The re-emergence of debates on the decolonisation of knowledge has revived interest in the National Question, which began over a century ago and remains unresolved. Tensions that were suppressed and hidden in the past are now being openly debated. Despite this, the goal of one united nation living prosperously under a constitutional democracy remains elusive. This edited volume examines the way in which various strands of left thought have addressed the National Question, especially during the apartheid years, and goes on to discuss its relevance for South Africa today and in the future.

Instead of imposing a particular understanding of the National Question, the editors identified a number of political traditions and allowed contributors the freedom to define the question as they believed appropriate - in other words, to explain what they thought was the Unresolved National Question. This has resulted in a rich tapestry of interweaving perceptions.

The volume is structured in two parts. The first examines four foundational traditions - Marxism-Leninism (the Colonialism of a Special Type thesis); the Congress tradition; the Trotskyist tradition; and Africanism. The second part explores the various shifts in the debate from the 1960s onwards, and includes chapters on Afrikaner nationalism, ethnic issues, Black Consciousness, feminism, workerism and constitutionalism. The editors hope that by revisiting the debates not popularly known among the scholarly mainstream, this volume will become a catalyst for an enriched debate on our identity and our future.

Lo mntwana uya kuthiywa igama elithi nguRholihlahla,' watsho uyise mhla waqala ukubona unyana wakhe. Eli gama lithetha "ukurhola ihlahla lomthi" kodwa linako ukutolikwa njengo-"Dal'uqhushululu". Le ncwadi igocagoca ubomi bukaRholihlahla Nelson Mandela, obesakuba nguMongameli womZansti Afrika. Le ncwadi ibalisa ngokuzinikezela ngokungenaxanasi kumzabalazo olwa ucalucalulo, kwaneenzima awadibana nazo xa wayesentolongweni kwiminyaka engama-27. Intetho kaMandela xa wayephuma entolongweni ihamba yenjenje, 'Zihlobo, maqabane, bantu bonke bomZantsi Afrika. Ndinibulisa nonke egameni loxolo, inkululeko kawonke-wonke nolawulo lomntu wonke.' Inkululeko kaMandela yothetha-thethwano yakhokelela kumZantsi Afrika okhululekileyo kawonke-wonke. Wayilwela Inkululeko, le ncwadi ibalisa ngobomi beenkokeli zeli lomZantsi Afrika ezalwela inkululeko yobulungisa. Phantsi kwale ndima ibalulekileyo bayidlalayo kwimbali zomZansti Afrika, uninzi lwezi nkokeli alulibaleki kwiincwadi zeembali. Ezi ncwadi zibhalwa njengabonwabisi kwaye ulwimi lwazo kunye neenjongo zazo zicace gca okwekati emhlophe ehlungwini, kuba zigcina ubuncwane apho bufaneleka buthi gingci khona kwiimbali zeli.