SACP won't break away from alliance

November 23 2015 at 11:20am

Independent Online/ By BALDWIN NDABA

SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande. File photo: Masi Losi

Johannesburg - The SACP has again opted to remain with the ANC-led tripartite alliance, despite dissenting views from some of its structures - most notably the Young Communist League - which wants it to be independent.

On Sunday, party leader Blade Nzimande shrugged off calls for his immediate resignation from his post as minister of higher education and training, saying it was mooted by a "few factionalists" within the ANC. While he did not mention them by name, Nzimande said the anti-communist rhetoric was propagated by those who have "ambitions to loot public resources".

"The SACP has no intention of abandoning its resolute and principled stand against political parasitism, cults of personality, and the plundering of state and SOC (state-owned corporations) resources.

"Equally, the SACP has no intention of breaking with the ANC and the alliance it leads. The alliance needs to be reconfigured and not abandoned," he said.

Nzimande and senior leaders of the SACP were addressing the media after the outcome of their two-day central committee meeting in Benoni on Sunday.

In an indirect attack on those calling for his resignation, Nzimande said his party's fight against corruption and factionalism was shared by many within the ANC.

This, he said, included the governing party's supporters, who were creating an impression that his detractors were an insignificant few whose aims were bound to fail.

"In this regard, the SACP warmly welcomed important resolutions of the ANC's national general council, including the outright condemnation of slate politics funded by money that simply reproduces endless factional churn," Nzimande said.

However, he admitted factional battles among the SACP and ANC leaders, as well as supporters, "were putting stress and strain" on their ability to unite ahead of next year's local government elections.

In their bid not to further fuel the strained relations within the alliance, Nzimande announced that his senior leaders were due to meet its alliance partners in the alliance's political council, where he hoped that some of the personal attacks against him and his party would be discussed and resolved.

The Star

http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/sacp-won-t-break-away-from-alliance-1.1949327#.VlMErbShccA