Mpumalanga SACP/COSATU Joint Media Statement

4 February 2013

The SACP and COSATU in Mpumalanga met in their annual bilateral meeting on 29 January 2013 to have a thorough assessment of the contemporary political landscape in the province and to take forward the revolutionary resolutions which we believe form an important foundation for the second phase of transition.

This is the transition which should begin to transform the property and production relations which are still largely informed by our inherited colonial and apartheid legacy.

The SACP and COSATU as the only legitimate left forces in our Province believe in the primacy of the unity of all progressive forces as we approach the 2014 elections, which we believe as the organisations that represent the working class and the poor masses of our people that the policy thrust should reverse the legacy of apartheid capitalism which is the reason for our present interlinked challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

As part of the ANC led Alliance in the Province, we are satisfied with the level of unity amongst the component of our revolutionary alliance, which augur well for the economic and social development of our people.

We further call on the people of Mpumalanga to work closely with our structures to build a province that is corruption-free and advance the interest of our people by investing in the development of our human capital for our growing economy.

The Alliance partners further agreed on a programme of action that highlighted the need for the liberation of farm workers in our province from the right wingers who are still trapped in colonial mentality which encouraged the treatment of farm workers as slaves without any right.

We further noted the disaster that Eskom is creating by their parasitic behaviour of raising the electricity cost above the reach of ordinary people and the impact it will have on the economy in general.

We call on our government to stop Eskom from their ill informed decision that has nothing do with our developmental agenda.

The two alliance partners further declared that we should make 2013 a year that we strengthen both our organisations through joint campaigns that advance and deepen the interests and the influence of the working class and the poor. To work closely with our government to ensure a pro working class agenda that will deliver true and sustainable democracy for all.

SACP Provincial Secretary
Bonakele Majuba
0829684877

COSATU Provincial Secretary
Fidel Mlombo
0827195699