SACP Gauteng PEC Lekgotla media statement

20 February 2011

The SACP Gauteng Province held its annual PEC Lekgotla in Benoni on 19-20 February 2011 to assess its political work for the previous year and develop a programme of action for 2011 towards the Provincial Congress in July 2011. The meeting was addressed by the Central Committee and Politbureau member, comrade Solly Mapaila who assisted the meeting to analyse the current balance of forces nationally, continentally and nationally.

The PEC had the opportunity to engage with inputs from:

• The African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng Province on the coming local government elections;
• The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Union) Gauteng Province on the state of education in the province;
• The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) Gauteng Province on the various challenges facing municipal workers in the province.

On Education

The SADTU Gauteng leadership briefed the PEC on challenges faced by the education sector. After deliberation, the PEC noted and resolved as follows:

• The success of the Grade 12 class of 2010 for the good performance was welcomed and the fact that Gauteng led with 78,6% pass rate.

• The PEC noted that notwithstanding the challenges we faced in 2010 academic year due to the Soccer World Cup and the public sector strike, the success was attributed to the role played by the Gauteng Department of Education, educators, learners, parents and the community at large, The PEC further noted the manner in which all the stakeholders united during these tough times and created a system that sought to address continuity in spite of all challenges.

• As we continue with our deliberation to improve the education system of the country, we continue to support the outcome based education as a broad framework for education and training in South Africa. Whilst supporting the system, we also observed certain challenges in the management of schools that may in other areas lack leadership and commitment. Systems and infrastructure remain a challenge and we wish to encourage the department to strengthen its interventions in this area.

On Local Government

• The PEC noted with concern challenges faced by Johannesburg Metro, Tshwane Metro, Ekurhuleni Metro and the West Rand District Municipality, especially as we are moving closer to local government elections;

• In principle, the PEC supports workers struggles in these municipalities;

• The PEC resolved to hold an urgent bi-lateral meeting with COSATU to develop a common approach to resolve challenges faced by workers in these municipalities;

• Jointly with COSATU, to engage the ANC on these matters and call for an urgent political intervention on the challenges;

• The PEC condemned in all strongest terms corruption taking place in all public institutions, and supported workers who are taking up the matter;

• The PEC further calls upon the striking workers to remain disciplined and desist from acts of violence and intimidation as this undermines the legitimacy of their cause.

Working with Trade Unions

The PEC re-committed itself to working closer with the trade union movement on political education and capacity building. Last year we held a bi-lateral meeting with COSATU Gauteng Province where a common programme was agreed. We are preparing for the 89th Anniversary of the SACP jointly with COSATU. For this event, there will be a joint political lecture focusing on women’s struggles. The lecture will also look at the SACP anti-corruption campaign and the ANC NCG documents to consolidate a left perspective.

Balance of Forces

We continue to analyse our society using the SACP’s Medium Term Vision (MTV) and the South African Road to Socialism (SARS) as our tools of analysis. We have noted with concern a deviant tendency to attack working class leaders. This is a worrying trend and needs to be politically defeated. The working class remains the leading motive force of the National Democratic Revolution and the marginalisation of this class can only mean that our revolution is on the wrong course. We will defend the integrity of our movement because instability in the ANC will adversely affect service delivery and reverse our political gains. The PEC is concerned that this tendency should not find any space in our province. The PEC resolved to address these matters within alliance structures so that the movement remains committed to building a national democratic society.

New Tolling System

SACP Gauteng Province is concerned about the introduction of a new tolling system in the province. Road users will be paying in the region of 66 cents and R3, 50 per kilometre with effect from June 2011. Of major concern to us is the poor consultation processes leading to this new system. This has left a lot of questions unanswered as some stakeholders were not taken on board.

The introduction of this new system will inevitably lead to price increases in basic commodities and transport (especially public transport). This will negatively affect working class communities and the poor, considering that they mostly use public transport and are still battling with the devastating effects of the recent capitalist economic crisis, high food prices and the gradual Eskom tariff increases. Clearly, these toll gates will significantly undermine the already low income and poverty wages of many working class households. Whist there were bailouts for companies during the recession, ordinary people were mainly left on their own, paying a price for an international tragedy caused by capitalist greed.

We have also noted with concern that the transport system in South Africa is oriented, designed and structured to suit elitist interests of the local and foreign bourgeoisie, notably airports upgrades, GAUTRAIN, roads, freeway upgrades and now toll gates. We will urgently take up the matter with the ANC to try and find ways to collectively alleviate the plight of working class communities and the poor.

Issued by the SACP Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee (PEC)

For more information, contact:
Jacob Mamabolo (Acting Provincial Secretary) on 082 884- 1868)
Pat Ntsobi (Provincial Spokesperson) on 072 671- 4258)