Jeremy Cronin

**Jeremy Patrick Cronin** (born 12 September 1949) be a South African writer, author, den noted poet. A longtime activist insyd politics, Cronin is a member of de South African Communist Party den a former member of de National Executive Committee of de African National Congress. He serve as de South African Deputy Minister of Public Works from 2012 until ein retirement insyd 2019.

## Early life
Cronin be brought up insyd a White middle-class Roman Catholic family insyd Rondebosch insyd Cape Town, South Africa. During adolescence, he consider de idea of he go enter de priesthood. After a year's military service, when he be conscript insyd de South African Navy, Cronin win a bursary to study at de University of Cape Town insyd 1968; there he become a member of de Radical Student Society den be subsequently recruit into then-ban South African Communist Party (SACP).

Insyd de early 1970s, Cronin study for ein Master's degree insyd Philosophy insyd France den return to South Africa, where he begin lecture insyd de Philosophy department at de University of Cape Town.

## Activism den imprisonment
Cronin ein work insyd de propaganda unit of de SACP bring ein to de attention of de South African Bureau of State Security; he be arrest on charges under de Terrorism den Internal Security Acts den try insyd de Cape Town Supreme Court insyd September 1976, along plus David Rabkin den ein wife Sue. De charges include conspire plus members of de African National Congress (sanso a ban organisation) den de SACP, den prepare den distribute pamphlets on these organisations' behalf (activities commemorate insyd Cronin's poem "A Step Away from Them," model on a poem of de same title by American poet Frank O'Hara). Cronin plead guilty to all charges den be sentenced to seven years' imprisonment (1976–1983). He serve ein time insyd Pretoria Local, or Pretoria Prison, which be part of de Pretoria Central Prison complex, along plus Denis Goldberg, Raymond Suttner den others. He participate insyd de plan of a daring escape insyd 1979 by Tim Jenkin, Stephen Lee den Alex Moumbaris. Ein wife Anne Marie die of a brain tumour during ein imprisonment.

## Poetry
Cronin ein first book of poetry, *Inside*, be published in 1984 following ein release from prison. Subsequent volumes include *Even the Dead* (1997) den *Inside and Out* (1999). Ein most recent collection, *More Than A Casual Contact*, be published insyd 2006. Among ein best known poems be "Motho Ke Motho Ka Batho Babang", whose title be taken from de Sotho aphorism "A person be a person because of oda people".

### Collected poems

* *More than a Casual Contact* (2006)
* *Inside and Out* (1999)
* *Even the Dead: Poems, Parables and a Jeremiad* (1997)

## Politics
Follow Cronin ein release from prison he begin work plus de United Democratic Front (UDF), found insyd 1983, where he work as de editor of its theoretical journal *Isizwe* (De Nation). He sanso be involve insyd various kinds of popular education, but insyd de late 1980s, increase harassment from de security forces force ein den ein wife to leave South Africa den move first to London, den to Lusaka insyd Zambia, where he work close plus Joe Slovo for de ANC/SACP alliance. Insyd de 1990s, he work insyd de SACP head office insyd Johannesburg, where he be deputy general secretary of de party. He become a member of parliament insyd 1999. Ein interviews plus Helena Sheehan insyd 2001 den 2002 meet plus a storm of controversy, because of ein left critique of de ANC during de presidency of Thabo Mbeki. He be forced to apologise to de ANC insyd 2002. He deliver de Chris Hani memorial lecture, title *Why South Africa will never be like Zimbabwe*, insyd Durban on 4 May 2008. On 10 May 2009, President Jacob Zuma appoint ein Deputy Minister of Transport, den insyd 2012 he move to become Deputy Minister of Public Works. Insyd May 2019, he retire from parliament den government office.

## Political writings
* "The national democratic struggle and the question of transformation", 1986
* "Inside which circle, a reply to Colin Bundy, 1989
* "For the sake of our lives: Guidelines for the creation of people's self-defence units", 1991
* "The boat, the tap and the Leipzig way", 1992
* "Dreaming of final showdown – a reply to Jordan and Nzimande", 1992
* "A Mass-Driven Transformation", 1994
* "Challenging the neo-liberal agenda in South Africa", 1995
* "Tragic lessons of the Algerian Revolution", June 1995
* "A Patriotic Bourgeoisie?", May 1996
* "Masakhane and Socialism", November 1996
* "Let us build together", November 1996
* "Thinking about the Concept "National Democratic Revolution", 1996
* "We Need Transformation, Not A Balancing Act", 1997
* "The New Imperialism", May 1997
*"Labour Landslide and the Left", June 1997
* "More than ever – SACP perspective on the Alliance", December 1997
* "Communist Manifesto, 150 years", February 1998
* "Chris Hani", 1999
* "Transforming Legislatures into Tributes of the people", July 1999
* "Morality is relevant in economic policy", 2000
* "Review of ''The UDF- History of the United Democratic Front 1983–1991''", 2000
* "Liberation movements, governance and bureaucratisation", November 2001
* "Post-Apartheid South Africa: A Reply to John S. Saul", December 2002
* "Here Comes The Sun – drawing lessons from Slovo's  ''No Middle Road'', January 2003
* "Preparations to celebrate the first decade of freedom, June 26 2003
* "Contemporary challenge for left progressive forces in Africa and Europe",  September 2003
* "Living in Joe Slovo", 11 July 2005
* "Neo-liberalism, reformism, populism and ultra-leftism", 28 August 2005 
* "The people shall govern – class struggles and post-1994 state in South Africa", 2005
* "Chris Hani", 1 April 2005  
* "Blank pages in history should be allowed – the role of revolutionary intellectuals"m, February 25, 2006
* " The SACP, eighty-five years of unbroken communist struggle in South Africa", 17 July 2006
* "the role of revolutionary intellectuals", 2006
* "Joe SlovoDemocracy and Socialism",18 January 2007 - 
* " A post-1994 South African state", 2007
* "In defence of the new ANC", 18 February 2008
* "Netshitenzhe misses the point", 12 June 2009
* "For the SACP recall of President Mbeki is not an obsession", 18 June 2008
* present economic crisis in the world capitalist system – and prospects for the left", 28 January 2009
* "Debunking Dalai Lama", 1 April 2009
* "Defend the parastatal sector!", 2 September, 2009
* "Some thoughts on the global economic crisis", 7 September 2009
* "The future of the state", 23 October 2009
* "Should we nationalise the mines?", 18 November 2009
* "Nationalisation debate...more and more curious",December 2009
* "Let us close ranks against factionalism. Let us close ranks against corruption", 17 March 2010
* "Response to Mondli Makhanya,  6 April 2011
* "The E-toll saga – ideological confusions and strange bedfellows", 15 March 2012 
* "Let's not get pushed into opposing corners by those who don't have interests of our Alliance and our country at heart",  13 December 2012 
* "Why Chris Hani's killer Clive Derby-Lewis should not get a parole",  3 July 2014 
* "What lies behind the current turmoil within COSATU?, 27 November 2014 
* "What is going on in South Africa's Parliament?" 20 February 2015  
* "Message of Solidarity to National Union of Mineworkers", 4 June 2015 
* "Do we need an independent media tribunal?" 20 August 2015 
* "Former President Mbeki doesn't get it", 20 January 2016 
* "Corporate Capture, Money and Politics – Part Two", 3 November 2016 
* "No slightest glimmer of reciprocal self-reflection on Ratshitinga's side", 19 June 2017 

## References


## External links
*Interview with Jeremy Cronin by Dr Helena Sheehan, 2002.