The virus has shown capitalism has reached the limits of its usefulness – PAC

Over this period, priority has been given to save capitalist businesses than the required interests of the ordinary poor people.

Workers have been forced to endure lockdown with no money to feed their dependants under “no work no pay policy” and forced to take unpaid leave days. Measures like TERS through UIF have been nothing other than placating the workers to prevent their revolt against the government and their capitalist bosses. Employers have taken full advantage of this scheme to evade the responsibility of paying workers in full over this period as they would normally do during their leave days.

Even this relief scheme has not been adequate to meet the ever-growing needs of workers and their families. This only pays between 38% and 60% of their normal incomes which is an insult to workers who have been earning slave wages. In PAC of Azania we are of the view that this relief scheme was only made to shield the capitalist bosses from the economic impact the national lockdown would have on their businesses.

There are disturbing reports from the mining sector where employers have been taking short cuts on health and safety of the workers, demanding them to return to work when they have done little to prepare the workplace against the coronavirus infection. There are also reports that some mining houses have not paid the workers under the TERS, citing that they have not received funds from UIF; contrary to what the Minister of Labour asked the employers to pay the workers first and be reimbursed later.

Consequently, workers engaged on a strike about this at Triple M Mining, demanding payment for the month of April. Those workers are now facing dismissal as a result of partaking in that strike. As PAC we are disturbed by the silence of government to protect the vulnerable workers from their continued onslaught by imperialist forces and their local agents in the mining sector. This shows that we have the comprador bourgeoisie government in the country which only protects the interests of the monopoly capitalists.

Workers face gloomy days post-lockdown

Gloomy days are lying ahead as the economic impact of lockdown is starting to be felt. The economic growth of the country is forecasted to shrink by 6% to 7% in 2020 leading to severe economic shock and massive job losses. This year alone, there are predictions of 1.6 million job losses. Companies in labour intensive sectors such as mining; manufacturing; and construction are already indicating massive retrenchments in their operations. Those that would be affected most are medium and low skilled workers especially those working for labour brokers.

Other sectors expected to suffer most are tourism and hospitality industries. The economy of the country is on the brink of collapse, a predicament that would sink the working class and other poor section of the population deep into miserable poverty.

The question then stands – “was the decision to impose lockdown based on independent scientific evidence of the likely uncontrollable spread of the virus or did the government take cue from “imperialist masters” in the current global imperialist trade wars?”

Imperialist trade wars

With the global economy remaining stagnant and capitalist markets shrinking before the outbreak of coronavirus, especially in the imperialist countries; these countries are locked in intense competitive struggles over hegemony of global markets. This contradiction among imperialist superpowers cannot be reconciled or eliminated by mutual agreements between them as they both compete for global dominance over the shrinking markets.

Could the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic be a consequence of these imperialist trade wars?

Call for solidarity of the workers with other affected people

By now, workers should see capitalism has reached the limits of its usefulness in the society. Soon we would see the concentration of markets into monopolies more than before, eliminating the small and medium capitalist enterprise as a result of the economic impact of coronavirus pandemic. This means imperialism is necessary for the survival and maintenance of capitalism. Any political action not aimed at overthrowing imperialism and capitalism; cannot resolve the fundamental contradiction between the exploiting greedy bosses and the working class.

The revolutionary elements within the working class must provide class consciousness to the workers and make them realize that the stage of trying to reform capitalism and make it work for them through trade unionism has passed. They must rally and lead the workers and other national motive forces affected by imperialism to the struggle for solidarity, defiance and revolt against the status quo.

The immediate demand should be aimed at fulfilling the national liberation mandate that was aborted in 1994 to extricate the Afrikan masses from the misery of the 1994 compromised political settlement which lead to the current economic and social status of Afrikan working class and peasantry.

The central question in all forms of political activity is the issue of who wields the State Power; hence all the struggles have class character. It is a question which decides whether the country follows a capitalist or socialist road. If the country follows a capitalist road, the power is in the hands of the bourgeoisie. If the country follows a socialist road, then the power is in the hands of the Proletariat. As PAC we are on the side of the Proletarians.

This is a worldwide movement against imperialism and capitalism. As members of the world community of nations and human race, we must follow this line. This should start as national liberation struggle, meaning Proletariat of each country should first settle accounts with its own bourgeoisie.

Vanyaza is the PAC’s secretary of labour

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