SACP Northern Cape to host a memorial lecture on Comrade Mzala Nxumalo

Wednesday, 22 February 2006

South African Communist Party

Northern Cape

Office of the Provincial Secretary

Sanlam Building. 1 st Floor. Jones Street. Kimberley. 8301

Telephone 053 832 5302.

Facsimile: 053 832 5855

SACP Provincial Working Committee Statement ? On the 15^th Anniversary Commemoration of the Late Nobleman Jabulani ?COMRADE MZALA?Nxumalo, by hosting a Memorial Lecture to be addressed by the National Deputy General Secretary of the SACP cde Jeremy Cronin

The South African Communist Party in the Northern Cape on this occasion will commemorate the 15^TH Anniversary of the */Late Nobleman Jabulani ?COMRADE MZALA?Nxumalo, a Revolutionary Intellectual, a Writer, Historian and a Marxist to the End by hosting a Memorial Lecture./*

A tragic loss on the evening of February 22, 1991 Jabulani Nxumalo, better known as Comrade Mzala died in London. His tragic death at the age of 35 has robbed the national liberation and working class movement

of a powerful thinker, orator and writer. Mzala was born on October 27, 1955 in Dundee, Northern Natal. His parents Benjamin and Elsie were both teachers. From an early age they inculated in Mzala a love for books and disciplined approach to studying. At both primary and secondary schools Mzala?s record was outstanding.

After matriculating he studied law at the University of Zululand. At university he was passionate and firey fighter against injustice . His participation in the country- wide upsurge following the Soweto uprising

of 1976 made him a marked man. With a number of others he left South Africa to help swell the ranks of the people's army, Umkhonto we Sizwe. He also received training in politics and other specialised subjects in

the Soviet Union and German Democratic Republic. In all the training courses Mzala excelled.

Mzala rose to important positions in the ranks of Umkhonto we Sizwe,serving in Swaziland and Angola.Yet, whilst asborbed in the work of the underground, Mzala would make time to read books on a wide

variety of topics and to engage in heated and controversial debates. He had a voracious intellectual appetite, especially for the Marxist-Leninist classics. One could not see Mzala without him being surrounded by books. Mzala was also a prolifie writer. The African Communist, Sechaba, Dawn all contain numerous articles by Mzala, published under various pen-names. If one looks at his articles over the years, one can trace his philosophical, ideological and theoretical development.

Over the last few years he wrote the column "Africa Notes" for The African Communist. He is also the author of *Gatsha Buthelezi: Chief with a Double Agenda (Zed Books, 1988*). He wrote extensively on Armed

Struggle,Insurrection and the National Question, amongst others his works included;

1) Towards People?s War and Insurrection

2) Building People?s Power

3) Umkhonto we Sizwe: Building People?s forces for Combat War and

Insurrection Part 1& 2

4) Revolutionary Theory of the National Question in South Africa

Much of Mzala writing focussed on the national question and the unfolding revolutionary process in our country. On both questions Mzala always endeavoured to inject some original thinking. Mzala spent a short

time in Prague, representing the SACP on the editorial council of the World Marxist Review. In the brief period he was in Prague, he earned the respect of, although he did not always endear himself to, the leaders of many communist parties for his sharp, no-nonsense, polemical style. Unfortunately he took ill and was forced to leave Prague for London.

In London he read for a Ph.D degree at the Open University. His thesis dealt with issues around the national and class question in the South African revolution.It is a great shame that his untimely death came

before he completed his thesis. Hopefully some parts of the thesis can be published.

Comrade Mzala was a loyal member of the ANC and SACP. Mzala was an exceptionally hard worker.. He was also a devoted family man, and adored his wife Mpho and their two children.The death of Comrade Mzala has

deprived our movement of one of its most brilliant talents. Perhaps the greatest loss of all is to our Party's ongoing attempts to indigenise Marxism-Leninism on South African soil.

As a tribute in reclaiming the legacy of Comrade Mzala, the SACP and the Young Communist League in the Northern Cape will be hosting a *Memorial Lecture*, to be addressed by the *National Deputy General Secretary of the SACP cde Jeremy Cronin*, the Lecture will focus on */Revolutionary Intellectualism and the Building of Socialism/*, the event will be hosted on the 25^th February, Saturday, 2006 at the Northern Cape

Provincial Legislature in Kimberley.

On this forthcoming Local Government Elections, Vote ANC for COMRADE MZALA, for the Workers and the Poor

Contact:

Seshupo Segole

SACP Provincial Spokesperson

South African Communist Party (Northern Cape)

Tel - 053 8325302

Fax - 053 832855

Cell - 0829402966

Sacp General Secretary In Kzn For Elections Work

The South African Communist Party (SACP) General Secretary Cde Blade Nzimande is to do elections work in KZN.

Comrade Blade Nzimande will be doing door to door elections in Kzn starting from the tomorrow.

Details for tomorrow elections work are as follows:

Time: 14h00 - 17h00

Date: Thursday, 23 February 2006

Activity: Door-to-Door

Venue: Qambokwethu School, Ward 10

The elections work will primarily be to encourage people to go out in their numbers to Vote and to vote the ANC.

For more information contact:

Themba Mthembu

SACP KZN provincial secretary

Mobile: 083 303 6988

Or

Malesela Maleka

SACP Spokesperson

Tel: 011 339 3621

Fax: 011 339 4244

Mobile: 082 226 1802

E-mail: malesela@sacp.org.za