South Africa's Political Crisis ─ Unfinished Liberation and Fractured Class Struggles

South Africa's long road to political freedom reflects only a partial freedom and an unfinished project of liberation. The country remains one of the most unequal on earth and is experiencing unprecedented levels of protest and industrial action. South Africa's powerful and globally revered trade unions are currently playing a central role in what are the most significant political upheavals since the transition to democracy. The alliance between the unions and the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is in crisis, while the unions themselves are beset by volatile internecine infighting that threatens to tear the labour movement apart. The unions therefore stand at an organisational and political crossroads. Which path they take bears huge significance for South Africa's future, as well as how we understand the role that trade unions can play in global struggles for social justice in the era of neoliberal globalisation.

Through original ethnographic insights this book investigates which political direction South Africa is moving in at this pivotal moment in the country's history. It contributes to the African Studies and Political Science scholarship on nationalist movements and African trade unions, while also offering new perspectives on labour activism and the strategic dilemmas confronting leftist movements on a global scale.

Alexander Beresford is Lecturer in the Politics of African Development at the University of Leeds, UK, and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His work examines contemporary South African politics. He has previously published a range of articles on issues including patronage politics, crony capitalism, nationalism and labour politics in the post-apartheid era.