Syrian forces prepare to redeploy to Sweida despite Israeli warnings
A ceasefire announced on Wednesday briefly ended days of bloody fighting that erupted when Bedouin and Druze fighters clashed in Sweida province, prompting the Syrian government to send in troops — further spiking violence.
The clashes drew in Israel, which said it would not allow Syria's Islamist-led government to deploy troops to the south and struck Syrian troops in Sweida, the defence ministry and close to the presidential palace in Damascus.
Syrian troops withdrew from Sweida after the truce was announced but clashes sparked up again late Thursday between the tribal Bedouin fighters and the Druze, part of a religious minority that also has followers in Lebanon and Israel.
Israel's military carried out fresh strikes in Sweida province overnight.
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IOL News
27 minutes ago
- IOL News
From Alliance to Independence: The SACP's Path Forward to Reclaim Revolutionary Integrity
Newly elected secretary general of South African Communist Party (SACP) Chris Hani (left)) and former secretary general Joe Slovo (right) walk together after addressing the media on the third day of the first SACP legal congress inside South Africa in 41 years, in Soweto on December 07, 1991. Image: WALTER DHLADHLA / AFP Dr. Reneva Fourie The South African Communist Party's celebration of its 104th anniversary, from 30 July to 1 August, occurs at a groundbreaking moment in its history. Its decision to contest elections independently is not merely a tactical adjustment. This decision reflects a sober assessment of the country's political realities and is a necessary response to the multiple crises affecting it. The original basis of the Alliance – currently comprised of the ANC, SACP, COSATU and SANCO – rested on the shared understanding that racial oppression, patriarchy and class exploitation were intertwined. National liberation, as envisaged in the Freedom Charter, was viewed as a prerequisite for the socialist transformation of society. The Alliance was a strategic vehicle for mass mobilisation towards this shared vision. But alliances, as Lenin reminded us, are historical constructs that must serve a revolutionary purpose and require constant re-evaluation. Since 1994, South Africa has undergone a political transition without an economic transformation. The commanding heights of the economy remain in the hands of monopoly capital. The post-apartheid state inherited the formal architecture of democracy while leaving the structures of capitalist accumulation intact. The ANC-led government primarily embraced neoliberal macroeconomic policies that prioritised global capital over national interests, limiting the state's ability to effectively promote development for the benefit of South Africans. The result has been the reproduction of mass poverty, unemployment, inequality and crime. These structural failures have fuelled disillusionment with the liberation movement. The working class, once a leading force for change, is now largely excluded from real political influence. Within the Alliance, the SACP's influence has diminished as the ANC has come to be dominated by opportunist strata, many of whom entered the movement after 1990 to pursue private enrichment. This process has weakened the ANC's historical identity and transformed it into an increasingly bourgeois formation. Joe Slovo warned of such a development. In his essay Has Socialism Failed?, he highlighted the danger of bureaucratisation and class compromise in liberation movements that enter state power without altering the material foundations of oppression. The rise of patronage, corruption and internal factionalism within the ANC has vindicated this analysis. The dissolution of the National Party and absorption of its members, along with those of apartheid-era institutions, further diluted the ANC's progressive character. The working class has borne the brunt of this degeneration. Local government has become a site of elite contestation rather than a means of popular empowerment. Service delivery failures and corruption have alienated communities, while the voices of the poor are increasingly marginalised in national policy discourse. Electoral politics have shifted in favour of well-financed capitalist parties, many of which receive external support from Western-aligned foundations and donors. Much of the media, aligned with elite interests, has played a key role in shaping narratives that delegitimise the liberation movement while promoting the opposition. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The 2024 general election confirmed this trend. Although the ANC retained the largest share of votes, it fell below 50 per cent and entered a Government of National Unity with the Democratic Alliance. This decision was not the result of democratic will, but rather a response to pressure from capital and foreign interests. The DA's connection to imperialist institutions and its role in advancing neoliberal orthodoxy are well documented. The GNU represents a class project aimed at restoring the full dominance of capital and undermining the last remnants of transformative policy within the state. Faced with this reality, the SACP cannot remain confined to a subordinate role within the Alliance. The decision to contest elections independently is rooted in Leninist strategy. For Lenin, participation in bourgeois institutions was a method for revolutionary agitation and exposure, not an endorsement of the system. The Party's presence in elections is, therefore, a means to assert working-class interests, build political clarity, and offer an alternative pole of power. It is not an abandonment of the ANC, but a necessary correction to restore the movement's revolutionary integrity. The SACP has also advanced the idea of a Left Popular Front. This formation, rooted in the Marxist concept of the united front, seeks to bring together trade unions, community movements and progressive organisations around a common minimum programme. The goal is to build a mass-based movement capable of resisting neoliberalism and advancing a socialist alternative. At the same time, the SACP continues to support the reconfiguration of the Alliance. This reconfiguration must involve democratic engagement, strategic coordination and mutual accountability. It cannot remain an informal arrangement in which the ANC monopolises decision-making. The Alliance must be restructured to reflect the balance of forces within society and the need for a socialist orientation to the National Democratic Revolution. The SACP's role within the Alliance must be recognised not only symbolically, but in the structural transformation of the economy. The pursuit of electoral independence and the building of a Left Popular Front are not contradictory. Both are responses to the changing material conditions of post-apartheid South Africa. The class character of the state has not shifted adequately. Racism, patriarchy and tribalism remain embedded in society. The transition to political democracy was a moment of historical importance, but without economic