Statement of the third meeting of the 16th NEC
The National Executive Committee of SASCO convened at Booysens Hotel between the 22nd to the 24th of October 2010. The NEC meeting was characterized by frank analysis of South African society including divisive tendencies that are encroaching on the unity and cohesion of revolutionary forces within the Mass Democratic Movement led by the ANC.
Free Higher Education
The Minister of Higher Education and Training had promised that by the 30th August 2010 he would outline which areas of the NSFAS Review report he would implement. These recommendations of the NSFAS Review Report included ways in which Free Education would be implemented. We are disappointed that there is no concrete plan from the Ministry of Higher Education on implementation of Free Higher Education.
At the beginning of the next year there must be no students that will be excluded on the basis that they cannot afford or they owe fees. We will, once more, mobilized society and the rest of the student community in order to achieve Free Higher Education. To ensure this occurs, we will not rest.
Contestations of SRC elections against SASCO by ANCYL and YCL
We are extremely disappointed that the ANCYL and in some instance the Young Communist League have decided to contest SRC elections against our organization. We are of the firm view that this confuses students and leads to disunity amongst revolutionary forces. We are convinced that the reason for these contestations is the fact that SRC's sit in tender committees in Universities and that Tenderpreneurs from both the ANCYL and YCL want to capture SRC's in order to drive their accumulation agenda.
We are proud that our structures particularly in UKZN have been able to mobilize the student population to defeat both the ANCYL and YCL, in defence of our organization. We will continue to strive for unity of the PYA at all costs and at all levels, however, we will not strive for PYA unity at the expense of our organization and its role in the Higher Education sector. We will attempt to meet with the National Leadership of both the ANCYL and YCL to resolve these issues.
Dictatorship in the University of Free State and Stellenbosch
We are appalled by the dictatorship of Professor Jonathan Jansen in the University of Free State who has outlawed student political organizations and has deposed a democratically elected SRC. This is in violation of the Higher Education act and we call on the Department of Higher Education and Training to act decisively against this tyrant.
We call on the whole community of Free State to rise and defeat this tyranny in the University of Free State.
We are also appalled by the refusal by the University of Stellenbosch for a SASCO branch to launch. The intransigence of the University of Stellenbosch is in complete violation of the right to associate and organize enshrined in our constitution. We believe that this exposes the hypocrisy of Afrikaner groups such as the Afri-forum and others which claim to defend our constitution whilst Afrikaner institutions such as Stellenbosch operate as though oblivious that apartheid is no more.
The New Tendency
A New Tendency of accumulators has arisen from the ashes in the ANC and the liberation movement and has begun a most reactionary anti-communist program. This New Tendency is in cahoots with the emergent black bourgeoisie. This Tendency is represented by those who played a role in the ousting of the 1996 class project in Polokwane.
Its locomotive is its unparalleled urge to accumulate through the state and the fact that it sees the national liberation movement as its vehicle to state institutions. It has brought with it a most backward and anti-democratic delinquent subculture in the movement, which is that of disruption of meetings if they do not go according to its wishes.
We are of the view that the New Tendency poses a strategic threat to the National Democratic Revolution. Counter-revolutionary activity takes place when some in the liberation movement conspire against the poor and working class. We call on all our structures to combat, isolate and defeat the New Tendency as part of their contribution to defeating counter-revolutionaries.
South African Communist Party
We are of the view that the SACP, like any organization is undergoing a process of development and renewal. As SASCO we are not entirely happy some approaches of the SACP on specific matters and we are willing to engage the Party on these. We call on those who have identified themselves as opponents of the SACP to reconsider their ways. We will do all in our capacity to defend and develop the SACP.
We will do all on our capacity to assist the SACP advance the struggle for Socialism in South Africa. We will organize an urgent meeting with the SACP in order to raise our dissatisfaction on specific matters, we
will not do that in public.
National General Council
Our National General Council will take place from the 3rd to the 8th December 2010. This NGC will be our mid-term policy review conference.
In this gathering we will also review our support for the ANC in the upcoming Local Government Elections. This General Council will also detail our demands for the Local Government elections which if not met would result in our organization reconsidering its support during the local government elections.
WFDY Festival
We are aware that the World Federation of Democratic Youth will host its Festival in South Africa mid-December. As an organization we feel honoured organization together with the YCL and ANCYL to host this prestigious gathering. We call on members of society and students to attend this historic event whose significance is equal if not more, to that of the Soccer World Cup.
Statement issued by Mbulelo Mandlana, SASCO President, October 27 2010
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