All Out May 9! Hands off Xolani Khoza!

Xolani Khoza, a South African trade-unionist and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member, goes on trial May 9 in South Africa. For his prominent role in a strike at his workplace in May 2024, Xolani has been one of the first targets of the new “Government of National Unity” (GNU) coalition between the African National Congress and the white-dominated Democratic Alliance. Last June, Xolani was kidnapped by unidentified thugs who interrogated him at length about his political activities and the strike, before dumping him at the police station. Then he was imprisoned and slapped with a host of trumped-up charges including incitement of “terrorism.” His alleged “crime”? Posting a TikTok video calling for a shutdown to protest the GNU government.

Since his arrest in June, Xolani has been released on bail on the condition that he is banned from posting or using social media. Clearly, the neo-apartheid government and the white bosses it serves hope that if they can get away with locking up Xolani, it will silence anyone who would fight against the pro-imperialist, anti-black neo-apartheid GNU agenda. It is urgently necessary to mobilize broadly to protest this witch hunt. Drop the charges! End the state surveillance and social media ban!

Xolani’s trial comes as Trump and the bloodsucking U.S. imperialists seek to usher in a new world order to re-assert their slipping dominance over the planet. The Trump administration’s crushing of the black South African masses with tariffs and starvation goes hand in hand with the assaults here at home on workers’ livelihoods and racist attacks on immigrants and black people. As winds of right-wing reaction are howling around the world and the imperialists and their lackeys turn the screws on workers and the oppressed, there is a sharp increase in state repression. From pro-Palestine activists in the U.S. and Europe, to youth fighting IMF-dictated austerity in Kenya, Nigeria and other countries of the Global South, leftists and anti-imperialists everywhere are under the gun. For an anti-imperialist united front! Down with U.S. imperialism!

United front defense against this repression must be organized to limit the damage and begin turning the tide. An injury to one is an injury to all! Uniting in common defense work provides an opportunity for necessary discussion and debate about the way forward to fight Trump reaction and imperialism. For united front defense! The Committee to Defend Xolani Khoza, founded by local EFF chapters and Spartacist/South Africa, has mobilized united front protests at Xolani’s court dates and upcoming trial. Here, in the “belly of the beast,” the PDC has initiated a union-front rally at the South African consulate in New York on May 9. We must organize broadly to fight to defend Xolani. Aluta - continua! Amandla - awethu!