liberation, it remains incomplete. The second, more radical phase of the revolution demands bold and decisive leadership. The SACP has the historical legitimacy, ideological clarity and organisational roots to lead this phase. Its tradition of struggle, rooted in the working class, positions it to reclaim the revolutionary mandate of the liberation movement. The Party must now deepen its presence in communities, expand its cadre base, and develop the organisational capacity required to contest and exercise power. The ultimate aim is not merely parliamentary presence, but the creation of a socialist society in which all South Africans benefit from the country's wealth. The working class cannot afford further delay. The crisis of capitalism is sharpening. Forces opposed to economic justice are advancing ideologically and institutionally. The SACP must step forward as a unifying agent for the working-class struggle. In asserting its independence, the SACP is laying the foundations for a new phase of revolutionary advancement. * Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
The Star
16 hours ago
- The Star
ActionSA demands accountability over R28 million Boipatong Old Age Home scandal
Masabata Mkwananzi | Published 4 hours ago ActionSA in Emfuleni is outraged by the state of the Boipatong Old Age Home, where R28 million has already been spent, yet construction has not progressed, and no elderly residents are benefiting from the stalled project. The project, launched by the Emfuleni Local Municipality in 2015, has been plagued by delays, from contractor failures and poor administration to community unrest. Most shocking of all, planning came to a halt nearly a decade later after the late discovery of a gas pipeline beneath the site. Bongani Dhlamini, ActionSA Emfuleni Regional Chairperson, said the Boipatong Old Age Home debacle highlights the ANC-led government's disregard for residents' well-being and blatant misuse of public funds, adding that those responsible must be held accountable. 'The Department of Infrastructure Development, Emfuleni Municipality, the appointed contractors, as well as all political and administrative officials who oversaw this project without intervening when the project was halted, must be held accountable. Political leadership cannot hide behind bureaucratic excuses - oversight is their duty, and failure to act makes them accessories to the failure of this project.' The Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) has now promised that the Boipatong Old Age Home project could be completed by the end of 2026, but only if all conditions are favourable. Dhlamini criticised the Department of Infrastructure Development, calling its 2026 completion promise nothing more than 'political theatre' in the absence of a transparent plan, secured funding, and confirmed contractors. He said ActionSA is demanding a detailed, publicly accessible recovery plan with monthly progress reports to ensure accountability. During an oversight visit last year, 2024, ActionSA said they interacted with residents and families of the would-be beneficiaries, and according to Dhlamini, their local structures have maintained regular contact. The feedback has been deeply troubling; many feel abandoned, have lost trust in the government, and doubt whether the project will ever be completed. Some community members expressed deep frustration and despair over the stalled Boipatong Old Age Home project, sharing their concerns and disappointment on social media. Lori Batista said, 'This is heartbreaking. Only black citizens can stop this. They need to be shown how they're being used. If they don't vote out the corrupt leaders, there's no future; South Africa will end up worse than Zimbabwe. My heart bleeds.' 'Not one project completed in more than 30 years of ruling. Only corruption and stealing to line their own pockets,' said Lettie Hattingh Kriel. Vivienne Haddad Kirkbride echoed these feelings, expressing disbelief that those involved in the project show no shame. She said, "I would never live with myself if I took even a teaspoon that didn't belong to me…We're not all cut from the same cloth." Theo Nkonki, spokesperson for Gauteng MEC Jacob Mamabolo, told The Star that the government is taking strong steps to ensure the Boipatong Old Age Home is finished by 2026: 'We have launched a detailed planning process that includes updated technical studies, revised project scopes, and active engagement with key stakeholders like SASOL.' Nkonki added that safety considerations and redesign efforts are underway, and new contracts will include penalties to hold contractors accountable. When asked why the gas pipeline wasn't detected during the early planning phases, Nkonki explained that the pipeline was only identified during a more thorough review after the department took over the project. 'The SASOL gas pipeline next to the construction site was uncovered during a comprehensive technical assessment that had not been done in the earlier stages. 'The lack of coordinated planning and inadequate initial evaluations contributed to the oversight. We are now in consultation with SASOL to reassess the project's feasibility and prioritise public safety,' he said. The Star [email protected]
Eyewitness News
17 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Key Somalia town of Maxaas falls to Al-Shabaab
MOGADISHU - Islamist militants took control of the strategic town of Maxaas in central Somalia on Sunday after heavy fighting with the army and local militias, military sources said. The Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab has taken dozens of towns and villages since launching an offensive early this year, reversing almost all of the gains made by the government in its own military campaign in 2022 and 2023. In a statement, Al-Shabaab said it had taken the town of Maxaas, around 300 kilometres (186 miles) from the capital Mogadishu, which is considered a strategic hub for transport and logistics in the central region. Members of the Somali National Army confirmed the fall of Maxaas, though claimed it was a "tactical retreat". Mohamed Dahir, an army commander in the area, told AFP that Al-Shabaab had attacked with "car bombs and hundreds of heavily armed" fighters early on Sunday. "The brave members of the Somali army and the local community militias fought them fiercely outside town before making a tactical retreat to pre-established defensive positions outside town," he said by phone. Maxaas had been held by Ethiopian troops, part of the African Union's security force, until they handed over the military base to the Somali National Army in August 2024. The government had also relied on the support of local militias opposed to Al-Shabaab. "Al-Shabab militants managed to enter the town after heavy fighting this morning," Ali Hayo, a local militia fighter told AFP by phone, speaking from a nearby location. "There is still sporadic gunfire outside town, but I can confirm that the terrorists are now controlling Maxaas. "The fighting is not over, we are still close to the town, and we are expecting to engage in counteroffensives," he said.
