National 1.2.2016 07:00 am by Ngwako Modjadji
FILE PICTURE: SACP members are pictured through the tombstone of Joe Slovo. Picture: Alaister Russell
"Our view is that this has to do with the upcoming local government elections."
The rift between the SA Communist Party (SACP) and ANC widened after ANC members spat fire and disrupted the SACP event held over the weekend in Mmamatsha village, in the Ga-Molepo area outside Polokwane in Limpopo.
The event was meant to be a commemoration of the 21-year anniversary of the death of the general secretary of the SACP, Joe Slovo. SA National Civics Organisation and Young Communist League leaders were scheduled to speak at the event.
Yesterday, SACP provincial secretary Gilbert Kganyago said the event was disrupted at around 3pm by allegedly drunk ANC members who took down a marquee, sang anti-SACP songs and switched off the sound system. Police were called in to forcefully remove the unruly ANC members.
Kganyago said speakers were about to provide messages when ANC members stormed their venue.
"Some of the hooligans were visibly drunk," Kganyago said. He said disruption of the SACP event was not an isolated incident. "It is part of emerging anti-communist attacks throughout the country," Kganyago said.
"The main objective of these anti-SACP attacks is to scuttle the unity of the ANC-SACP alliance."
Kganyago called on SACP members to do everything in their power to defend the SACP. Lately, there have been ructions between the SACP and ANC in provinces such as Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
Last week, an SACP member, Philip Dlamini, was gunned down in Inchanga, KwaZulu-Natal. Kganyago, who is also the Capricorn District Municipality Mayor, told The Citizen that there was a group of anti-communists within the ANC that seeks to marginalise the SACP.
"Our view is that this has to do with the upcoming local government elections."
http://citizen.co.za/970711/boozed-up-ancs-spoil-sacp-event/