6 January 2019, Avalon Cemetery, Soweto
Reconfigure the Alliance; selflessly serve the people wholeheartedly
Slovo set an example of loyalty, hard work and zeal in the performance of his duties both in the SACP and the ANC as well as in uMkhonto weSizwe (MK). As a strategist and tactician of our struggle for liberation and social emancipation, Slovo was also involved in the drafting of some of the key documents of both of the SACP and the ANC. This includes the Freedom Charter.
Slovo served as the Chief of Staff of the MK, our joint ANC-SACP military wing established in pursuit of the liberation of the oppressed people of our land. He was succeeded in both his responsibilities as the General Secretary of the SACP and MK Chief of Staff by Comrade Chris Hani. Slovo served together with Comrade Nelson Mandela right from the founding of the MK and in its high command. At that time the ANC was not still organising only Africans, but the MK organised people of all races
The ANC opened its membership except for the leadership ranks to people of all races at its Consultative Conference held in 1969 in Morogoro, Tanzania, where it adopted its first Strategy and Tactics. Slovo was involved in drafting the document. The ANC opened its leadership ranks to people of all races at its Consultative Conference held in 1985 in Kabwe, Zambia, where Slovo was first elected to serve on its National Executive Committee. The good leadership example set by Slovo shows that one does not necessarily need to be elected to a leadership position in order to be involved in the struggle and give leadership to the revolution.
Emulate the good leadership example of Joe Slovo; selflessly and wholeheartedly serve the people!
We are commemorating this 24th anniversary of the passing away of Cde Slovo, at a time when our revolution is struggling to get out of one of its most dangerous periods perhaps since the 1994 democratic breakthrough. It is a period in which parasitic networks, both in the state and in our movement, almost handed all of our key state institutions to their corrupt sponsors. It was a period that consolidated and also begun to exhibit some of the worst regressions of many promising revolutions, when they get corrupted or captured by parasites:
This year we also expect a report of the high-level review panel appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June 2018 to assess the mandate, capacity and organisational integrity of the State Security Agency (SSA). The work of the high-level review panel must lay the basis for digging all the rot in the SSA and for a firm action to be taken against abuse of this state organ. All rogue intelligence activities must be exposed and decisively uprooted from the SSA.
Reconfiguration of the Alliance and a resounding ANC electoral victory
The importance of democratic consensus seeking consultation within the Alliance before all major policy, deployment and accountability decisions are made cannot be overemphasised. The second radical phase of the National Democratic Revolution will only succeed under collective leadership as opposed to unilateral and authoritarian leadership. Therefore a reconfigured Alliance must not just be reduced to elections, but to the very necessity to strengthen the Alliance as a vehicle to take forward our revolution. The reconfiguration of the Alliance is therefore a key task of the working class during this year.
Nevertheless, we should push the campaign for a resounding ANC electoral victory within the context of a reconfigured Alliance. We are pleased to say that this matter is now under serious discussion within the Alliance. But the SACP and the working class must know that much as it is important to engage our allies in discussions over reconfiguration, but such reconfiguration must not just be a boardroom exercise nor will it be an event through a signed agreement. We need to wage campaigns on the ground to deepen the National Democratic Revolution, thus make the imperative of a reconfiguration the alliance become a necessity from the ground.
Above all, rigorously building popular power and working class hegemony in all key sites of struggle and significant centres of power, intensifying mass mobilisation and political education are all the way extremely crucial.
Towards a programme of action for the working class in 2019
It is therefore important that we be like Joe Slovo by using 2019 to intensify working class and mass campaigning on a number of fronts:
National Health Insurance
The National Health Insurance Bill should be strengthened following the process of public comments to decisively eliminate inequalities in access to quality healthcare and ensure universal quality healthcare through the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI). The revised NHI Bill should thereafter be approved by the Cabinet for the passage of Parliament as a matter of urgency.
Working together with its allies, progressive worker, community and other social organisations representing the genuine aspirations of the broad masses, the SACP will strengthen its work to defend, advance and deepen the NHI. This is also our key electoral and government policy priority for 2019. The SACP emphatically rejects the latest posture of those now opposing the NHI under the guise that our health institutions and structures are weak. This posture and stance is no different from the opposition waged by big private health monopolies to the NHI. The NHI precisely aims to help deal with the number of challenges and weaknesses in our health system. The SACP also calls upon the Minister of Health, Cde Aaron Motsoaledi, to remove those senior officials opposed to the implementation of the NHI!
Land reform and the land economy
The legislative measures to achieve land, water and related reform should not be limited to redressing the results of past racial discrimination, but neither should redressing the results of past racial discrimination be interpreted in capitalist terms. The process of land reform should rollback the market-driven class inequalities if it is to become successful.
In memory of Joe Slovo, let us forge a widest possible patriotic front in defence of human rights. Let us work together, and with the Police, to root out criminality and end abuse in our society. Let us work together to build safer communities. Let us intensify social mobilisation to ensure that our local government works effectively and serves the people selflessly. These are part of the key national priorities for the SACP in 2019.
Let us work together to build a better South Africa.
Let us strengthen our internationalism
In memory of Joe Slovo the internationalist, the SACP expresses its solidarity with the people of Eswatini. We are calling for the release of political prisoners, including Comrade Amos Mbedzi, and for the unbanning of political parties and a transition to democracy in Eswatini.
We pledge our unwavering solidarity with the People of Western Sahara, and call on Morocco to unconditionally end its occupation of Western Sahara with immediate effect.
The SACP expresses its solidarity with the people of Palestine. We call on Israel to return the entire occupied Palestinian land to the people of Palestine.
Tuesday, 1 January 2019 marked the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution against the United States supported dictatorship that ruled the country. The SACP salutes the Cuban people for the victory, their steadfastness and resilience all the way. The SACP is calling for end to the illegal and criminal blockade of Cuba by the Unites States.
The SACP pledges solidarity with the people of Venezuela against the United States imperialist aggression.
Amandla!
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