17 February 2010
The SACP has noted the swift manner in which the President has replied to the debate on the State of the Nation address he delivered last week on Thursday.
It is sad that the opposition has missed the point and sought to represent themselves as a pressure groups whose sole intention is to appropriate the priorities as outlined in the state of the nation address for their narrow class interests. The clever disguise in the name of meritocracy, efficiency and capacity of the class interests of the propertied class must be continuously exposed. The walkout yesterday by the DA and its black clone in the form of COPE represents how these mavericks have no interest in any open public debate whatsoever but grandstanding.
We specifically welcome the announcements of the establishment of a tender compliance unit as well as supply chain fraud audits. In our view this tender compliance unit must scrutinise all tenders and publicise all shortlisted companies and the winning companies with reasons why the winning bidder has been chosen. The public must be allowed to make inputs on the bidding companies. This will go a long way towards prohibiting those with undue advantage, be it political or otherwise, in subverting the tendering processes for their own greedy intent.
The SACP will continue to mobilise its structures and communities at large into street committees in our effort to fight crime, corruption and patronage. Towards this end we will build community movements on the issues of the transformation of education, and we will strengthen community participation through Public Health forums to turn the tide in the challenges facing our public health system. The SACP will also continue to campaign for strengthened public participation in order to strengthen local government and fast track service delivery. We must work together to make South Africa a better country.
Issue by the SACP.
Contact:
Malesela Maleka
SACP Spokesperson – 082 226 1802