SACP to hold provincial congress in Eastern Cape this weekend

24 September 2004

Phillip Dexter, National Treasurer of the South African Communist Party (SACP), will deliver the keynote address to the Eastern Cape Provincial Congress of the SACP being held in Umtata from today until Sunday afternoon. The Congress will also receive a special message from Comrade Raymond Mhlaba, in his capacity as a veteran of the Party, the ANC and the general struggle against apartheid, and for the reconstruction of a new South Africa. Comrade Mhlaba’s message will focus on the role of the Party in building the tripartite alliance as a central political pillar to drive and lead the ongoing transformation of South Africa. Oom Ray will address the Congress at 11h00 tomorrow whilst Dexter will address the Congress at 10h00.

The Congress, to be attended by 350 delegates from 151 branches and 6 districts across the Eastern Cape province, will be held at the Umtata campus of the Eastern Cape College. Dexter’s address will cover the following issues:

• Building & consolidating the Party as an independent socialist & working class force with strategic influence in South African society
• Taking forward the struggle to transform the financial sector in the context of the recent agreement on the establishment of the Financial Sector Charter Council and the need to ensure that the August 2002 NEDLAC Financial Sector Summit Agreement are sdily implemented
• How the Party will use the 2004 Red October Campaign to launch a campaign for the acceleration of land and agrarian reform under the slogan of “Mawubuye umhlaba: Land! Food! Jobs!”
• The role of the SACP in building the Young Communist League as the primary agent for mass mobilisation of young people against capitalism & for their interests as the youth

Other speakers at the Congress will be Humphrey Maxhegwana (ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary), Xola Phakathi (COSATU Eastern Cape Regional Secretary), SANCO and the Young Communist League. The agenda of the Congress will focus on:

• Political Report by the Provincial Secretary
• SACP Provincial Programme of Action for the next three years - with a focus on the building of co-operatives, the acceleration of land reform, the financial sector campaign & preparing for the 2006 local government elections
• Election of Provincial Executive Committee

CONTACT
Mandla Makhuphula - SACP Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary - Cell: 084 446 7918
Pumulo Masualle - SACP Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson - Cell: 084 447 9065
Solly Mapaila - SACP National Organiser - Cell: 082 886 3526