SACP Mpumalanga Augmented PEC Statement
19 February 2018
"Communist Cadres to the Front: Unite the Working Class, our Communities and the Movement!"
The South African Communist Party in Mpumalanga province convened its annual PEC which was augmented by districts, sub-districts and the YCLSA at JV Mdhuli Guest House, Kabokweni, Nelspruiton 17 - 18 February 2018. The meeting was graced by the presence of our liberation alliance ANC, COSATU and SANCO, and our fraternal international formations, PUDEMO and CPS and the ever guiding Central Committee of the SACP.
The meeting received and engaged on all provincial reports, inputs from alliance partners, Dora Tamana Co-operative Agency, Central Committee and message of solidarity from the Communist Party of Swaziland and PUDEMO.
On the ANC National Conference
The meeting noted that the 54th National Conference came out with some key and radical resolutions which if implemented will bring hope to the working class. The leadership outcomes seem to have been carefully arranged to manage the contradictions that were there in the movement that could have led to electoral defeat in the forthcoming general elections.
While we respect the principle of dual membership and believing our members should participate in the ANC in their own rights; we however are worried with the systematic removal of Party leading cadres from the NEC of the ANC. This is not a shock to us because this phenomenon was long experienced in the province where Party cadres were systematically dealt with in ANC structures.
On the National Democratic Revolution
The liberation alliance has a revolutionary responsibility to advance the National Democratic Revolution without fear of contradictions. We thought amongst the issues coming out of the 54th National Conference, the NDR will be saved from being on the verge of collapse and seemingly we are still in a stalemate. Criminal elements have also taken advantage of using NDR objectives to enrich themselves.
The principle of a united country and the quest for a rainbow nation remains a challenge due to some compromises of CODESA, like the provincialisation of our country, which in a way make us semi federal, and in a bit of fragmentation of the country and affect service delivery to our people.
Racism is prevalent in our society and to confront this, you need a united movement to address the interrelated contradictions of class, race and gender question to reach our objectives of the National Democratic Revolution. We might not expect the current generation to achieve this, however at least we expect that people should be conscious of our past especially those who were the perpetrators of this evil system of racism.
We are concerned with the abuse of gender struggle even within the sections of the movement. Women continue to be used as a front for patriarchs to advance their political and economically agenda in the guise of women empowerment.
Building a strong and resilient Party
The meeting acknowledged that in taking responsibility of the NDR, you need a vibrant and campaigning organisation. The growth and strength of the Party should be measured by building of structures, building an independent profile of the Party and taking campaigns to address amongst other things, land question, the plight of the working class in farms and rolling out the financial sector campaign. The Party will strengthen its Know and act Your Neighborhood Campaign, continues with its red October campaign on NO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN, establish the election structures and launch the Chris Hani Brigades in preparation for the general elections in 2019.
On the SACP, State and Popular Power
The PEC acknowledges and re-aligns itself to the 14th National Congress resolution on state and popular power that we must actively contest elections in order to assert the hegemony of the working class in our movement for thoroughgoing NDR and for radical socio-economic transformation of society.
We further call on all structures of the Party to adhere and act in accordance to the traditional principles of the Party which include democratic centralism.
On the ANC Provincial General Council
The PEC noted the election of the chairperson, deputy chairperson and PEC member to the NEC and congratulates them for emerging; this has created vacancies in the provincial structure of the ANC which need to be filled. We noted with concern the number of comrades who have raised their hands for the vacant positions without a thorough talk amongst themselves. The lobby groups should not replace the powers of the branches which are the basic unit.
The Party should not be used as a lobby tool or its members claiming to represent the SACP in any lobby group. We envisage a collective leadership that is working class biased, ready to engage with the challenges that engulfed us for the past decade in the province, ready to fight against gate keeping, corruption and all foreign tendencies in the organisation, leadership ready to strengthen the unity of the alliance and place the alliance as a strategic centre of power and be a beacon of hope for the masses of Mpumalanga towards the general elections.
On socio-economic transformation
We believe that a developmental state that is strong and effective is a necessary mechanism to lead the economic transformation of our country in pursuance of the freedom charter on economic transformation. In building state capacity we therefore support the call by COSATU in the province on the upliftment of the moratorium on filling of vacant post and that the state of should reduce reliance on consultants. We call on the new leadership of the ANC-led alliance government strengthen and monitor state-owned enterprises in the financial sector and expand the role of those in the mining and energy sector to ensure that we start to undermine the influence of monopolies in those sectors.
The Department of Trade and Industry should focus state procurement to SMMEs and co-operatives in unlocking the economic potential of our country through ensuring that manufacturing of goods and services needed in our country is prioritized and accelerated which has been historically undermined by an economic focus on export of raw materials.
Confront State Capture and Corruption
The PEC welcomes the recent activities of different security apparatus of the state in tackling corruption in particular the arrest of those who stole money through a concocted project to empower the poor people in Vrede Dairy Farm in the Free State province. We are calling on the hawks to ensure investigation of corruption and fraud in our country including all provinces without leaving others out as we are not a federal state as corruption has become prevalent in the country including in Mpumalanga.
We call on the chairperson of the commission on state of capture, Justice Raymond Zondo to do a thorough and complete investigation on all issues raised in the former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report. Furthermore, call on all South Africans who have evidence related to corporate state capture to make it available to the commission.
International Context:
Swaziland:
The PEC calls on the ANC-led alliance to give a comprehensive support to progressive forces in Swaziland. Further, call on a united and common approach by all the progressive forces in Swaziland to maximizing the impact of campaigns and programmes to dislodge the Tinkundla system led by King Mswati. The Party in the province will continue its supportive role to all the Swazi comrades and their structures.
The ANC-led government should use their current position as chair of SADC to lead talks with the Swazi kingdom and all progressive forces which should lead to the unbanning of political parties and the release of comrade Amos Mbendzi and all political prisoners before there could be genuine democratic and fair elections in that country.
We call on SADC not to support the sham Tinkundla elections which will be taking place in Swaziland.
Mozambique:
The Party in the province will lobby the Central Committee to continue with the task of reviving Communist Party's in the continent with a special focus in SADC region and further mandate the province to establish relations with the progressive forces in Mozambique.
Apartheid Israel:
We reaffirm our support for the struggle of the Palestinian people and further call for the isolation of the apartheid Israel by all peace-loving people and nations. We call on our structures to be on the ground in support of the 2018 Israel Apartheid Week as led by the BDS-SA
Issued on behalf of SACP Mpumalanga
Contact:
Bonakele Majuba - Provincial Secretary
Mobile: 082 968 4877
Lesetja Dikgale - Provincial Spokesperson
Mobile: 076 869 4360
