Editorial

africa in struggle editorial Africa in Struggle continues to offer its pages as a platform for discussion amongst all African militants concerned with the Socialist Revolution in Africa. Specifically, the growing crisis in Southern Africa demands the closest attention as the forces of colonial and imperialist reaction are confronted more and more vigorously by those of worker and peasant liberation struggies. This issue of the journal begins with an outline of the explosive situation in Zimbabwe and our position on the liberation struggle. Of critical concern today for all those in solidarity with that struggle is to build an active opposition to the growing threat of imperialist intervention and in unconditional support for those Zimbabweans fighting racism and imperialism. As we go to press the second All-Nigeria Socialists' Conference is due to meet in Kano. We feel that, together with the struggle for socialism in South Africa, the growing resistance in Nigeria holds tremendous importance for the future of the socialist revolution in Africa. We send our fraternal greetings to all those fighting for a socialist Nigeria. We publish the Zaria Declaration, adopted by the first conference in 1977, which is the most coherent programme yet elaborated for socialism in Nigeria. An interview with an anonymous South African comrade provides an interesting view of recent developments in South Africa. We are in sharp disagreement, however, with the comrade on two points - that the Bantustan leaders are of no consequence, and that the ANC is about to undergo a fundamental process of regeneration. Unfortunately, Buthelezi does retain an ability to mobilise reactionary sentiment. And anyone who waits for the CONTENTS Zimbabwe: imperialist intervention looms .. All-Nigeria Socialists' Conference.. Interview with South African comrade Squatters' movement in South Africa. The Ethnic Question: a contribution. Zambia: neo-colonialism in practice Angola: a balance sheet... ANC to reform itself will wait for a long time. We feel, further, that the comrade's views on the women question in South Africa warrant substantial and critical comment. The squatters' movement in South Africa is another aspect of the growing resistance to Apartheid Although the movement has a long history, the short article argues that its current form has qualitative aspects which situate it clearly within the new wave of resistance and the current political and economic crises facing the Botha regime. The ethnic question in Africa is one of the unresolved problems of the African revolution. We publish, in this edition of A.i.S., a contribution by C. Gabriel to the debate on that issue. The victory of the Angolan people over imperialism raised hopes that the MPLA would be able to break decisively the grip of imperialism and begin the process of socialist transformation. Now, three years later, these hopes appear illusory. Imperialist economic interests remain intact, indeed strengthened. Whilst Neto embraces Mobutu, socialist opponents of the MPLA leadership populate his jails. The article by Jose Maia on these years, and focussing on the Nitista faction in the MPLA, illuminates both the MPLA leadership's failings and the inadequacies of the opposition to it. The article on Kaunda's Zambia looks at the impasse into which neo-colonial polities is leading the country. The lessons learned apply far beyond the borders of Zambia. The Editors page 3 1 13 15