Question 1.
Our understanding is that five leaders have support as possible challengers to Mr Nzimande. These five are not canvassing, they simply have the support of certain sections of the party. We understand that they are:
Fikile Majola
Dipuo Mvelase
Phillip Dexter
Langa Zitha
Jeremy Cronin
Our understanding is that the sections of the party who are supporting these leaders are unhappy with Mr. Nzimande's handling of the so-called Jacob Zuma affair.
Could you comment on the above:
Answer to Question 1
The term of office of the current leadership and Central Committee of the SACP comes to an end in July this year. According to the Party Constitution any member of the SACP in good standing is entitled to stand for any position in the SACP. Therefore there is absolutely nothing wrong for any member to be approached by other members to stand for any position.
And this therefore has got nothing to do with happiness or otherwise about leaders whose term is in any case coming to an end, unless otherwise re-elected. In addition we are not aware of nominations of any individuals, as the process of nominating the new leadership has not been opened. This will be done in due course by the relevant structures of the SACP.
Regarding the so-called 'Jacob Zuma affair', the SACP is absolutely united on the principled positions it has taken on this matter, positions that have been discussed and adopted by the Central Committee. We are therefore unaware of any unhappiness with regards to these decisions. We would simply dismiss such as the work of faceless sources and cowards who have not been courageous enough to raise these matters within the constitutional structures of the SACP, and who are hell-bent to sow division in our Party, and they will not succeed.
Question 2
1) Is the party's leadership aware that Mr Nzimande may be challenged at the congress?
2) Have you heard these names
Answer to Question 2
We think we have adequately responded to these questions already. Nominations process has not been officially opened, and therefore we would not have heard of any names.
Question 3
On another issue, it is our understanding that a meeting held in Khayelitsha last Friday has caused some discontentment in the party. The meeting was apparently called outside of the party's regular fortnightly sub-district meetings and was attended by KZN provincial secretary Themba Mthemba (sic) and central committee member Lindela (sic) Dunjwa. There are insinuations that the meeting was designed to discredit Mazibuko Jara as a possible challenger to Khaya Magaxa. In addition, some party members believe that it had the blessing of Mr Nzimande because of the presence of Dunjwa and Mthemba (sic).
Answer to Question 3.
We are not aware of any such meetings called outside of formal Party structures. Cdes Lindelwa and Mthembu, who were in Cape Town last weekend on other business, were invited by the Provincial Secretary of the SACP in the Western Cape province to attend some of the branch meetings that were taking place, as part of launching the 'Know Your Neighbourhood Campaign'. Any member of the SACP present when an activity of the Party is taking place has a full right to participate in such activities or meetings anywhere in the country. Cde Lindelwa is also, as a Central Committee and Politburo member, entitled to attend ex-officio a meeting of any structure of the SACP anywhere in the country. Their attendance at official activities of the SACP therefore needed no 'blessing' from anybody.
We are therefore not even aware that there may be attempts to discredit any individual as your 'insinuators' claim. In the same vein, much as the Western Cape Province of the SACP will soon be going to Congress, we are not aware of any names that have been put forward for election. As the SACP we would also like to strongly condemn this tendency of nominations through the media or elements who may want to be elected to try and opportunistically use media to advance their agendas. We also strongly condemn attempts to opportunistically exploit the name of the Deputy President of the ANC, Cde Jacob Zuma, for certain elements to try and make themselves appeal to what they may consider elements sympathetic to their own ambitions for election. This is the kind of ill-discipline and anti-communist behaviour that the SACP will continue to expose and eradicate within the ranks of our Party.
As far as we are concerned this is a non-story, but we are not surprised it has been floated in the media for opportunistic reasons.