SACP Eastern Cape PEC statement
14 December 2010
The SACP in the Eastern Cape Province held a successful Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting from the 11th 12th of December 2010 focusing on the political situation both at the home front and internationally as capitalist crisis continue to deepen and the desirability of a new world order looming large more than ever before. The PEC asserted that the crisis of capitalism is not an accident but the norm as booms and bursts are inherent in capitalism as a system driven by profit not the needs of the majority of the peoples of the world.
The PEC saluted the national leadership of our Party for hosting a successful meeting of more than 70 communist and workers parties who gathered for the first time in the African Continent and agreed programmatically to deepen the crisis of capitalism and build a unified block of progressive forces in order to save humanity from calamity caused by capitalism.
The PEC reaffirmed the words of our General Secretary that December 2010 has been a Red month, with the International meeting and the successful conclusion of our Young communist League (YCLSA) Congress which represented a defeat of the rented forces of the new tendency that were determined to highjack our youth formation.
The PEC welcomed the recent cabinet reshuffles that took place at the national level and in our province and called for bolder and decisive actions to place our country on a really new growth path not in name but in content. The meeting also agreed to reject any calls for a shared sacrifice by both business and labour and argued that the workers and the poor have nothing to sacrifice as they continue to leave in degrading conditions with workers salaries having gone down in real terms for the past 10 years.
The PEC called for radically changes and noted that we continue with reforms not revolution as if we are in the same conditions that resulted in the 1994 negotiated settlement. We seem not to appreciate the space for revolutionary changes as more left forces are power in Latin America, US imperialism challenged by growing economies of both China and India and on the home front in control of 8 provinces and enjoying a majority in the national assembly. If the negotiated settlement was reached as result of sunset clauses, we need radically steps as sunrise clauses in the interests of workers and the poor.
On the participation of SACP leaders in government including our General Secretary, the PEC noted with concern the unfair attacks against our Party and its General Secretary and consider them to be unfortunate. We wish to re-iterate that this decision was never informed by money as an overriding consideration but was based on our Mid Term Visions (MTV) to ensure an increase of the influence of the working class in all key sites of power including the state. We fully aware of the challenges posed by this decision and have been for the past year engaged on an ongoing evaluation putting measures in place to balance between party work and government work. As the SACP, we respect our allies to make their decisions and would want them to do the same when it comes to decisions of the SACP. At the same time we agreed that there was no need to be ashamed of our decisions nor do we need to be overly sensitive to criticism.
The PEC received presentations on the state of both the department of health and education and was shocked by the extent of corruption facing both departments indicating a reality of dysfunctional state. It was agreed that there is a need for extraordinary measures if the situation is to be turned around and that there was a need for support of major decisions the two departments are to make in order to improve the situation.
The PEC called for the convening of a conference on peoples education for peoples power and a review of the Schools Act as it contributed in the demobilization of communities in education as a societal matter. On corruption affecting government, the PEC agreed to organize a March in 2011 to the provincial offices of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in order to hand over information on corrupt activities in government and demand progress report 30 days after the March.
The PEC further called for the return of the tender boards and general review of the procurement system as it is at the core of the reasons for corruption and the erosion of key values of solidarity and service to the people. The meeting considered the SACP 2011 program of action and agreed to spare no energy in its implementation and that as we approach local government elections, lazy and corrupt candidates need to be exposed and are not to supported by the SACP. The meeting agreed to use the program to prepare the Party in the province for its 6th Congress in 2011 planned for July as part of celebrating our Partys 90th anniversary. The PEC ended on a high note and wished all our people a safe and good resting period and looking forward to working with them as we resolve many challenges facing our province.
Xolile Nqatha
Provincial Secretary 073 034 7923
or
Phumzile Mguni
Deputy Provincial Secretary and Spokesperson - 082 419 0142
