February 26, 1997
The South African Communist Party has noted the ill-tempered attack on our party by Swazi Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Sishayi Nxumalo (Times of Swaziland, "Communists must not interfere - Sishayi", 25 February 1997).
Along with other democratic forces in South Africa, including our alliance partners, the ANC and COSATU, we have been deeply concerned by the situation in Swaziland. In particular we are concerned at the lack of progress in the constitutional negotiations, the ongoing lack of basic political freedoms, and the detention and harassing of democratic activists in Swaziland.
Swaziland solutions must be found for Swaziland problems. The SACP has no intention of interfering in the domestic, democratic processes that must unfold. We will however always and fearlessly speak out against human rights abuses, wherever they may occur. We owe at least this much to the thousands of Swazis who supported us during our own struggle against apartheid.
Dr Nxumalo must not hide behind outdated Cold War rhetoric. Backward forces in our continent have always tried to play the anti-communist card. The SACP is not disrespectful of people's local customs and traditions, including monarchies, provided these customs and traditions are not used as a smoke-screen to undermine basic human rights.
As for being "against Christianity", the SACP numbers amongst its membership and leadership many believers. There is more in common between the Christianity of Christ, the Christianity of the Sermon on the Mount and Communism, than there is between Christianity and the backward feudal system of which Dr Nxumalo is a part.