Statement of Gauteng SACP PEC held on 5 September 2010 in Johannesburg
6 September 2010
The PEC of the SACP in Gauteng met in Johannesburg on 5 September 2010. The meeting analysed the current balance of forces and also spent time on strikes in the public and private sector. The PEC also had an opportunity to engage inputs from two MECs in the economic cluster who were invited to the meeting namely; MEC for Economic Development (Firoz Cachalia) and MEC for Finance (Mandla Nkomfe). The emphasis on these inputs was a need for a new economic paradigm and growth path within the context of a developmental state that will drive our development agenda.
On the strikes
The PEC supports the current struggles of the workers in the public sector, motor & metal industry as well as the mining sector. Workers are waging a struggle for better salaries, improved and safe working conditions and this in our view constitute legitimate demands.
The PEC is concerned about the impact of the strike in the public sector as it mainly affects working class communities. We therefore call on government and the unions to ensure that there is a speedy resolution to the strike because the more it is prolonged, the more attitudes will be hardened on both sides.
The PEC reiterates the position of the Central Committee of the SACP that the demands of the public service workers are legitimate and we support them in their struggle for just remuneration. We also agree that the salary gap between the low ranking officials and management is ridiculously high and there is an urgent need to close it. We hold a strong view that government should lead by example by placing a moratorium on salary increases in the upper echelons of government.
In the same breath, we call upon the striking workers to remain disciplined and desist from acts of violence and intimidation as this undermines the legitimacy of their cause. Its incumbent upon all leaders to provide leadership so that this struggle is not infiltrated by reactionary forces with their own agenda.
Balance of Forces
We continue to analyse the political environment using the SACPs Medium Term Vision (MTV) and the South African Road to Socialism (SARS) as our tools of analysis. We have noted with concern the emerging tendency amongst a few in our movement to attack working class leaders and communists especially as we move closer to the ANC NGC later in the month. This is a worrying trend and needs to be dislodged politically. The working class remains the leading motive force of the National Democratic Revolution and the marginalisation of this class can only mean that our revolution is on the wrong course. We will defend the integrity of our movement because instability in the ANC will adversely affect service delivery and reverse our political gains.
The PEC is content that this tendency has no space in Gauteng Province as we are working closely to strengthen the alliance through a common political programme. The strength and unity of the alliance should not be measured against the number of meetings but should be defined by a working programme. To that end, the Alliance in the province is preparing for the Economic Alliance Summit later in the year.
Working with Trade Unions
The SACP in the province has re-committed itself to working closer with the trade union movement by providing political education and playing our vanguard role. We have held our PEC bi-later with COSATU in the province where a common programme was outlined. We are preparing for the commemorating of the 89th anniversary of the SACP jointly with COSATU. For this event, there will be a joint political lecture focusing on womens struggles. The lecture will also look at the SACP anti-corruption campaign and the ANC NCG documents to consolidate a left perspective.
Issued on behalf of the SACP Gauteng PEC
Contact:
Acting Provincial Secretary: Jacob Mamabolo (082 884 1868) Provincial Spokesperson: Pat Ntsobi (072 671 4258)
