serves both regimes, though at the cost of deepening regional instability. The mutual weaponisation of conflict makes de-escalation difficult. When political survival becomes tied to nationalistic posturing, the space for diplomacy shrinks. What distinguishes the India-Pakistan conflict from many other bilateral disputes is the presence of nuclear weapons on both sides. Any large-scale confrontation risks nuclear escalation, either through miscalculation or desperation. The impact of a full-scale war would be catastrophic. A war would devastate the economies and infrastructure in both India and Pakistan, destabilise Afghanistan, and potentially affect Iran, China, and Central Asia. It would put significant pressure on the United States, which would be forced to balance ties between its strategic partner, India and long-time ally, Pakistan, with whom it shares military and intelligence networks. And given that South Asia is home to over 1.7 billion people, a war here would severely hit the tech and services sectors, spike commodity prices and disrupt global trade through the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. This regional conflict could quickly degenerate into an international crisis. While BRICS is not a formal peace-brokering entity, its member states, particularly China, should consider taking on a more proactive diplomatic role to help de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan. Both countries are China's immediate neighbours and important economic partners, which places China in a unique position to mediate and facilitate dialogue. Beijing's influence and vested interest in maintaining regional stability, especially in light of its Belt and Road Initiative and ongoing trade partnerships, give it both the leverage and the responsibility to encourage peaceful engagement. The current trajectory of escalating military rhetoric and actions between India and Pakistan poses not only a grave threat to South Asian stability but also to global peace and economic security. A military conflict between two nuclear-armed states could have devastating consequences far beyond the region. The United Nations, which has already cautioned against the dangers of a full-scale confrontation, must go beyond issuing warnings. It should actively pursue avenues of de-escalation through track-two diplomacy, engaging civil society, retired officials, and academics from both sides. Additionally, the UN should work to implement confidence-building measures such as military-to-military hotlines, joint ceasefire monitoring, and initiatives that promote people-to-people contact. The urgency of the moment demands immediate, coordinated international action. The recent escalation between India and Pakistan is a stark reminder of how unresolved historical grievances, nationalistic politics, and external miscalculations can threaten not just a region but the world at large. What began as a response to a terrorist attack now teeters on the edge of full-scale war, with nuclear overtones and global socio-economic risks. Both countries must show restraint, and the international community must rise to the occasion. If the international community fails to act decisively, the consequences may well be irreversible, for South Asia and the world at large. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
VAT Debacle Exposes the ANC's Policy Contradictions
Protesters from unions, farmworkers associations, gender organizations, and other civil society groups, protest outside Parliament against proposed austerity measures and a 2% increase in VAT on March 12, 2025, in Cape Town. Budget cuts, service delivery crises, and policy timidity erode the credibility of the ANC's promises. The gap between political rhetoric and economic policy has become too wide to ignore, says the writer. Dr. Reneva Fourie THE tension within the Government of National Unity (GNU) surrounding whether or not there should be an increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) exposed the policy vacillation within political parties. Civil society groups, trade unions, grassroots movements and left-leaning political parties took to the streets well before the announcement to reject the regressive tax that would disproportionately affect people experiencing poverty. Treasury nonetheless proceeded with the tabling of the VAT proposal. When opposition intensified, the government retracted the proposal for the national budget to pass. The game has become tiring for countless South Africans for whom the gap between government promises and reality keeps widening. Rising unemployment, failing public services, the rising cost of living and ongoing inequality are leading to growing disappointment with the post-apartheid government. While some individuals turn to narrow ethnic nationalism, yearning for the Afrikaner and Bantustan ideologies of the past, those who envisioned a united, non-racial South Africa are despondent. Central to this despondency is a stark recognition that the African National Congress (ANC), once regarded as the leader of society, is now wrestling with declining legitimacy and deepening contradictions. It is tempting to reduce the ANC's crisis to a familiar story of betrayal, of a party that traded its soul for power, privilege, and proximity to capital. Indeed, the movement's post-1994 trajectory includes troubling chapters: the adoption of neoliberal macroeconomics under GEAR, the state capture rot of the Zuma era, and the Ramaphosa administration's ongoing entanglement with big business. Yet, to stop there is to miss the full complexity of the dilemma. The ANC's compromises are not simply a matter of bad choices; they also reflect the constrained governance terrain in a highly unequal, globalised economy. The reversal of the VAT decision was more than just a tactical withdrawal; it exposed the challenges the ANC encounters due to the dual burden of being a liberation