Usage in Southern Africa
In South Africa, comrade is associated with the liberation struggle more generally and the African National Congress in particular. The members of unions affiliated to the ANC through their union federation use the term comrade to refer to each other. Comrade can also be a way of describing someone who is an activist, although it has an association with the ANC and the struggle against apartheid. The naming of the Comrades Marathon is however unrelated, as it commemorates soldiers of World War I.
In Zimbabwe, the term is only used to people who are affiliated to the ruling party, ZANU (PF) where the state media also use Cde as short for comrade. Members of the opposition mainly the Movement for Democratic Change are often referred by their names or Mr, Mrs or Prof.
The revived Zimbabwe African Peoples` Union (ZAPU) members also call themselves comrades. Zapu is the original liberation movement in Zimbabwe. Zanu Pf was formed as a breakaway movement.
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