The birth of African states is widely documented as a result of a protracted struggle against imperialism; a design of government that embodies sentiments of nationalist leaders who conceived of ‘unity’ as the means to counter colonial tactics of ‘divide and rule’ and the threat of post-colonial polarisation.
This is important to understand as it provides explanation for the roots of why leaders in the ANC embraced the ideals of a single party state and bureaucracy and found themselves drawn to Marxist ideals and why, in economic terms, the party positions itself as a benevolent amalgamation of political and economic authority seeking to provide for the needs of the marginalised masses.
