A SOUTH AFRICAN BLACK REAWAKENING

The September National Imbizo (SNI)

SNI & The People’s Manifesto – FAQs

What is the September National Imbizo?

The September National Imbizo (SNI) is a PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT. It is a national voluntary movement of like minded people who wish to bring about a new society where all are taken care of for real. This means the SNI  is not a political party, but a revolutionary movement that wants total change for our people in all areas of life, from how we are governed (politics), to the use of our natural resources and wealth (economy) to relations amongst people (social).  This change must put BLACKS FIRST and not benefit a new political elite and white capital

A movement for total liberation?  Didn’t 1994 do this?

We note that 1994 only extended apartheid under new management by the ANC.  We note that blacks continue to suffer and therefore there is need for a BLACK centred movement in society and the SNI has come to represent this possibility. What happened post 1994 was NOT the deepening of democracy;   rather, people and a political party that claims to represent the people came into political power. But for them, the people they were to serve were not us, the majority, but themselves and their families and those already privileged by colonialism and apartheid.  The people for them include big businesses (e.g. the mining houses and the banks) that were central to maintaining colonialism and apartheid and that continue to deepen inequality and anti black racism today.

Don’t we have alternative political parties?

Political parties in general serve politicians and elites in society, revolutionary movements, like the SNI seek to end elite power and bring about a peoples democracy, where the people make decisions for themselves all the time.

It will soon be 20 years of ANC rule and bad politics which promote elite interests. The politics and policies of the ANC and DA are not meant to change the conditions of blacks. That is why all the main political parties are agreed on the inferior apartheid-like services they give blacks, from RDP houses to toilets without walls. The people’s movement is an opportunity to build a massive movement which can hold all politicians accountable and to struggle for real freedom. The SNI seeks to transform politicians and public servants to be servants for the people.

Why the SNI?

After 18 years of ANC rule and DA opposition politics it is clear that these parties do not care for the interests of the black majority. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Think about what happens if we don’t build an alternative movement? What is going to happen to our country? Another 20 years of ANC elite rule and DA lies? The solutions to our problems are political. Let the politicians respect and fear the people – let’s build the PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT.

For change to happen there is a need for a massive, radical and Black-centered movement in society, which would be able to mobilise against injustice waged by politicians. For this to work there is need to overhaul the existing nature of politics and economic systems.

Can this be done? How do we achieve the new society?

It can be done. The SNI stands for the total transformation of our society by any means necessary! The people’s movement desires to build a happy secured society, where all have access to equality not just as a right in a the constitution but experienced by the people in real life. Building a happy secured society means simply that democracy works for the people not for the leaders and public servants.

The first act is to question. The people’s movement wants to help our society to ask the question: is this how we should be governed? Until our people have asked this question honestly we can’t build a new society. So the SNI seeks to build a critical consciousness by asking these questions in society.

Is that kind of democracy practical?

It is only impractical because politicians don’t want real democracy, the result is that we have the anomaly were 400 parliamentarians rule over 50 million people! This is not democracy, this is surrendering power to an elite. That is why they abuse the mandate to govern and give each other perks and legalise corruption through the Ministerial Handbook. Children learn under trees but this handbook says a minister can buy two cars worth R1.1 million each.

We need to build new people’s democracy to serve the people. Technology makes a people’s democracy real, have you considered the possibility of voting on all major issues, such as tenders, e-toll, salaries of politicians and civil servants, laws and what the national budget should be used for?  Just at the click of a button we could have fired the Minister of Education for the text book fiasco. Cell phone technology for democracy is already used in countries such as Estonia.

What ideas and philosophy inspire SNI?

The People’s Movement is inspired by the ideas of liberation symbolised by the giants of the liberation movement against white supremacy and colonialism: ROBERT MANGALISO SOBUKWE (Radical Pan Africanism), STEVE BIKO (Radical Black Consciousness) and THOMAS SANKARA (exercising power to serve the people first!).  The SNI is therefore committed to philosophy and ideology of Radical Pan Africanism and Black Consciousness and the Sankarist practice of power! Dr Chinweizu best describes this philosophy as Black Power Pan Africanism.

 What is the Structure of the SNI?

Branch:

The SNI is based on branch structures. Every 20 people who join in an area can form themselves into an SNI branch with a branch coordination committee. The SNI doesn’t have portfolios such as Chairman or Secretary etc. All those elected to the coordinating committee are coordinators and may have be given specific, non permanent tasks which must be reviewed upon reasonable periods. A branch can further divide into study circles of about five people each.

Regions:

Two or more branches in an area can form a region.

Provinces:

Each province has a provincial coordinating committee and there is a national coordination committee as well. The national coordinating committee has five sub committees where any members can participate upon being asked to do.
All meetings of the structures of the SNI-the people’s movement are open to the membership.

A national Coordination Committee

The NCC is elected at the National Imbizo comprising provincial representative and five directly elected coordinators. The NCC is the highest decision making body between national imbizos and it has the mandate of implementing and interpreting the resolutions of the SNI.

Who can join?

The SNI is inspired by Black Consciousness and Radical Pan Africanism. Therefore Membership is open ONLY to BLACK PEOPLE.