movement and a governing party in a volatile and unforgiving environment. Furthermore, it revealed an increasing gap between the ANC's articulated policy goals, as seen in their conference resolutions and election manifestos, and the decisions emerging from the Treasury. The contradiction raises uncomfortable questions about who sets the fiscal agenda and whose interests it ultimately serves. South Africa's economic policy space is shaped by more than just the largest governing party. Treasury officials operate under the significant influence of rating agencies, global investors, and financial institutions. The country is threatened with declining creditworthiness, increasing capital flight, and bond spreads, which weigh heavily on policymakers. The fear of triggering market panic often leads to risk-averse strategies, even when the social costs are devastating. The influence of global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank looms large. Their language of 'structural reform' and 'fiscal discipline' may be less prescriptive than in the past, but their signals carry weight. Like many other countries, South Africa finds itself navigating a delicate tightrope, trying to balance appeasing the markets while attempting to address entrenched poverty and inequality. Domestically, these global dynamics are compounded by the enduring power of local capital. South Africa's economic elite – largely shielded from the social consequences of apartheid – has shown little appetite for a more inclusive growth path. Calls for wealth taxes, land reform, or meaningful industrial policy are routinely met with resistance. Rather than confronting these interests head-on, ANC leaders have often opted for incrementalism and consensus-building. That strategy may have ensured political stability, but it has left structural inequality intact. The opposition, meanwhile, has seized on the ANC's contradictions with vigour. During the VAT uproar, the Democratic Alliance (DA) positioned itself as a champion of the poor, lambasting the proposal as unjust. But the DA's record tells a different story. It is one of support for austerity, privatisation, and limited state intervention. Its sudden concern for the working class appeared more opportunistic than principled, using the ANC's missteps to advance an arguably more hostile agenda to redistribution. Still, the criticism the ANC faces is not without merit. The party often speaks the language of justice and transformation, invoking the legacy of the Freedom Charter during election season. But once in office, the tone shifts. Budget cuts, service delivery crises, and policy timidity erode the credibility of its promises. The gap between political rhetoric and economic policy has become too wide to ignore. The issue goes beyond mere hypocrisy or inertia. The ANC is constrained by the legacy of apartheid's institutional architecture, which limits the government's ability to pursue meaningful redistribution. These structural challenges, along with internal divisions and weaknesses within the ANC, have led to a state that is reactive, fragmented, and vulnerable to elite capture. And so the ANC finds itself trapped: caught between the demands of the market and the demands of the people. Despite its many failings, the ANC remains central to South Africa's political landscape. It continues to command significant support, especially among those who remember its overwhelming contribution to ending apartheid. However, that legacy, though powerful, cannot carry the party forever, and many wonder if there is any hope that the ANC will ever be restored to its former glory. The challenges the ANC faces extend far beyond its internal contradictions and missteps. Its leaders do not appear to possess the courage, clarity, and willingness to confront its internal complacency and external constraints. As the party attempts to chart a course through this complex terrain, the disjuncture between its stated policies and government action continues to erode its authority. However, while the opposition may gain ground by highlighting the ANC's failings, no political party can claim credibility without addressing the economic structures that entrench inequality. Achieving a more just and inclusive society will require policy reform and a clear break from the economic orthodoxies and vested interests that have long shaped the country's neoliberal trajectory. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
IOL News
01-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
May Day: Time for Unions to Navigate New Geopolitical Realities
Members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) hold placards and shout slogans in support of a nationwide demonstration in Durban, South Africa, on February 13, 2019 against high unemployment and government policies that are deepening poverty. Dr. Reneva Fourie AS we commemorate May Day – the global day of workers' solidarity and struggle – we are reminded of the ongoing necessity to defend dignity, justice and equality. The landscape of workers' organisation and struggle is evolving swiftly. Remote work is becoming the norm, and labour is increasingly casualised, unpredictable and dispersed as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and digitisation reshape the global economy. In this context, traditional mechanisms of worker protection, like collective bargaining, are being eroded. Meanwhile, wages and working conditions are deteriorating, with workers barely able to maintain a basic standard of living. The demand for a robust, innovative and unified trade union movement has never been more urgent. In South Africa, however, where poverty and unemployment continue to be high, the situation is particularly acute. A revitalised and united labour movement is essential for confronting the systemic forces underpinning these challenges. Yet, trade union density has declined significantly, with