The SACP's principled call for mature engagement across the Alliance, and our unqualified support for the message delivered by President Zuma to the SACP's Special National Congress this past weekend, now run the danger of being misinterpreted in some quarters.
At our Congress, the SACP's chairperson, general secretary and deputy general secretary all criticised the disrespect shown to ANC NEC member, Cde Billy Masetla, and to the ANC YL president. We have no intention of retracting condemnations of this behaviour.
However, it is notable that there has been no apology or even the vaguest hint of self-reflection from some other quarters. Instead, there has been open defiance of the ANC president, with war-drums being beaten. There has been no apology for the deliberate and disruptive commotion at our congress, purposely staged in the full glare of TV cameras and news reporters. It was a commotion designed to humiliate Cde Gwede Mantashe in his capacity as ANC Secretary General. This is not the first time in recent weeks that we have seen attempts to disrupt Alliance meetings from exactly the same small clique.
The SACP rejects attempts in parts of the media to now establish some kind of "balance of misbehaviour". We accept responsibility for any mistakes on our part, and we have always immediately sought to correct them.
We know that the overwhelming majority of ANC comrades, of ANC YL members, of Alliance supporters in general and, indeed, of South Africans across the broadest spectrum know full well where the source of serial mudslinging, character assassination, factionalism and narrow chauvinism lies. This behaviour is costing our movement dearly, not least in provinces like the Western Cape.
In defending our own organisation and our Alliance, the SACP will not descend to these levels. We are heartened by the many calls of support from young South Africans, including many members of the ANC YL.
We call on all Alliance members to defend the resolutions of the ANC's 52nd National Conference, including the important ANC resolution on the transformation of the mining sector. Let us defend the Freedom Charter's noble principles and not be cajoled (by threats of non-deployment) into seemingly radical calls that are designed to advance narrow sectoral interests.
Without fear or favour, let us take forward all five key pillars of our shared Alliance election manifesto. In particular, and without fear or favour, let us take forward the struggle against corruption. As in the past, the SACP calls on Alliance partners to implement individual declarations of interest by all leadership. It is imperative that we dispel any hint or allegation of positions being adopted on the basis of lavish personal sponsorships.
Let us defend the multi-class unity of our Alliance, on the basis of our principled and common programmes of action. Together, as South Africans, faced with climbing crisis levels of unemployment, inequality, poverty and HIV/AIDS pandemic, we cannot afford to be endlessly diverted by side-shows and theatrical attempts at disruption.
As the SACP we are committed to building a nation that openly and frankly debates its own challenges but in doing this let us all respect basic human rules of human engagement like respect, civility and humility.
Statement issued by South African Communist Party spokesperson, Malesela Maleka, December 17 2009
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