Declaration of the SACP Mpumalanga Provincial Coucil held from June 2, 2012 at Kwandebele College of Education.

We the Members of the South African Communist Party from all the branches in the province and alliance partners gathered at Kwandebele College of Education from 2nd to 3rd June 2012 to evaluate the political strides made since the last Provincial Council and to chart a way forward, as expected of Communist Party we have paid particular attention to matters that have impacted on the lives of the working people of the province.

The tripple evil of capitalism

We have acknowledged that inequality, unemployment and poverty still remain rife in our society. We therefore remain committed to our fight against these triple evils of capitalism through programmes that seek to roll back capitalism. We believe that it is only socialism that can bring the total end to these evils.

For as long as capitalist greed and exploitation of the working class continues these triple challenges will be difficult to defeat. We call on the workers and the working class in general to join the fight against capitalist greed and immorality and to overthrow this system and advance to socialism. The Party is ready to fight side by side with them towards non-exploitative classless society where we shall enjoy full rights and freedom without exploitation of man by man.

Inequality is caused by capitalism, not the ANC, poverty is caused by capitalism and not the ANC or its alliance partners, unemployment including youth un-employment is caused by capitalism and not by the SACP and COSATU. In this regard we condemn in the strongest terms possible for the DA to grand stand and lead a protest march to COSATU to demand youth wage subsidy for a problem caused by their capitalist masters. We find this hypocrisy and double standards completely opportunistic and taking our youth for a ride.

Corruption

Corruption, on the other hand has continuously undermined progressive movement of transformative agenda that seek to address these challenges through government programmes. This threat has the capacity to negate the gains of the democracy and with the unintended consequences of causing a setback on the revolution. Corruption is theft of resources of the people in a quest to fulfill selfish individual interests. The SACP will continue to pursue its anti corruption campaign until corrupt elements within our movement and the broader MDM and society as a whole are exposed, named and shamed.

Need for a strong and highly discplined and campaigning SACP

Council noted the qualitative growth in membership of 20% since the last Provincial Council that was held in the past year of 2011. This indicate a critical progress with regard to our set targets towards meeting the 1% of the population of Mpumalanga by the next provincial congress in September 2012.

We further recommit ourselves to the recruitment of more members and the launching of the remaining VD based branches , while introducing an intensive political induction and education in order to build confidence and sharpen understanding and the comprehension of our South African Road to Socialism and communism.

Need for strong state

For socialism to be realized in the future, it must be based on action oriented intervention programmes of today by the society. Such programmes require a support of strong developmental oriented state to guide the action of the South African society which is characterised by divergent interest, owing to our apartheid and capitalist dominated past.

The alliance

The council reaffirms the unity of the alliance as paramount importance to the intensification of our transformation agenda as implanted through the leadership of the ANC led Government. We acknowledge that in recent times we have noted some tendency by handful personalities, driven by high appetite for accumulation, attempting to undermine the hard earned unity within the alliance movement.

To this end we reaffirm our unwavering resolve towards strengthening and jealously guard the unity of the alliance and fight any attempt that seek to sow division or drive a wedge between the SACP its allies. The alliance has the responsibility to defend the National Democratic Revolution, an un-interrupted programme that would build a solid revolutionary base towards socialism.

Discipline

The Council noted the blatant abuse of our hard earned freedom as manifested by the rampant service delivery protests from all over the country. Admittedly, there is a huge backlog in service delivery due to the damage caused by the underdevelopment of the apartheid capitalist legacy. Whilst the right to march and protest is constitutionally entrenched, SACP remains opposed to the violent posture that some of these protests take. The democratic dispensation has opened doors to many rights; this has at the same time opened for disrespect for our leaders, our development, our constitution and our country.

Discipline is the bedrock to build a revolutionary movement and morality in our broader society. The Party is prepared to contribute its bit in this regard. We also call on our communities in the province to work together with the alliance to advance their needs and not to demean the victories already scored. The people must also accept to be led and engage robustly their democratically elected government and respect the rights of others.

The Provincial Council found the plagiarized portrait of comrade Lenin vulgarized with insults to the President and the entire negative exhibition of the ANC distasteful and outright insults and attack on the liberation movement track record of sacrifice and the human dignity of President Jacob Zuma. Even if Murray differs with comrade Zuma, he should still respect his constitutional rights to dignity and the protection of the constitution. We commend the City Press for removing the portrait from its website, this portrait hurt not only comrade Zuma and his family but the entire South Africa was deeply hurt and traumatised and even reminded of the inhuman period under apartheid and how black people were treated. Equally we applaud the role played by our alliance leadership on the matter and wish to see more alliance joint action going forward.

Our movement is always correct, it is contaminated by rotten self serving interests of some members who abuse the political office they occupy and denounce the collective leadership and integrity of our struggle and undermine our people and the liberation movement led by the ANC. The Council rejects this with the utmost disdain and call on our people to fight for their rights in a peaceful way and to demand social services they are denied by corrupt officials and tenderpreneurs.

Another challenge to the revolution is posed by the super rich members who have more money than the movement they serve and have tended to use that same money to influence the liberation movement rather than the contrary. We also note all members of the movement have the right to influence and be influenced by the movement through organic processes of the organizations. What we have noticed is the elevation of money to the extent that it has become dominant and influential above the organization. The Party must work towards liberating the movement from the super rich so that they can be influenced by the movement.

The Judiciary, the legislature and the executive arms of the state have the responsibility to uphold the principles of everyone being equal before the law. A posture that elevates one over the other, like some in the judiciary believe, is untenable. Our democratic dispensation is still fragile and needs careful considerations and not pettiness on addressing the myriad of complex challenges facing our country.

We note the substantial growth of the SACP nationally but we must be mindful not to compromise the quality of the debates at the national congress. We as the Mpumalanga provincial council respecting the concept of democratic centralism will adhere to the decisions made by upper structures regarding delegation.

Media

The Council made an analysis of the media and concluded that the South African media is neglecting its fundamental responsibility of being a public views and values outlet having a responsibility to inform masses and instead they have become the agents and mouth piece of the capitalist. We noted that the media has under their employ mercenaries. The council therefore calls for engagement of the media in all the districts by the end of this year.

International

We will continue to democratize the international organizations like UN and AU. We are also supporting the nomination of Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma for the AU position. The Party will continue to support the people of Palestine, the Cuban five, and the Swaziland Struggle.

For more information contact

The SACP Provincial Secretary
Bonakele Majuba
082 968 4877

The Spokesperson
Lesetja Dikgale