SACP GAUTENG HELD A SUCCESFUL PROVINCIAL COUNCIL (PC)
17 March 2013
SACP GAUTENG PROVINCE held a successful Provincial Council (PC), its highest decision making constitutional structure in between Provincial Congresses. PC was held on Saturday, 16th March 2013 at COSATU House, Johannesburg. PC was attended by delegatesrepresenting SACP branches in the province.
PC was addressed by 13th National Congress Central Committee member, comrade Charles Setsubi, and received revolutionarymessages of support from our Alliance partners, with Cosatu represented by its Provincial Secretary, comrade Dumisani Dakile,and SANCO by the Provincial Secretary, comrade Lucas Qakaza. PC was also attended by delegates from the PEC of the Young Communist League.
PC extensively and through comradely debates covered a wide range of issues including the balance of forces internationally, nationally and provincially, and its outcomes include the following:
International situation
PC started its proceedings by paying tribute to President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, comrade Hugo Chavez by observing a moment of silence. PC appreciated the historic role that President Chavez played in building a popular mass and democratic movement to fight and defend the people of Latin America and the Caribbean against USA Imperialism. This is consistent with the traditions and revolutionary principles laid down by Simon Bolivar, who liberated the people of Latin America against Spanish Imperialism.
PC wished the people of Venezuela well in the next round of Presidential Elections in April this year. PC strongly condemned attempts by Imperialism and its apologists to portray comrade Chavez as a dictator, disregarding the fact that comrade Chavez has stood the test of time, as he consciously and deliberately subjected political processes in Venezuela to a series of and countless democratic and popular elections and referendum.
PC further analysed the international situation, and resolved that thecurrent world economic crisis still constitute the decisive factor thatcontinues to define the international balance of forces, and that the crisis facing Imperialism is far from over. PC congratulated theGeneral Secretary of the Communist Party of China, comrade Xi Jinping ascending to state power as the country's President, and alsowelcomed the forthcoming BRICS Summit to be held in our country this month. PC reaffirmed that fact that BRICS constitute the strategic way forward for building South -South relations as an anti-thesis to the historic domination of the world by the Western and European Imperialism.
National Political situation
PC analysed the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) within the framework laid down by the SACP Central Committee meeting held on the 1st -3rd March 2013. PC reaffirmed the fact the African National Congress as the leader of the Alliance and the working class held one of the most resounding successful 53rd National Conference. PC unanimously agreed that the outcomes of the Conference should constitute the core programme of the Alliance in Gauteng province.
In this regard, the PC reaffirmed the strategic thrust and vision of the National Development Plan (NDP) and recommitted itself to ensure that it is placed at the centre of our work within the province to improve the living conditions of the working class.
PC further reaffirmed the principle of national and central planning as a historic and most profound practice by left forces across the globe, and that in all countries where it was practiced, including the former Soviet Union, it took many and several attempts and longer period to get it firmly on track.
It was in this context that the PC rejected with contempt a disturbing feature, fast gaining ground within the ranks of the broad democratic movement of narrow rejectionism in permanence when engaging strategy policy document of the democratic government led by the ANC and its Alliance partners.
PC appreciated and celebrated the fact that our country is still on track to achieve its historic ideals of a non-racial, non-sexist, united, democratic and prosperous country as a building block to socialism. PC commended the leadership of the country under the capable hands and stewardship of ANC collective led by President Jacob Zuma.
Political Situation in Gauteng Province
PC extensively and deeply analysed the current political situation in the province, and resolved that the character of Gauteng as the leading economic hub of the country and to a large extent that of the continent is the material basis for capitalist accumulation by a coalition of various class forces constituting the ruling elite in the province.
PC assessed the performance of the SACP in Gauteng on state power as the highest concentration of political power. PEC came to the conclusion that the SACP in Gauteng performed relatively well onstate power, taking into account certain peculiar and unique factors, including the dominance of monopoly capital, black and white, and their control of state organs at provincial and local government level, especially in the three Metros of Joburg, Tshwane and Ekhuruleni.
