Workers Organisation for Socialist Action
Encyclopedia
The Workers Organisation for Socialist Action is a Trotskyist political party
in South Africa
.
Founded in 1990, the group claimed that the African National Congress
was raising hopes which were unrealisable under capitalism
. Instead, for the South African general election, 1994
, it formed the Workers List Party, aiming to build a mass Workers' Party
. The group took only 4,169 votes, and the Workers List was soon abandoned.
The organisation, chaired by Neville Alexander
, soon formed links with Workers Liberty, but following a disillusionment after the poor election result, its membership declined and it changed direction. In 1997, it hosted a conference with the Italian group Socialismo Rivoluzionario, also attended by Lalit
from Mauritius and the International Bolshevik Tendency. It is currently close to the United Secretariat of the Fourth International and publishes Vukani Basebenzi and Workers' Voice.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in South Africa
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...
.
Founded in 1990, the group claimed that the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
was raising hopes which were unrealisable under capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. Instead, for the South African general election, 1994
South African general election, 1994
The South African general election of 1994 was an election held in South Africa to mark the end of apartheid, therefore also the first held with universal adult suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission .Millions queued in lines over a three...
, it formed the Workers List Party, aiming to build a mass Workers' Party
Workers' Party
Workers' Party is a name used by a number of political parties throughout the world. While the name has been used by both left-wing and right-wing organizations, it is currently used by left-wing followers of Communism, Maoism, Marxism, Marxism-Leninism, Social Democracy, Socialism and...
. The group took only 4,169 votes, and the Workers List was soon abandoned.
The organisation, chaired by Neville Alexander
Neville Alexander
Neville Edward Alexander is a proponent of a multilingual South Africa and a former revolutionary who spent ten years on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela.-Early life:...
, soon formed links with Workers Liberty, but following a disillusionment after the poor election result, its membership declined and it changed direction. In 1997, it hosted a conference with the Italian group Socialismo Rivoluzionario, also attended by Lalit
Lalit
Lalit is a left political party in Mauritius. It is opposed to private or any other undemocratic control of the means of human survival on the planet...
from Mauritius and the International Bolshevik Tendency. It is currently close to the United Secretariat of the Fourth International and publishes Vukani Basebenzi and Workers' Voice.