The Business Day and the M&G Misquote the SACP
07 September 2000
We are deeply offended by what appears to be a consistent pattern by sections of the print media to distort SACP statements and pronunciations. Not so long ago the media deliberately distorted our Central Committee statement on restructuring of state asset s. Recently the Business Day, and now the Mail and Guardian last Friday, reported that the SACP attacked and blamed the Presidency of the ANC for problems in the Alliance.
We wish to place it on record that in responding to a question from the floor at the SAMWU Congress we never blamed the ANC President for not convening the Alliance meeting. We emphatically deny that the SACP said anything to this effect. Instead the SACP pointed out that there were a number of reasons why the Alliance secretariat and the Presidency have not met this year. We pointed out that it was as a result of the busy schedules of the Alliance partners (the SACP's Strategy Conference in May, the ANC NG C in July and the forthcoming COSATU Congress in September). Another reason, as far as the SACP is concerned, was that there has been a reluctance by the Alliance to discuss economic questions since the adoption of GEAR in 1996, although a start was made i n December last year. Lastly we also pointed out that the President has been (legitimately) busy with a heavy schedule of international and local engagements.
We are concerned about the fertile imagination of some of the journalists who appear bent on distorting our statements either to pursue an agenda to create conflict in the Alliance or out of sheer incompetence or both. We have tried for the whole of last w eek to correct our statement to SAMWU with the Business Day, but the paper refused to publish our letter. We hope sooner or later the media will rather focus on truthful reflection on the Alliance and not to peddle lies as the journalists concerned are doi ng.
CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel: 011 339-3621/2
Fax: 27 11 339-4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org