Address by SACP General Secretary Cde Blade Nzimande, National Union of Mineworkers Shop Steward Council, Saturday, Boksburg, April 12 2014
President of the NUM Cde Senzeni Zokwana in absentia, Marx once said philosophers interpreted the word in various ways, however, that the point is to change it;
[Just to borrow from this profound statement in football before we proceed with our central focus. In football the point is not how long a team occupies the number one spot, but whether it will win the title. As things stand, it appears one football club is trending with loses after being at the top for a while.]
General Secretary Cde Frans Balani, all National Office Bearers, officials and delegates from across the country;
Let me for and on behalf of the SACP convey our revolutionary greetings to our resilient and progressive National Union of Mineworkers - the NUM. Let me also congratulate the union for staying the course in the turbulence experienced mainly in the Rustenburg platinum belt since around 2012. The SACP once more would like to take this opportunity to send our sincere condolences to the many shaft stewards and members that the NUM has lost in the Rustenburg platinum belt and elsewhere.
We want to reiterate our condemnation of the use of propagandas of falsehood, intimidation, violence and killings as a strategy by some to build trade unions for themselves. We once more call on the law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to book. Without this, and in addition without stopping such crimes, anarchy could think that it is prevailing, and it will be difficult to maintain law and order.
Dear comrades, as the SACP we would like to go back to what we have said the last time we addressed the NUM: an attack on the NUM is an attack on the SACP, ANC, COSATU, indeed the rest of our Alliance and our entire revolutionary liberation movement. We have been proven to be correct. However, it was least open at the time that some of the attacks on the NUM would come or were coming from within and within particular sections in COSATU. The NUM must continue staying the course, and there are some lessons to learn from the Communist Party.
All of the deviationist tendencies that parted ways with our movement actually started by first attacking the SACP before leaving to form other organisations outside. From the PAC through to the corrupt tenderpreneurs the EFF, and along the way some organisations such as COPE this pattern is the same. Those who are attacking the NUM have also adopted the tendency, also attacking COSATU and the rest of our movement. Workers must actually ask: If you say that we must not vote for ANC who must we vote for? Let us return to this in due course.
Dear comrades, this week on Thursday, 10 April we held the main commemoration ceremony of the 21st anniversary of the assassination of our General Secretary Comrade Chris Hani. There are more activities taking place today and scheduled to continue throughout the month to commemorate comrade Chris's assassination. All these include the celebration of comrade Chris's contribution in our struggle against capitalist exploitation and imperialist domination; the struggle against racist oppression and sexist domination; the struggle against colonialism and apartheid; the struggle for socialism, communism, and universal emancipation of both human society and nature from being extinction.
It was for these revolutionary goals that Comrade Chris was assassinated on 10 April 1993 by Janusz Waluś and Clive Derby-Lewis who, 21 years later, have proven to be unrepentant murderers. These murderers who were denied amnesty have to this day shown no remorse. They have not disclosed the entire truth about the assassination of comrade Chris. They continue to fail rehabilitation by distinction in prison. The SACP has gone out and will continue to go out to oppose any parole for these murderers.
Dear Comrades, Comrade Chris not only fought for the achievement of freedom; he correctly understood that without revolutionary organisation there can be no revolution. He was not a separatist; for he belonged to both the primary political formations of our national liberation movement the SACP and ANC; he took part in the military struggle through our people's liberation army uMkhonto weSizwe. Comrade Chris clearly understood, that without unity of purpose, there can be no organisation.
Let us unite our movement in memory of Chris Hani
It is very important that all our cadres must at all times defend and deepen the unity of our movement, our Alliance and all its components. In memory of Cde Chris we must be cadres of and for unity! Most importantly, we must all seek unity between our leadership and members of our organisations, as well as unity amongst the majority of the people of our country, including all the motive forces of our revolution.
However, unity must be approached from a revolutionary and not from a mechanical and opportunistic stance. For instance, there can never be unity between the working class and the capitalist class. There also can never be unity between revolutionary and counter-revolutionary forces. In fact, part of building unity in a revolution, must include the isolation and defeat of those sowing divisions within our ranks. It is from this perspective that as the SACP we have said we must approach all the key tasks facing our revolution at this point in time.
Let us close ranks, let us unite COSATU
Let us close ranks: let us unite and give no quarter both to the old and new enemies, whatever their manifestation, including the enemy within and the enemy agent.
