On February 29, 2020 in South Africa a speaking tour on the Revolution in Rojava and Democratic Confederalism has started with the participation of two Kurdish activists. Until March 9 the South African association “International Labour Research Information Group” (ILRIG) organizes almost daily public events in four cities.

ILRIG, which is a decades old organization working on labours education and alternatives to capitalism, organizes these events in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Grahamstown with local partners like institutes at universities, community centers, environmental groups and alternative initiatives.

In these cities Rohash Shexo from Kongra Star, the women’s umbrella organization of Rojava, and Ercan Ayboga from the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement of North Kurdistan make speeches about the political concept of Democratic Confederalism and the development of the revolution in Rojava and especially how women organizes themselves in the new democratic autonomous model.

In Johannesburg the first day events have been organized in The Forge, an alternative space in the city center, and in the House of Movements. On behalf of ILRIG Dale McKinsey, who published a book called “The corporatised freedom of South Africa” contributed to the discussions. The second day the two Kurdish activists went to the large township Orange Farm where discussions have been made with local people who partly joined the uprisings of the 70s, 80s and 90s against the Apartheid state of South Africa.

The third day an event at the Wits University was organised in which many academicians attended. In all events many questions have been asked by the attendees in order to understand better the self-organized society of Rojava and other parts of Kurdistan. Most of the questions were about the communes and peoples’ assemblies as well on the cooperatives.

The great interest comes also from the fact that 26 years after the end of the Apartheid the extreme social injustices in the South African society have not changed significantly and that bottom up organizations have disappeared after the ANC (African National Congress) got the power in the state.

On the 4th March the two activists will join two events in Durban, another centre in South Africa. Then they will travel to the second big city Cape Town where three public events will host the two Kurdish activists.