25 July 2001
The culmination of more than 40 Worker's and People's Assemblies convened to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) will be the main National Celebrations Rally to be held at the Tehuis Stadium in Umlazi, Durban on Sunday, 29 July. The rally will be addressed by the SACP General Secretary Blade Nzimande, the ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma, the COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, the People's United Democratic Movement of Swaziland and the Communist Parties of China, Cuba and France.
Also invited to this rally are SACP veterans, union leaders, ANC veterans, more than 20 Ambassadors and progressive South African and international organisations working amongst women, students, communities of faith, and other sections of society.
The rally will be preceded by a wreath laying ceremony at the stairs of the Durban City Hall in honour of Johannes Nkosi who was a Communist Party leader killed on the stairs of the Durban City Hall whilst addressing workers during a Dingaan's Day protest on 16 December 1931.
This main rally will also be supported by a National SACP Veteran's Dinner to be held in Cape Town and an important rally to be held in the North West Province. The Veteran's Dinner will be held on Saturday, 28 July addressed by former President Nelson Mandela. It will be preceded by a ceremony to unveil a plaque at number 20 Plein Street in Cape Town to mark the building where the SACP was founded on 29 to 31 July in 1921. The North West Rally will be held on 29 July in honour of Moses Kotane, the longest serving SACP General Secretary from 1939 to 1978. The rally will be held in his home village of Pela in the Madikwe District of Rustenburg and it will be hosted by Chief Gasebonwe of the BaKoena in Madikwe.
The SACP will, this weekend as per SACP's 10th congress resolution, also confer the Moses Kotane Award for Outstanding Contribution to the SACP and the struggle for national liberation, people's power and socialism to comrades Brian Bunting and Billy Nair.
The SACP calls on all South Africans to attend and use these events to mark our 80 years of unbroken struggle for national liberation, people's power and socialism.This 80 years is about how the SACP has been shaped and, in turn, shaped the history and future of South Africa, said Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary.
CONTACT
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel: 011 339 3621
Fax: 011 339 4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org