The SACP reiterates its calls on the workers to close ranks! Let us close ranks at the workplace, in the community and everywhere in society! Let us unite and rally behind the ANC, our Alliance and all the component parts of our mass democratic movement. The SACP says the basic condition for our revolution to succeed is unity. It is only when we are united that we will deliver a deadly blow starting with the weakest of our opponents, the political opposition, the blue party of racist exploitation interests the DA and corrupt tenderpreneurs the EFF who stole our colours and SARS' 16 million rand. Comrades can you imagine how much the corrupt tenderpreneurs chewed if he owes SARS 16 million rand. A lot of money.
Dear Comrades, it was through our unity as the working class in alliance with other progressive strata of our people that we defeated apartheid 20 years ago in 1994 and achieved our democratic breakthrough. It was through this unity that we laid the foundations for the construction and development of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa in which there is a better life for all.
On the contrary, it is when divisions take root; when trade union and political organisation is fragmented; when as workers we compete against each other instead of solidarity, that we will suffer major setbacks from the enemy. That is why as the SACP we are saying those who have been sowing divisions among workers; divisions within the ranks of our progressive trade union movement COSATU; divisions between COSATU and the two primary political formations of our Alliance the SACP and ANC; divisions in the political organisation of the motive forces of our revolution, are definitely either the enemy within if not the enemy agents. The success of our revolution therefore also lies in ensuring that these negative forces are defeated.
As the Alliance, we have a responsibility to help COSATU overcome its problems. But, in doing so we must make sure that we do not reward anarchy and counter-revolution. The unity of COSATU can never be that between the workers and those who are deliberately seeking to divide, weaken and ultimately destroy the federation. We repeat our warning to organised workers to beware of business unionism and the dangers it poses for workers and trade union unity.
Recently our efforts to help COSATU overcome its challenges were attacked. One of the reasons for this attack is that we are aiming at securing ANC elections victory. After all what is wrong if the ANC engages COSATU in order to unite all our forces for an ANC electoral victory? It is only the opponents and enemies of the unity of COSATU, SACP, ANC, our Alliance and indeed the working class as the main motive force of our revolution who can have a serious problem with the electoral victory of the ANC.
Let us build the NUM strong and ensure quality service for members
The ongoing developments in the Rustenburg platinum belt are a typical example on what happens when workers are divided. The manufacturers of lies for instance thrive and build vigilante-unions in order to loot workers. Not so long in 2012 one vigilante-union emerged through lies, intimidation, violence and killings of workers. One of the big lies that were used to thrive was that there was R12 500 available that management wanted to grant workers but that the NUM was selling out and preventing this to happen. Shortly after this lie, another big lie was manufactured. Once the 2012 Rustenburg platinum belt strike was over it was widely reported that on their own, without a union, workers had achieved R12 500.
Two years later, workers in the very same mines are out on a strike which started by the end of January this year for a demand of the very same R12 500 which in reality was not achieved. Those who manufactured the lie that the NUM was selling out, which is the reason they gave on behalf of management why workers were not granted the R12 500, have come across a cul-de-sac in the manufacture of lies.
Already the demand for R12 500 has been revised from immediate implementation to a staggered implementation to take place in two years, three years and so forth over a period of several years. This exposes the propaganda of falsehoods that was widely spread against the NUM. In addition, a fresh lie that is being prepared through the revised demand for staggered implementation has been exposed while still under manufacture. There can be no doubt that one of the intentions for revising the demand from immediate to staggered implementation was to lay the basis for a celebration of a fictitious victory. There can be no doubt that somewhere in future as wage increases take place there will come a point where workers reach and surpass the R12 500 mark.
Now that the lies that were manufactured against the NUM are out for all who care to see, it is clear that a movement back home in the NUM will take place if it is already not in session as false promises are exposed. The SACP looks forward to the NUM strengthening the return movement back in the union. This must not only be left to itself. We are looking forward to decisive recruitment and reintegration strategies coming out of your reflections from this National Shop Steward Council.
The SACP supports workers' genuine demands against the capitalists in every struggle where workers face-off with the capitalists. What we do not support is the exploitation of workers' genuine demands to divide them organisationally, create false impressions on what they can achieve on an immediate basis. We are opposed to demagogic mobilisation. It is because of a propaganda of falsehoods and demagogic mobilisation that workers in the platinum sector are being led to a slaughter house of loss of earnings and potential retrenchments. This can only strengthen the bosses and weaken the working class.
