17 March 2015
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape held its sixth Provincial Council on 14 March 2015, at Intsebenziswano Senior Secondary School in Phillipi Cape Town. Amongst those present were Central Committee (CC) Deployees; Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) members; District Executive Committee (DEC) members and branch delegates.
The Provincial Council received and considered the Political Report, the State of the Organisation Report, and the Financial Report.
The Provincial Council acknowledged that 14 March 2015, marked 132 years since the death of the founder of the scientific outlook of society, Comrade Karl Marx. Marx`s work remains consistent with the general movement of society and serves and as science it is an inspiration to our Party.
The Provincial Council convened on the day of the reburial of the mortal remains of Comrade Moses Kotane which were repatriated from Russia along with those of Comrade John `Beaver` Marks. Marks`s mortal remains will be buried on 22 March 2014.
The return of the remains of these two heroes of our struggle for national liberation and socialism, communists par excellence, comes at the propitious time when our country is preparing itself to embark on a second, more radical phase of our transition to deepen democratisation and advance towards the achievement of a completely non-racial and non-sexist democratic and prosperous society.
The Provincial Council was directed by the need to advance working class hegemony in all key sites of power and struggle, to build capacity for, momentum towards and the elements of socialism in the here and now!
The Provincial Council has engaged with Party internal discussion documents on these and organisational questions. As the province we will continue the process until we consolidate our submissions to the Party`s Central Committee for consideration in the finalisation of the documents to be considered by the forthcoming Special National Congress later this year.
On the Developmental State and State Owned Enterprises
The agents of capitalism have opportunistically sought to exploit recent energy challenges to call for the privatisation of Eskom. The Council expresses its support for the ANC government in strengthening Eskom`s capacity to deliver electricity as required by our people. We are vehemently opposed to any form of privatisation of our state assets.
In the first instance the problems facing Eskom not only emanate from racist electrification starting in the Cape in 1894, covering only five million white households, while in less than twenty years since 1994 the democratically elected government led by the ANC electrified seven million households on a non-racial basis - two million more than in hundred years between 1894 and 1994. Eskom`s problems were also caused by privatisation.
Eskom owned mines from which it obtained best quality coal and beneficiated it through electricity generation. These mines were privatised and the private owners have since prioritised export markets to which they supply best quality coal. Eskom is forced to use low grades coal or buy best quality coal as if it was imported far away from space.
On Agrarian Reform
The Provincial Council made a commitment to work with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to improve the lives of workers and advance agrarian reform in the Western Cape.
On Cooperatives and Financial Sector Campaign
The Provincial Council also re-committed to strengthening efforts to support cooperatives and advance the Financial Sector Campaign.
On Parliament
The Council rejected the allegations that the President has evaded accountability to Parliament as spurious. The essence of the Presidents` responses to Parliamentary questions on 11 March proves that the opposition has been malicious and that its claims are but a political gimmick aimed at scoring cheap political points.
On the ANC
The Provincial Council congratulates the ANC in the Western Cape for hosting a successful 103rd ANC Anniversary Celebrations. It is also noted that the momentum of the Anniversary Celebrations, if consolidated, is essential for reclaiming political power in the Western Cape generally and for a resounding victory of the ANC in the 2016 Local Government Elections.
The ANC in the Western Cape however has organisational weaknesses. The Provincial Council therefore calls for a speedy resolution of the internal challenges in the ANC in the Western Cape.
On the State of Trade Union Movement
The challenges in the trade union movement persist. The Council thus recommitted itself to working for the unity of COSATU, including through strengthening the Qina Msebenzi industrial organisation and mobilisation programme of the Party.
On the International Front
The Provincial Council condemned the terrorist activities of some international terrorist organisations especially the Boko Haram in Nigeria that targets young school girls and other vulnerable civilians as means to their end objectives.
The Provincial Council also notes the intervention in Lesotho, led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which eventuated in successful national elections in that country. The Provincial Council wishes the people of Lesotho well as they tackle the social and economic challenges that affect the working class of that country even more.
Conclusion
The council directed SACP structures to reclaim our communities, townships and villages through pillars contained in our Party Programme the South African Road to Socialism. The Council further directed all party cadres to continue to fight the demon of racism, rearing its head in the Province. The council reiterated its position of advocating, lobbying and influencing the renaming of Cape Town international Airport after the former General Secretary of the SACP Comrade Chris Hani.
Issued by SACP Western Cape
Contact:
Masonwabe Sokoyi - SACP Western Cape Provincial Spokesperson
Cell: 0815846138/0765243242
Office: 021 696 2522
Fax: 086 558 2481
Twitter: @SACPWC
Facebook: SACP Western Cape
Email: sacpwc.media@gmail.com