Why Blacks only?

South Africa is an anti black white supremacist country managed by the ANC in the interests of white people. Only blacks can liberate themselves.

Who are blacks?

Black people are those people who define themselves as blacks who may come from the African communities, the so-called Coloured communities and so-called Indian communities. The SNI is aware of animosities within these oppressed communities. We are also aware that some do not want to identify themselves as black because of tribal feelings. This movement works to unite the excluded on a common platform. Steve Biko and his comrades managed to unite the oppressed before; also in the 1980s the oppressed acted as one. We must work for unity in action for a new society.

What does that mean? Is SNI just concerned about black oppression in South Africa?

The SNI – people’s movement is against all forms of oppressions. We struggle against white supremacy, which is a driven by capitalism, imperialism and neo-colonialism. Through our campaigns (like the People’s Manifesto) we are able to arrive at the first important building block of a revolutionary new perspective not only in this country but in the whole of Afrika. We are a movement that builds resistance to the many ways blacks are destroyed.

We are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters everywhere on earth who continue to face a hostile anti black world and are inspired by the struggles from 1804 Haiti Slave Revolt to the Black Panthers!

 And other forms of oppression?

Also the SNI is against, oppression of women and other gendered persons. We are against patriarchy, sexism, and homophobia. We are also against tribalism, religious and cultural intolerance. We oppose any cultural or religious practices that promote the oppression of anyone and women in particular.

Our objective is to take power and usher in a black socialist system capable of responding to the total needs of blacks. We simply cannot afford to leave this racist capitalist system intact thereby enabling it to continue crushing the spirits and destroying the bodies of blacks. We are compelled to radically transform this society and the world.

How far will SNI go to achieve this?

The SNI believes in the guide to action provided by Malcolm X that we shall struggle for liberation by “ANY MEANS NECESSARY”. This means that no method or approach is discarded before hand; everything must be used, from protest to insurrection, so long as such actions are guided by a clear perspective of liberation that put blacks first! All actions must be contemplated and tried so long as they don’t compromise the revolutionary line of our movement. (Please see guide to action).

We need to study closely what the most effective method of engagement at any given time dictated to by the reality on the ground is. All action must help our people to develop a critical consciousness and confidence in their own power. We shall not compromise with those agents of white supremacy more specifically the ANC and DA. In situations where we find ourselves in the same trenches with them, we shall maintain a revolutionary hostile posture and raise our voices against their treacherous politics!

FAQs -The People’s Manifesto (PM)

What of The Peoples Manifesto?

The manifesto demands that all politicians and civil servants (themselves, children and all people under their care) are compelled by law to use public services. It would be a criminal offense punishable with ten years imprisonment without the option of parole if found guilty.

Why the PM?

The people’s movement is undertaking campaigns to build the movement. Our key campaign rights now is the PEOPLE’S MANIFESTO, which demands that politicians and public servants and their families must be compelled by law to use public services. It’s only when Jacob Zuma and Hellen Zille are to use the same hospitals, schools, transport and houses that the public uses that they would improve the quality of public service.

But will politicians allow such a law?

The Manifesto attempts to inspire engagement on the philosophical-ideological and political-strategic thinking regarding the necessity and basis for, and the means for bringing into being a system that ‘Puts Blacks First’! It’s only when people demand real freedom that such would materialize! The people themselves have to fight to realize the promise of the people’s manifesto! We want economic freedom now! Social Freedom now! We want political Freedom Cultural Freedom Now! We say: We promise the politicians nothing! We want everything!

What is the approach of the PM?

By indicating a Sankarist approach to politics, it is thoroughly anti-imperialist, thoroughly democratic (new democracy) and unreservedly in the interests of Blacks. In line with this new perspective the PM appropriates the human rights ideology in the interests of blacks to play a mobilising role in our struggle against imperialism and compradorial classes and their state. Via the PM we are therefore able to distance ourselves openly from imperialist ideology of human rights at the international level and cultural-chauvinist/developmentalist ideology of the compradorial classes at the national level. What is being suggested by this new perspective via the PM is an ideological and theoretical break with the dominant discourse on human rights as indicated for example in the freedom charter and other liberal manifestos and declarations.

 Is the People’s Manifesto black Socialism?

This People’s Manifesto is intended to inspire a basic model, and fundamental principles and guidelines, for the nature and functioning of a radically different society and government than the one that now exists. The Manifesto suggests a black socialist state which would personify, institutionalize and promote radically different relations and values among people; an anti capitalist state whose final and fundamental aim would be the final abolition of all exploitative and oppressive relations among human beings and the destructive antagonistic contradictions to which these relations give rise. These endeavors would be guided by a commitment to the principle of BLACKS FIRST!

What can you do to help build the SNI?

1. Get any information you can on the SNI, its resolutions and campaigns
2. Join the SNI as an active member who is committed to building a culture of liberation, meaning culture must serve the interest of  all the people, ensuring equality is achieved for all. Oppression is not culture!
3. You may not want to join but support the campaigns of the SNI. Dot not hesitate to call SNI to a meeting in your area.
4. For further info, email us on: info@septembernationalimbizo.org