29 January 2004
In its first meeting for 2004 being held tomorrow, 30 January, the Political Bureau (PB) of the South African Communist Party (SACP) will discuss the Party's programme on the 2004 election campaign, the Party approach to the Communal Land Rights Bill and a report from a Party delegation which went to Zimbabwe in December 2003.
"The ANC-led election campaign has started extremely well and with high levels of active participation by Communist Party structures and activists in all parts of the country. We are pleased with the positive response of our people to the ANC Election Manifesto. In the PB meeting, we will now pay attention to the next phases of the campaign including the Party's election message and specific activities targeting workers and poor communities", said Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary.
The PB discussions will also lay the framework for how the Communist Party approaches the implementation of the Manifesto after the elections including the mobilisation of state power and popular power.
This PB meeting will also make political preparations for the 1st meeting in 2004 of the Party's Central Committee (7th Plenary Session of the 11th Congress Party Central Committee) which will be held mid-February. The focus of this CC meeting will be on an SACP review of the first ten years of our democracy. "One of the critical outcomes in the 10-year review must be a realisation that the current accumulation regime is ostensibly and consistently in favour of the capitalist classes. The Communist Party is interested in struggles for changing and transforming this regime into one that is oriented towards the workers and the poor", extract from Political Report to the PB.
The Party delegation which visited Zimbabwe during December 2003 will table a detailed report to this PB meeting. "The Zimbabwean government and the opposition democratic forces need desperately and jointly to address the prevailing socio-economic crisis, and they simultaneously need to contribute to more favourable, climate-creating conditions for a political settlement", says Jeremy Cronin, Party Deputy General Secretary who was part of the delegation.
Other reports the PB meeting will receive include a report from the Party delegation which attended the World Social Forum held in Mumbai, India recently.
Mazibuko Jara
SACP Media Information and Publicity Officer
Tel: 011 339-3621
Cell: 0836510271