“I-Kongilesi Lilizwi ezindi ezindlwini (Congress’ Name is Household)”: Politics and Class in the Cape Province during the 1920s

Abstract

English

There are virtually no comprehensive provincial ANC histories. Historians hesitant to engage with the history of a new ruling political movement, should take political and regional history more seriously and rigorously. This article examines the complex history of politics and labour in general, and the ANC and black workers in particular, in the Cape in the 1920s. ANC leaders in the Cape regarded workers as part of their constituency, primarily in national, and not class terms. The history of this relationship shows both weakness and strength in local ANC commitment to workers. Leaders' ideologies set real limits to their understanding of, and commitment to workers, but they also responded practically to crises impacting on workers. Branches kept the image of an ANC interested in and capable of representing all Africans, including workers, before the people. The ANC was becoming a household term of endearment, embedded in rural and urban African political culture. There was some justification then, for the claim in 1925 that “I-Kongilesi Lilizwi ezindi ezindlwini (Congress' Name is Household).” 

Afrikaans

“I-Kongilesi Lilizwi ezindi ezindlwini (Congress se Naam is Alombekend)”: Politiek en Klas in die Kaapprovinsie gedurende die 1920’s

Daar bestaan feitlik geen omvattende provinsiale geskiedenisse van die ANC nie. Historici wat huiwer om die geskiedenis van ʼn nuwe regerende party aan te pak, behoort die politieke en streeksgeskiedenis daarvan meer ernstig en nougeset te bestudeer. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die ingewikkelde geskiedenis van politiek en arbeid oor die algemeen, maar meer spesifiek ook van die ANC en swart werkers in die Kaap gedurende die 1920’s. ANC-leiers in die Kaap het werkers as deel van hulle steunbasis beskou, veral in nasionale, maar nie klasterme nie. Die geskiedenis van hierdie verhouding wys op beide die swakhede en sterk punte in plaaslike ANC-takke se verbintenis tot werkers. Leiers se onderskeie ideologiese oortuigings het hulle begrip vir, en verbintenis tot werkers beperk, maar hulle het tog ook prakties opgetree wanneer werkers deur krisisse geraak is. Takke het die beeld van die ANC as organisasie wat alle Afrikane, insluitend werkers, wil en kan verteenwoordig, aan die publiek voorgehou. Die ANC was vinnig besig om ʼn geliefde huishoudelike naam te word met fondamente in beide die landelike en stedelike Afrika-politieke kultuur. Die verklaring: “IKongilesi Lilizwi ezindi ezindlwini (Congress se Naam is Alombekend)", wat in 1925 gepubliseer is, blyk dus geregverdig te wees.