The psychology of oppression is devastating, to say the
least, to the oppressed. Steve Biko centred his understanding and explanation
of oppression to the mind of the oppressed, concluding that the weapon in the
hands of the oppressed to free themselves is to free their mind.

It would seem that the oppressed people, after years of
toil, suffering and humiliation, learn to accept the superiority of their
oppressor and find enemies among themselves. When the struggle seems
insurmountable they redirect their anger against their own, whilst making peace
with the oppressor. This, they do, whilst professing love of their people, a
commitment to struggle and freedom for the masses.


The issues raised by the former Black Consciousness
leader and activist, former chairman of the African National Congress (ANC),
former defense minister of the republic of South Africa (SA) and the current
leader of Congress of the People (COPE), Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota, against the
president of the republic of SA, the student activist, founding Secretary
General of the National Union of Mineworkers, chief negotiator of the South
African Constitution, the first Secretary-General (SG) of the governing African
National Congress (ANC) to be elected at home soil after unbanning and former
deputy-president of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa; and the legendary pan Africanist,
the founding president of the Pan African National Congress (PAC), Robert
Mangaliso Sobukwe, by Solly Mapailla, are worth considering.

The COPE leader accused Cyril Ramaphosa of selling his
comrades out by writing a letter in which he accused them (Lekota and other
comrades) of “instilling communist ideas in his head”. And this, according to
Lekota sent him and his comrades to Robben Island, whilst Ramaphosa was spared.

To be fair to Solly Mapailla, he says he does not blame
Sobukwe for selling out but rather prjects him as a victim. Mapailla reasons
that Sobukwe was jailed on Robben island but given a house (instead of a small
cell that others like Mandela called home for 27 years), clothes, furniture,
books, visitors, etc, in because the jailors regarded him as a political
prisoner, and political prisoners, in the jailors’ judgement, were a few notches
higher in respectability than criminals. Nelson Mandela and other comrades were
regarded as terrorists and, therefore, criminals. For these reasons, they
deserved nothing more than the small cells, short pants, crushing of stones on
daily basis and all that came with it.

 


It is clear that when the struggle gets tough some among
the oppressed get frustrated, accept the superiority of the oppressor or find
enemies among themselves.


  • First, some get despondent and abandon the cause. There
    are countless comrades who had to find solace away from struggle.

    Second, some remain in struggle but without exerting
    effort nor sacrifice. They mean well but have accepted that the oppressed
    cannot possibly win. And these are disappointed either by the conduct of their
    own comrades, or find their collective effort against the oppressor’s machinery
    too meek to make a difference.

  • Third, there are those who get captured in action and are
    tortured, starved of food, sleep, human contact and sound (in solitary confinement)
    and are made to sign “undertakings” they have not seen, let alone agree or
    “confessions they don’t agree with, let alone discuss nor understand.
  • Fourth, there are those who have never lifted a finger
    against the oppressor either out of ignorance and have not mobilized into the
    fighting force of the people or think it is only the delusional who would dare
    challenge the mighty force of the oppressor
  • Fifth, there is a group that has decided that only will
    they not support the struggle they will actively work against the people and
    their effort. This includes chasing freedom fighters, assist in their capture
    and sabotage their plans.
  • Sixth, there is a group that remains in struggle,
    sometimes climbing to the very top of the struggle hierarchy. They remain a
    symbol of the people’s power and resilience. But deep in their souls have
    accepted the absurdity of it all and the superiority of the system. They will
    accept anything in order to be accepted by the master, their oppressor,
    provided it is kept in the darkness of night, away from the prying eyes of
    their people: a few shares, some company directorship, some braai chops and
    beers, children school fees or some monthly stipend.

All this helps us to understand that there is a continuum
in the actions of the oppressed, from those who cannot lift a finger against
the oppressor to those who actively take part in lynching mobs against their
people and those who quietly secure personal benefits from their positions
instead of serving the people.

There are two things the oppressed don’t realize:



(a) Any struggle has dissenters.

(b) The victims of oppression don’t take kindly to
dissent.

(c) The enemy forces know this fact.

(d) Because the oppressor wants to maintain a
stranglehold on the people he uses the tactic of casting some as dissenters to
maximum effect. He creates doubt among the people and, therefore, divide and
weaken them.

Failure to realise this makes the oppressed fall prey to
the tactic and abandon unity in favor of retribution and revenge. Some are
accused of being naïve, collaborators, sellouts, spies and the corrupt. Like a
pack of wild dogs the oppressed maul the suspects but not to feed themselves
but rather to sooth their tormented souls.