September 26th demonstrations in Johannesburg -
What really happened and what really counts.
As part of the global September 26th protests against the IMF and
World Bank, activists from numerous South African political, union and
community organisations held a rally and march in Johannesburg. The
rally took place in the heart of Johannesburg from late morning and
the hundreds of participants and observers witnessed a colourful and
lively anti-capitalist 'festival' that included much toyi-toying,
poetry, music and several speeches by activists representing
organisations that included: the Socialist Party of Azania; Campaign
Against Neo-Liberalism in South Africa; Earthlife Africa; Soweto
Electricity Crisis Committee; Keep Left; the Pan Africanist Congress;
the Anti-Privatisation Forum; COSATU and many others from across South
Africa's progressive/left.
After the rally, hundreds began marching through downtown
Johannesburg, accompanied by street puppets, a maze of political
banners and colourful placards decrying the oppression and injustice
of the IMF and World Bank. The demands/rallying call of the
participants was to SHUT DOWN both of these imperialist institutions,
to cancel the apartheid debt and for the SA government to abandon its
GEAR economic policy that is slowly killing the workers and poor of
South Africa and the Southern African region.
The march proceeded to various government buildings in the city
(Departments of Health and Local Government) where particpants did the
famous toyi-toyi and handed over memorandums outlining the demands.
The last stop of the march, which had taken place in a peaceful and
festive manner, was the Head Quarters of SAs largest capitalist
conglomerate - Anglo-American. When partipants attempted to enter the
foyer of the building to deliver the memorandum, Anglo-American
security guards attacked participants with teargas and truncheons. The
attack by the security guards at Anglo-American was of their own doing
and was an offensive action that was completely out of bounds and
created (not surprisingly) a very volatile situation. Most of the
protesters inside at the time were overcome by the teargas and in the
pandemonium that followed one protester was slightly injured and a
glass door smashed. Some of the protesters made it clear to the
security guards that if they continued with their unwarranted and
ofrensive behaviour, they would fight back. After a tense standoff,
Anglo-American management arrived and were duly lambasted by the
protesters who then left peacefully.
It came as no surprise that the national print and visual media
reported widely on the protest the following day, with many reports,
not surprisingly, offering a sensationalised verison of the entire
protest focusing on the 'violent' conflict at Anglo-American.
by Dale T. McKinley,stalwart activist, Oct.1th
(* This article was sent to KoPA by Patrick Bond from South Africa)
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