Interview with Narendra Makenji greater and stronger policing. However other shadow cabinet and front bench spokespersons have been much more understanding about the situation that the cities face. Alf Dubs and Clive Soley visited the Broadwater Farm Estate the day after the riots there and have been very helpful since then. The attitude of Neil Kinnock is nearer to that of Alf Dubs in my view, than that of Roy Hattersley. International: Not everything about the riots can be condoned by socialists. For example a number of women were raped during the Brixton riot. What is your response to that? Narendra Makanji: These riots take place within a prevailing culture and values — hence there is looting of items that are commercially most desirable. There are other acts which take place such as rape and other violence. We have to have a serious debate about this within the labour movement, because we have to create a climate and set of values that run against such acts, so that if people do feel pressed to
Philip Gordon (Reflex) make a protest, the means of their protest reflect those new and socialist values. The rapes, the looting, the muggings that happen are a reflection of capitalist values and nineteenth century attitudes which have long existed and which this government assiduously reinforces. We have to change all that. International: As national secretary of Labour Party Black Sections how do you think Black Sections should relate to this development? Narendra Makanji: Black Sections should act as a bridge between the alienated Black people and the Labour Party and labour movement. We have to keep our lines of communication open despite the fact that there might be minor disagreements with Black people and Black people's organisations that are not totally committed to the Labour Party. We have to ensure in particular that the people who do not have a political voice see in the Labour Party Black Sections a means by which they can obtain that voice.
International. No. 1. November/December 1985
Crisis in South Africa Statement of the Fourth International
POLICE *ARM)
OUT OF TOWNSHIPS! Funeral of Andries Raditsela, FOSATU trade unionist killed by police, June 1985.
THE NEW RIsE in struggles in South Africa falls into the framework of the general crisis of imperialist domination, opening a new front which could increase the difficulties of the imperialist counter offensive including in Central America. The South African mass movement had already been stimulated by the defeat of Portuguese colonialism in Angola and Mozambique. Today the struggles against apartheid constitute the most advanced form of the anti-imperialist struggles in the whole of Black Africa. The new wave of popular mobilisations in South Africa constitute an element of first importance for all anti-imperialist struggles throughout the world. The imperialist governments and big capital have all recognised the danger and are each seeking to close the breach that is opening in South Africa.
The place of South Africa in the counter-revolutionary system of imperialism is considerable, as are imperialism's economic interests in this country. The South African regime remains the strong arm of imperialism in Southern Africa, and has even contributed to arming the dictatorships in Latin America. The important place that a