24 October 2011
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in Linda Jabane District (Greater Johannesburg) held its District Council on Sunday, 23 October 2011, at Samwu offices, Johannesburg.
Attended by delegates representing 54 Voting District Branches, bearing the mandate of more than 6 700 communists in the District together with delegates of the Young Communist League (YCL) and leaders of Alliance partners in the District (ANC, COSATU and SANCO), the Council discussed a wide range of issues affecting the working class and the poor. Amongst the issues discussed include:
The District is excited to host the Provincial Red October launch taking place on Sunday, 30 October 2011, in Orlando East, Soweto. We acknowledge the urgency with which the educational crisis in Soweto must be handled. It is the children of the poor and the working class who are at the receiving end of this dire situation. We call on all parties, in particular our revolutionary teachers` union SADTU, to lead the process towards the rejuvenation of the culture of teaching and learning in Soweto and across the District.
In this vein, the District joins the chorus of those who have already extended their messages of support to the class of 2011. We know that nothing but hard work and dedication will see them through the final exams. We therefore urge the learners, matriculants in particular, to focus on their studies and not join any marches that will have no material bearing in their immediate future but rather spend quality time preparing for their exams.
We also reiterate the message by our PEC in supporting the call by the YCL to the Department of Basic Education to stop the publishing of Matric results. We concur that this is nothing but the print media profit making scheme at the expense of the learners. We equally agree that the publishing of results through the media indeed has negative impact on the part of the learners some of whom have even committed suicide.
The District also observes with keen interest the escalation in the attack on communist leaders and the vanguard Party by the right wing demagogues and tenderpreneurs. As the District we equally join those structures, in particular the YCL, which has correctly analysed the attack on our General Secretary, cde Blade Nzimande. As the District we would like to reiterate the call by the General Secretary and warn our members, the working class and the poor in our District against being used by tenderpreneurs. We agree with the view that this much talked about "Economic Freedom March" is nothing but a platform to undermine the leadership of the ANC.
The Council also received a presentation on behalf of the executive mayor, cde Parks Tau, on the recently launched Joburg`s Growth and Development Strategy (GDS). The District welcomes the good intention and the vision of the City. We view the current process to engage Alliance partners as a fundamental shift from the leadership of the ANC in the District.
The District is also alarmed by the impending auctioning of buildings in the Inner City. We are concern that this move will exacerbate the housing crisis in the Inner City where the working class is already facing a backlash as a result of shortage of housing. We, once more, call upon our city authorities to intervene as a matter of urgency. The auctioning of these buildings should stop until there is a clear plan to house all its occupants of these flats. In this regard, the Council resolved to hold the Inner City Housing Crises Summit in November. The Summit will address issues of housing across the District.
The District is committed, working together with COSATU, to intensify the fight against labour brokers. We are equally steadfast in our opposition to the e-tolling system and that it will have negative impact in the lives of the working class and the poor. In this regard, we welcome the announcements by the Minister of Transport, cde Sbu Ndebele, on halting the e-tolling system.
Finally, the District congratulates the YCL in Linda Jabane for its successful 4th Congress. We also congratulate the ANC in the Region for a peaceful conference and we wish the newly elected Regional Leadership under cde Parks Tau well.
Issued on behalf of the SACP Linda Jabane District.
For more information please contact:
Mandla Radebe, SACP Linda Jabane District Secretary, on 082 294 2429
or
Afrika Masoa, District Chairperson, on 071 918 5114