FROM DEBATES-LIST:
Subject: Re: [Debate] occupy SA
To: "Debate is a listserve that attempts to promote information and analyses of interest to the independent left in South and Southern Africa"
Date: Monday, 10 October, 2011, 10:32
My worry is that, the people organizing it are adopting tactics from the US movements, which might not be as applicable in South Africa. Which is way social media relience is a potential concern, the people who are organzing seem to be making heavy useage of "brand" facebook and I don't know if they are forming links to social movements, setting up word of mouth stuff etc. . I think the key to create activist density and to spark a general movement, is to essentially identify a few key ideas to rally around. Without some sort of general rallying cry, it is likely this movement will disappate quickly.
On Mon, Oct 10, 2011 at 12:20 PM, wrote:
Besides all the snide comments often made about the efficacy of social media mobilization in general and the the merits or flaws of the present action “taking south Africa back” in particular, let’s wait and see what comes of it. My main concern would be that we do not seem to have the activist density as in other countries under economic duress, or that there are so many little islands of clustering of formalized group which may stand in the way of ongoing, spontaneous mobilization of any significance. Our protest actions seem very widely dispersed and quickly settled by rubber bullets. I would not be worried about the relative lack of social media – remember this is not “brand” Facebook – messages spiral out in all sorts of means beginning by word of mouth and the very effective use of mobile phones and S M S. The real issue is whether the pain of the poor is touched and sparked across the geographical board, or that the focus on a few central areas (Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban) will do the trick. But whatever the merits and flaws, we have got to start somewhere. Thinking up theories and policies and trying to implement these through hierarchical party-political type structures is one way to go, but also the best way to draw blank. Let’s see what happens. Practice will show the way, I am sure, for better or for worse.
From: Benjamin Fogel
Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2011 11:57 AM
To: Debate is a listserve that attempts to promote information and analyses ofinterest to the independent left in South and Southern Africa
Subject: Re: [Debate] occupy SA
A few local activists in Cape Town and Johburg, Anonymous members in SA and a Group called "Taking Back South Africa", it has been mostly organizes via Social media, namely facebook. The problem with social media, is that in such a internet poor country as South Africa the message of an "occupy" movement here, will be limited and it could just end up as a bunch of middle class activists turning up, without connecting to wider struggles in SA. The second problem for me is that an "Occupy" South Africa movement needs a few points to rally around and it is all very well turning up and debating such things, but if it is to be a serious movement, it needs a few demands or some sort of South Africa specific message.
On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 8:53 PM, Kate Doyle Griffiths-Dingani wrote:
hello all;
just arrived back in new york from durban, in time to be part of the unexpected upsurge around #occupywallstreet, an event that is giving hope to lefties of all stripes for a renewed class politics aimed at debt relief, jobs, and progressive taxation. There have already been several good reports on this list.
Recently on facebook i ran across an annoucement for an occupy-inspired protests in various cities in SA called for next week. The main website is here:
www.occupysa.org/
while i am excited about the spread of this protest movement around the USA and the world, this translation of the 'occupy' meme to SA seems to some serious flaws. I wonder if anyone knows what forces/groups are behind this call/mobilization?
best
Kate
Topic Author
