SACP Eastern Cape PEC statement

"Building a strong and vibrant party and alliance in memory of Chris Hani"

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) met in Umtata, NEHAWU offices from the 11 to 12 April 2015, received and considered comprehensive political and organisational report.

Remembering Chris Hani:

The PEC meeting was convened after a successful commemoration of the 22nd Anniversary of the late SACP General Secretary, ANC NEC Member and the Chief of Staff of the people's army, UMkhonto weSizwe, Cde Chris Thembisile Hani.

A series of commemoration events will be held throughout the month of April, the Chris Hani Month, across the Eastern Cape Province. This will be done to preserve the memory of Cde Chris Hani for people within and outside the party to not only see Chris Hani as a face in the t-shirts or documents but a colossus leader of our people.

We commit ourselves that in his memory we will build working class unity, become active in all key sites of struggle and fight for justice. The lasting monument we will build for all our fallen heroes is serving our people with compassion without any motive for personal gains. In paying tribute to Chris Hani we will continue to intensify the campaign to address day to day challenges of the people, like we did when we donated school uniform to the needy children in Duncan Village.

Organisationally:

The PEC meeting satisfied itself on the state of our party in the province after having received and discussed a comprehensive organisational report. We are convinced that post the SACP 7th Provincial Congress held last year, we have been able to build a campaigning, vibrant, agile and independent party for the working class as a whole.

We congratulate Cde Andile Mosha in his election as the YCLSA Provincial Secretary, We trust that he and the YCLSA leadership collective will continue doing a good work of mobilising youth for socialism and combating challenges facing young people.

We have dealt with our programme of action for the year which has already ensued in many of our districts.

Alliance:

We are deeply concerned with the state of the alliance at a district/regional levels in our province, where some regional leaders disregard the alliance as an important political platform. We are of the firm view that our alliance is more important than us as its leaders, it is an alliance built and solidified through decades of sweat and blood. It remains a bedrock and political centre of our shared programme the National Democratic Revolution (NDR), and in which our democracy is anchored upon. No leader therefore should wittingly or unwittingly place him/ herself above this alliance.

We are calling for the principled unity within our long standing ally, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). The workers of this country are in need of the unified COSATU which is capable of organising and defending the workers; however COSATU must defend its character and principles against opportunists. It is in this context that as communists we stand firm in defence of the alliance on attacks from both within and outside. We call upon all NUMSA members and other COSATU affiliated unions to reconsider their decision of leaving the COSATU and stay within COSATU; their contribution in building a strong COSATU is of paramount importance.

The PEC resolved to embark on a red door to door campaign that will visit trade union offices and workplaces under the theme "basebenzi manyanani" as a contribution of the SACP in rebuilding COSATU. The workers must assert themselves as rightful owners of COSATU and that they are still alive, they should decisively act to avert the theatrics by greedy individuals who wishes to grab parts of COSATU as if it is an estate of a deceased person. The workers and COSATU are not dead.

Provincial:

As the South African Communist Party we are deeply concerned of the rising unemployment rate in the Eastern Cape. We view this as a serious challenge that requires decisiveness in dealing with it. We are of the firm view that our government planning should speak to curbing this challenge building from the ANC Provincial Lekgotla.

We reiterate our call for Eastern Cape governance curb the challenge of unemployment through radical agrarian reform and food production, massive infrastructure rollout and many other means. The provincial planning and action should be centred on these and a great need to maintain the infrastructure we have in the communities, like fixing of appalling roads, etc.

Reports on BCMM.

The PEC meeting has noted with great concern the reports carried in the Daily Dispatch edition of 11 April 2015 about alleged interference by the BCMM Municipal Manager, Andile Fani. We are therefore calling for all relevant authorities, the Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs; Auditor General and all other relevant law enforcement authorities to get closer to the situation and act decisively on any wrong doing irrespective of who is found to have erred.

Amathole toilet scandal:

The meeting has noted with great astonishment the new media reports on the matter. We therefore reiterate our call that, the law enforcement agencies should get closer to the matter as a matter of urgency. It is in this context that we are calling upon the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) Municipal Manager, Mr. Chris Magwangqana to make all the documentation related to this procurement public for clean and transparent governance.

If the reported allegations of the non-registered company that was paid before the tender was even approved are true; they can only serve to represent capturing of the state by greedy tenderpreneurs and corrupt government officials. As the SACP, our approach to corruption is a principled one which helps the people as a whole.

Anti-Corruption campaign:

As the SACP it is our firm commitment to fight and combat corruption wherever it raises its ugly head, corruption represent ruthless theft from the people. It is a stumbling block to the ANC alliance led government to deliver services to our people in a much desired velocity. We are committed to defeat corruption within and outside the movement.

It is in this context that we are calling for the people of the Eastern Cape to join the South African Communist Party in a sustained fearless fight to combat corruption. As the people we should unite and rise in defence of what is rightfully theirs from the greedy corrupt elements.

It is this context that we are calling for decisive action in all forensic reports in the provincial and local state. There should be no dilly dulling on action because certain people with political proximity to the leadership of the movement are implicated. Our fight as the movement against corrupt should possess no eyes but remain a principled one.

The PEC meeting commended the successful anti-corruption march held by the SACP in Skenjana Roji on the 27 March 2015. We view it as an important milestone towards uniting and mobilising people against corruption. It is in this context that we will be embarking on anti-corruption protest marches in all our districts.

Conclusion:

We concluded the meeting recommitting ourselves to serve the people, the workers and the poor in particular and to further strengthen the people's camp, and further increase our activism in all key sites of struggle.

Statement issued by Siyabonga Mdodi, SACP Eastern Cape Provincial Spokesperson, April 13 2015