It is also very important to note that the attack that was mounted against the NUM in the platinum belt was ultimately aimed at the whole of our revolutionary movement. It was in fact on the basis of these attacks that opposition parties were brought in to scavenge over the deaths of the workers and strengthen themselves. Two other political parties that lined up in the opposition to our movement and that are not worth mentioning their names were also established as part of the loot as if plans to set up these parties were not long underway.
The organic link that developed between the NUM and the two primary political formations of our liberation movement the SACP and ANC is definitely a target for an attack by those who want to dislodge our revolution. The NUM not only built COSATU but has played a critical role in the link between workers' struggles and political struggles through our Alliance. The NUM has for instance produced some of the outstanding leaders of our movement. It is thus extremely important to appreciate what defending and building the NUM mean for our liberation movement and revolution. This is a revolutionary task that must be carried out regardless of the angles from which the NUM faces an attack.
As part of our struggle to defend the NUM we must take up several tasks but not limited to the following. Improvement of service to members who must be mobilised themselves in developing and delivering this quality service. Members are not passive recipients of service but they are a force of change and service themselves. We must intensify the struggle for better conditions of employment and work, including better wages - this will among others have to involve talking sky-rocketing executive pay head-on. We must intensify the struggle for health, education and skills development, among others. Let us also intensify our activism in the political struggle.
There is no such as thing as class neutrality
We must guard against those who work for the enemy, disguising as if they are advocating for abstinence in an ongoing class struggle. There can be no such a thing as class neutrality in class struggle. Abstinence is just but one of the forms of participation in political struggle and is therefore not class neutral. Let alone consistent attacks on our revolutionary Alliance and its formations, abstinence can be one of the factors of influence to influence the outcome of political struggles.
There is absolutely no reason to abstain from defending and deepening the advances we have achieved since the beginning of our struggle and the 1994 democratic breakthrough. Now is not the time to allow the working class to be distracted by internal divisions or cults of the personality, or any narrow interests. The ANC-led Alliance with the working class as the main motive force still remains the only relevant and most appropriate vehicle to take forward our national democratic revolution towards its logical conclusion.
The cults of personality, unbridled personal ambitions, self-serving interests, factionalism, tribalism, and tendencies of liberalism that seek to place a single individual or a faction of individuals above the collective organisation are a recipe for disaster. Such things are foreign and do not belong to the workers and a revolutionary movement. These are some of the negative tendencies that we must combat as we reinforce our work to achieve unity among the workers and the progressive trade union federation COSATU. We must equally guard against opportunism.
The SACP says there can be no frustration, disappointment, unhappiness, personality cult or opportunistic posturing that is big enough to justify working class desertion from the all critical struggle to mobilise for a decisive victory of the people as led by the ANC.
The opposition and the Public Protector: let us confront hypocrisy for what it is
Dear Comrades, let us illustrate the hypocrisy on the current hypocritical pre-occupation of the opposition's cheerleaders in the media. We are being told we must abandon our constitutional right and freedom of expression particularly if we have reservations on the conduct of affairs by the current Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. We are refusing to be silenced. We shall not abandon our hard-won rights and freedoms! Let us look back a bit and expose hypocrisy for what it is.
Previous Public Protectors, Justice Selby Baqwa and Lawrence Mushwana, in their capacities as public protectors, were largely mauled by the DA and its predecessors, and virtually by all the opposition parties, including media cheerleaders. There was no injunction to anyone to stop criticising the Public Protectors at the time. With due respect, when the two previous public protectors were being viciously attacked by the DA, neither Archbishop Tutu and Archbishop Thabo Mokgoba nor Advocate Bizos came to their defence as they are doing now with Madonsela. The danger with all this is that it confirms what many of us have been suspecting that there is no principled defence of the rule of law in all this, but it is about discrediting the ANC government, and particularly President Zuma. Similarly there is no principled fight against corruption, but an oppositionist fight. Some of us have to be convinced otherwise. If the Public Protector finds wrong with government, especially against President Zuma, she is a hero not so much because there is a principled fight against corruption.
Recently there has been rims of editorials and gallons of ink instructing all and sundry to accept Thuli Madonsela's Nkandla report. Yet the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF), as far back as June 2001, not only heavily criticised then Public Protector, now Justice Selby Baqwa, for refusing recording and broadcasting equipment into one hearing on the arms deal, but also threatened to take him to court. The same SANEF family, some 13 years later, not only tells us that the Public Protector must be listened to without question, but they gladly accepted Madonsela's instruction for them not to bring electronic recording devices such as tablets, laptops and cell phones into a "locked up" press briefing on the Nkandla report. Where is the principle here? Again the moral guardians of our constitution were conspicuously silent on this.
