The ANC fears that internal debates on ethnicity will blow up into a race row if not properly managed. Marion Edmunds reports
IN the run-up to an African National Congress special caucus meeting to discuss race and ethnicity this weekend, emotions are running high in the parliamentary caucus with MPs reluctant to speak openly about one of the most complex issues facing their party.
Africanists in the ANC have been accused of intolerance towards whites, Indians and coloureds. A so-called Africanist cabal is alleged to have been created within the party to improve the fortunes of black “comrades” at the expense of ethnic minorities.
One leading ANC member who has been connected to the Africanist grouping is Minister of Public Service and Administration Zola Skweyiya. He responded: “The labelling is always done by groups other than Africans, because Africanists are very proud to be Africans. But Africans have always been at the bottom of the ladder with coloureds, Indians and then whites above them.
“The national question is the engine of the struggle and the upliftment of African people is central to this government and there can be no way of going out of that line. This government is here to empower all black people, specifically in the public service.
“Of the 63% of the vote we got, 60% of it was from Africans who voted the ANC into power and there is a lack of recognition of that, specifically when it comes to jobs and economic empowerment. When one insists on the question of representivity in the public service, one steps on the corns of comrades and this causes tensions.
“The issue of there being too many Indians in Cabinet does not worry me. The issue is that they must ensure that their policies put African people in power, in their departments and the constituencies to which they are linked and to influence the private sector to do the same.”
Much of the rumbling on the race question is driven by a fear that black voters – not seeing speedy delivery – might turn away from the ANC, believing that economically at least it will not disrupt the status quo.
A failure to deliver would encourage harder lines on African domination. But, at this stage, most ANC national executive committee members take the threat of a narrow Africanism with a pinch of salt.
Committee member Jeremy Cronin, who recently headed an internal ANC commission on the national question, points out that “some elements of the race game” can be expected in places like Parliament where careers are being fought over. But he sees the current questioning of racial and cultural identities as a healthy sign of debate in the alliance.
Internal ANC discussions on racial identity since 1994 have been few, but significant, and have created tensions within party ranks on issues many are nervous to discuss in open. Policy positions are to be thrashed out finally at the party’s December congress and will have a significant impact on the ANC’s election campaign, government policy and who heads the organisation in the next century.
Most ANC MPs from ethnic minorities are reluctant to go on the record. One exception is Yunus Carrim: “People are reluctant to talk about national question issues partly because ANC policy on this for the current period has still to be defined and partly because they impinge on complex and sometimes elusive issues of personal and political identity.
“Inevitably, given the present transition, the meaning and implementation of non- racialism is being contested. So what? That’s not a crisis within the ANC. Handled appropriately, it can make for a very productive debate that also serves to define a clear way forward.
“There’s nothing inherently conflictual between asserting African leadership and non-racialism. In fact, non-racialism has to be given a more African, particularly working class, content. But this must be distinguished from a narrow, exclusive Africanism.”
Not one MP from an ethnic minority will admit to feeling threatened by such Africanism, although many talk of the race “glass ceiling” which will prevent them from furthering their political ambitions.
They tend to see Africanist declarations, in the parliamentary context, as generated by personal agendas, rather than significant policy statements reflecting fundamental positions.
But tensions around race are emerging when it comes to making choices – chairs of portfolio committees, speaking turns in the National Assembly, ambassadorships and top jobs in the public service. Thus the call for the ANC to delve more deeply into what is generating those tensions.