Workers Party of South Africa
Encyclopedia
The Workers Party of South Africa (WPSA) was the first Trotskyist organisation in South Africa
to have a national base. It published a regular newspaper, Spark.
The party was founded in 1935 by the majority of the Cape Town
-based Lenin Club and the Johannesburg
-based Bolshevik-Leninist League of South Africa. Founding members included Isaac Bangani Tabata, Dora Taylor, Ralph Lee and Isaac Blank (later known as Ted Grant
). Its first initiative was to intervene in the All African Convention, called to oppose the Hertzog Bills, which aimed to complete the implementation of apartheid in the nation. The group opposed both the system of apartheid and calls for black nationalism
.
The group founded the Non-European Unity Movement
(NEUM), while Goolam Gool represented the group on the similar but Communist Party of South Africa-led National Liberation League.
In 1939, facing increasing repression, the group went underground, and began working solely through the NEUM. As a result, when the government banned groups based on the teachings of Marx, Lenin and Trotsky in 1950, its activities were unaffected. Some sources claim that the WPSA ceased to exist in 1953, although due to its secretive nature, this is difficult to confirm.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to have a national base. It published a regular newspaper, Spark.
The party was founded in 1935 by the majority of the Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
-based Lenin Club and the Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
-based Bolshevik-Leninist League of South Africa. Founding members included Isaac Bangani Tabata, Dora Taylor, Ralph Lee and Isaac Blank (later known as Ted Grant
Ted Grant
Edward "Ted" Grant , 9 July 1913 in Germiston, South Africa – 20 July 2006 in London) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain...
). Its first initiative was to intervene in the All African Convention, called to oppose the Hertzog Bills, which aimed to complete the implementation of apartheid in the nation. The group opposed both the system of apartheid and calls for black nationalism
Black nationalism
Black nationalism advocates a racial definition of indigenous national identity, as opposed to multiculturalism. There are different indigenous nationalist philosophies but the principles of all African nationalist ideologies are unity, and self-determination or independence from European society...
.
The group founded the Non-European Unity Movement
Non-European Unity Movement
The 'Non-European Unity Movement' is a Trotskyist organisation formed in South Africa in 1947.-External Links:, by Baruch Hirson,SA History Online...
(NEUM), while Goolam Gool represented the group on the similar but Communist Party of South Africa-led National Liberation League.
In 1939, facing increasing repression, the group went underground, and began working solely through the NEUM. As a result, when the government banned groups based on the teachings of Marx, Lenin and Trotsky in 1950, its activities were unaffected. Some sources claim that the WPSA ceased to exist in 1953, although due to its secretive nature, this is difficult to confirm.