14 August
We are rather annoyed at the deliberate distortion of our CC statement on restructuring of state enterprises by the media. Our statement is clear that we welcome the fact that there is now a framework for the restructuring of SoEs, and that the basis of th is framework is the RDP and commitment to meeting the social needs of the majority of our people as well as the commitment to the creation of a developmental state. To welcome the publication of a framework also does not mean that we will support all aspec ts of the framework, nor the selling off of our assets.
Never in our statement do we support, either directly or by implication, the selling off of state assets. Instead we state categorically that we are opposed to the privatisation of state assets, as well as a restructuring programme driven by the logic of t he capitalist market and competition. The history of privatisation in the world, particularly in the developing world, remains a disastrous one, and is a process that has only benefitted the rich at the expense of the poor. Instead our statement places a l ot of emphasis on the restructruing of state assets directed at meeting the basic needs of our people and job creation.
We wish to reiterate our position that we are opposed to the privatisation and mortgaging of state assets and our country to private interests, whether local or foreign. And it is on this basis that we will engage any future proposals on the restructuring of state assets. We hope that this will be promptly corrected as what the media has reported today does not reflect the official positions of the SACP nor the message in our statement yesterday.
Blade Nzimande
General Secretary