PEC noted the configuration of state relations at the provincial government level and noted the fact that state power is separated from the leadership of the ANC in a manner consistent with what has been generally defined as two centres of power. This weakens the principle that the ANC is the centre of power and therefore the Alliance. PC accepted that this fact was a result of unique and distinct factors that were prevalent at the time, and may from time to time arise moving forward.
PC noted this matter of two centres of power was well attended to andclarified in the ANC 2007 National Policy Conference and subsequently reaffirmed by the ANC's 52nd Polokwane Conference.
It was in this context that the PC resolved that as part of the configurations of state power and relations within the province and preparations of the 2014 National and Provincial elections, it is preferable that the leader of the ANC be at the same time the leader of the state. As matters stand, both in the ANC and the state, this mostdesirable option and preference of the SACP and (surely that of the ANC) may not be realised come the 2014 elections.
PC mandated the PEC to immediately engage through bilateral meetings with the ANC, COSATU and SANCO to find the best alternative approach to resolve this situation at least before the 2014 elections. PC further resolved that its lower structures must be seized with finding the best options to ensure engagement with state power isconsistent with the SACP's South African Road to Socialism (SARS)of building left, working class and people's power with the Alliance firmly placed at the centre, and to decisively weaken the class power of the current class forces at the centre of the accumulation regime in the province.
PC reaffirmed that engagement with the ANC and Alliance partners on this matter should preserve and respect the independence of Alliance partners, especially on internal organisational process. However, PC was satisfied that the matter of state power and itsconfigurations is a matter of interest to all Alliance partners and the mass democratic movement.
PC resolved that the Alliance must seek to ensure the unity of the ANC, the Alliance and the working class to confront and defeat the threat of the agent of Imperialism represented by the DA.
PC adopted a Programme of Action for the year 2013 based on the SACP Central Committee ‘s programme of action and the decision to declare 2013 the year of the District.
The following will constitute the core activities of the SACP in Gauteng in 2013
SABC: SACP noted developments at the SABC and reaffirmed its programme of staging a follow up protest to ensure that the board i sfinally dissolved. PC condemned SABC Board for failing up to date to respond to its memorandum of demands delivered in October 2012.
Midvaal: SACP will intensify its work against the DA controlled Midvaal Municipality and to ensure that the working class receive quality services from the Municipality and intensify the fight against rampant corruption exposed by the Office of the Public Protector.
Lenasia Housing Crisis and the Alliance Land Summit. SACP received a report from the Greater Lenasia Residents Association about lack of progress on the resolution of their problems following the most insensitive and inhumane demolition of their houses. We have also received reports that the Chairperson of the Residents Association, comrade Baloyi Lazarus has been charged by the Department of Education for his activities relating to the crisis. We wish to express deep concern about the Lenasia situation and reaffirm our commitment to ensure that this matter is resolved. We will engage the people of Lenasia and the Alliance about the situation before making further pronouncements on the matter.
Following our experiences on the Lenasia question, those of many working class communities in the province, and further noting that this year marks the centenary of the 1913 Land Act, PEC will engage the Alliance to convene an urgent Land Summit to deal with the sale and alienation of land in Gauteng that benefit business at the expense of the working class and poor.
Financial Sector Campaign: PEC will hold wide range consultations with the Alliance, MDM and many progressive social movements to take forward the decision of the Central Committee to intensify work on the Financial Sector Campaign to deal with the high levels of reckless credit granting to the working class and poor in a manner that leads to garnishee orders and dispossession of houses and property.Campaign will also seek to fight lack of transformation in the financial sector, and its role in key development initiatives in the country.
2014 National and Provincial Elections: PEC will reactivate the Red Brigades as its campaign structures as part of its preparations for the National and Provincial elections to deal decisively with the ambitions of the Imperialist sponsored and supported DA.
Release of the Cuban Five: PEC will be hosting a Rally this week on Sunday, the 24th March 2013 to pledge solidarity with the Cuban five currently incarcerated in USA Imperialist prisons for their self-less and revolutionary commitment to track, fight and expose terrorist groups operating in the USA to attack the Cuban revolution and its people.
Statement issued by the SACP Gauteng, March 17 2013
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