fewer than 30 per cent of workers now unionised. The once-powerful trade union movement is fragmented, with COSATU, FEDUSA, SAFTU and NACTU competing for a shrinking formal sector membership base. Internal rivalries and representational battles have weakened the capacity of organised labour to respond collectively to rising inequality, growing worker precarity, and the challenges posed by rapid technological change. Critically, none of the existing federations have articulated a sufficiently bold or comprehensive strategy to address the structural transformations associated with digitisation, platform work and algorithmic management. However, South African history powerfully demonstrates the transformative potential of organised labour. During the 1980s, the trade union movement was central not only to improving shop-floor conditions but also to the broader struggle against apartheid. It mobilised workers across racial and sectoral lines, linking economic grievances to political demands for democracy and human rights. In the transition to democracy, trade unions successfully negotiated some of the world's most progressive labour laws, including the Labour Relations Act and Basic Conditions of Employment Act. They secured institutionalised worker representation through the establishment of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC). Today, there is a new struggle requiring courage, unity, and strategic dexterity. Capitalism has evolved under the influence of technology, and so must the labour movement. Far from emancipating humanity, contemporary technological innovations have been deployed to deepen exploitation: precarious gig work, freelancing under conditions of insecurity, zero-hour contracts, and pervasive digital surveillance have become widespread. Rather than eradicating inequality, the so-called 'fourth industrial revolution' threatens to entrench it further. Nevertheless, workers remain in the best position to navigate and challenge these new realities. It is workers who continue to sustain the traditional economy and produce, maintain and innovate the technologies driving the systems on which modern life depends. Their creativity and knowledge generation underpin the economy's productive forces. Therefore, workers must not only defend their existing rights but must play a leading role in shaping the future of work itself. This necessitates a shift in strategic orientation for trade unions. Beyond defensive struggles for better wages and working conditions, there is a pressing need to restructure the ownership and governance of production. Such restructuring includes building and supporting worker cooperatives, advocating for workplace democracy, promoting public and common ownership of digital platforms, and securing rights to meaningful, dignified and secure work. Trade unions must place broader social policies at the centre of their demands, including shorter working hours, comprehensive social security, universal healthcare, free and quality education, and affordable housing. They must demand a world where their work serves the whole of humanity, not just the ever more greedy few. Importantly, the struggle for worker power cannot be confined within national boundaries. In a globalised economy where transnational corporations operate across multiple jurisdictions, international worker solidarity is no longer merely a matter of principle but a strategic necessity. The algorithms that manage workers' productivity do not respect national borders, nor do the financial flows that extract value from their labour. Therefore, trade unions must forge international alliances, develop transnational strategies, and participate in global campaigns that contest corporate power worldwide. South African trade unions face a critical responsibility in this regard. They must urgently overcome fragmentation and build a unified, inclusive movement that represents all segments of the working class. They must set aside narrow institutional rivalries and ideological contestation and embrace innovative forms of organisation, including establishing an overarching coordinating body. New models such as platform cooperatives, digital unions, and sectoral bargaining frameworks for gig economy workers must be explored and adopted. Traditional strategies must be adapted to meet the needs of younger, digitally literate, and often highly mobile workforces who may not easily fit into older models of shop-floor organising. Moreover, unions must reorient themselves towards proactive engagement with technological change. They must advocate for worker-driven innovation rather than merely reacting to technological displacement. In this concept, workers actively participate in the design and implementation of new technologies, ensuring that the benefits of these innovations are shared fairly and that technological change is directed towards social good rather than corporate profit. Every campaign for improved wages, working conditions, and labour rights today must be connected to a broader vision of a more equitable and sustainable society. Echoing Karl Marx's insight, the workers' movement must simultaneously address the immediate needs of the working class while carrying within it the seeds of a future beyond exploitation. History shows that when workers come together and organise, they gain the power to improve their lives and impact the course of society. In a world reshaped by technology, inequality, and insecurity, South Africa requires a new generation of trade unionism – one that is bold, forward-looking, ready to defend, organise and empower workers across all sectors, and to humanise the economy in the age of AI and automation. If workers unite in solidarity and vision, they will not only safeguard their livelihoods but also help to create a more just, inclusive and peaceful society for future generations. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