Let us listen to Helen Zille in 2008 against the Public Protector Advocate Lawrence Mushwana
"Mushwana's record, and that of his predecessor, Selby Baqwa, encapsulates everything that is wrong with the ANC`s policy of deploying party cadres to institutions supposed to check and balance state power. Just like Baleka Mbete's role as both Speaker and ANC National Chairperson, Mushwana's position is a fundamental conflict of interest. Both owe their loyalty to the ANC first and to the Constitution second. They are living examples of Jacob Zuma's contention that "the ANC is even more important than the Constitution." Absolute silence when Zille said all this as it was also the case in the earlier period when Tony Leon viciously attacked Justice Selby Baqwa!"
Yet, today we are told that we must uncritically endorse whatever Thuli Madonsela says as part of respecting our institutions supporting democracy. The DA`s cheerleaders in the media see absolutely no double standards or contradiction in this, because for them the rule of law is only when the ANC and government are being criticised. Not so long ago, Zille threatened to take legal action against Madonsela when she gave a provisional report pointing at corruption in the DA`s tender on public relations. In fact Zille had this to say about the Public Protector:
"A provisional report, drafted for the Public Protector, into the Western Cape Government`s ‘alleged improper procurement of communications services` was leaked to the media a week before the agreed deadline for our response. This in itself is highly irregular, and prejudices our right to rectify what our Senior Counsel, Advocate Geoff Budlender, believes to be material legal errors in the draft report, before the report is finalised. Without casting aspersions on the Public Protector herself, we believe this premature leak prejudices the administration of justice and compromises our rights".
But what is even more breath-taking is the arrogance of Zille and assumption that the Public Protector will correct what she disagrees with:
"I will be making all of these, and other points, to the Public Protector myself when I meet her later this week in order to give her the opportunity to rectify the report before she finalises it under her name".
Indeed Madonsela changed her final report! And there was stunning silence from our self-appointed moral police and advocates of the rule of law when this happened. There was no criticism of Zille for challenging the Public Protector!
Selective criticism or support of our constitutional Institutions on the basis of whether they criticise ANC-led government or not is as dangerous as disrespecting these institutions. It is important to consistently point out that the rule of law is indivisible, whether it is under President Mandela or President Zuma. The surest way of discrediting our institutions of democracy is selective support and morality, which is often opportunistic and unprincipled.
Let us use the elections campaign to advance the national democratic revolution
The SACP calls on the workers and the poor to use the election campaign to take back the moral high ground, to close ranks and roll back the corrupting domination of monopoly capital on our society.
On May 7, let us teach the DA, the arrogant party of monopoly capital and minority privilege a powerful lesson. We call on the working class to come out in large numbers to deliver a massive electoral blow to this party of big capital and white privilege.
The DA is not a party of the working class: the DA is a party that opposed farm workers minimum wage being raised from R65 a day; it is party that supports labour brokers; it is a party that wants to roll back hard-won labour market legislation in favour of the so-called flexible labour market including making it easy to dismiss workers and therefore to force them to swell the ranks of the unemployed; it is a party that portrays COSATU as the enemy and marches on its head-office.
On May 7, let us also deal a decisive electoral blow against the EFF - the party led by the most corrupt tenderpreneurs. These loud-mouthed demagogues and tenderpreneurs in red berets have never done an honest day's work. That is why the SACP has asked the question: Where do they get their fancy cars, their Breitling watches? Where do they get their campaign funding?
The SACP says on May 7, let us vote ANC for:
Jobs and decent work.
Transformation of the financial sector to serve the people!
For land and food security.
Defending and deepening our democracy.
For National Health Insurance and universal quality health care for all.
Access to quality education and skills development.
Better housing and basic services for all.
Surely, there are many struggles we must continue with. As the SACP we believe that intensifying these struggles should strengthen our government and firmly steel it in the hands of the people. This will also contribute in the building of a democratic developmental state that we seek to achieve. That is why as we say: Let us intensify our struggles against labour brokers for instance, and ensure that they are banned. We must ceaselessly also engage the ANC on this point.
Issued by the SACP, April 12 2014
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