Address by Dr Zweli Mkhize on behalf of the ANC at the South African Communist Party's 99-year celebration, 2 August 2020

Programme Director,

General Secretary, Cde Blade Nzimande,

1st Deputy General Secretary, Cde Mapaila

1st Deputy President of COSATU, Cde Mike Shingange, Comrades and friends,

99 years ago, the Comrnunist Party was born — a moment which would mark a turning point in the development of labour politics in South Africa and contribute to decades of change in the country's political landscape.

It is an honour and a privilege for me to address you today on behalf of the African National Congress; which has been a long standing ally of the SACP for many decades. The ANC congratulates the SACP on achieving the landmark of 99 years being at the center of the National Democratic Revolution as part of the ANC-led Alliance.

We have come a long way since more than two thousand of our like-minded brothers and sisters gathered in Cape Town following the inaugural conference to establish the aim and characteristics of the Communist Party of South Africa, adopting the constitution and manifesto which would create the foundation on which this revolutionary organisation would continue to build upon. It was also during this period that the Communist Party began a close working relationship with the ANC, fighting together with many other progressive organisations against the common enemy that designed and presided over a

ruthless system of institutionalized national oppression and racial discrimination as well as subjugation of hurnan rights and land dispossession. The formation of the CPSA marked a decisive turning point in the evolution of labour politics in South Africa. Up until then the organised labour movement consisted mainly of White working class members. Throughout the 1920s the CPSA focused on organising African workers around issues of trade union rights and national liberation demands, and called for Black majority rule. It was also during this period that the CPSA and the African National Congress (ANC) began a close working relationship.

From inception, the SACP correctly analysed the political situation in our country and resolved to mobilize the working class and built partnership with progressive political formations to galvanize the masses of our people into a formidable force for liberation. Over the years of its existence, the Communist Party has been a trusted ally of the African National Congress and an equal partner in the Tripartite Alliance; without which the significant victories would have been insurmountable in tortuous journey of our liberation struggle

The Communist Party has always been an integral part of the conceptualisation and prosecution of major campaigns that has shaped our liberation struggle in response to the onslaught by the apartheid regime in an effort to annihilate our forces and frustrate our people's aspirations for democracy and freedom.

The Communist Party has played a significant role in landmark activities that were a signal of the intensification of our struggle; such as the Defiance Campaign, the mass mobilization leading to the adoption of the Freedom Charter, the formation of Umkhonto WeSizwe, the mobilization of international solidarity and support for our struggle especially from the Socialist Countries, the re-establishment of the liberation movement after the unbanning as well as the participation in the negotiations.

In short, because of the uniqueness of this Alliance, the Communist Party has been part of all the victories of the ANC and its Alliance partners; celebrating the joys of our victories and sharing the feelings of sadness and the pain where the ANC suffered setbacks. The best characterization of their relationship is found in the statement by President Oliver Tambo, who eloquently articulated the importance of the Alliance as follows;

"Ours is not merely a paper alliance, created at conference tables and formalised through the signing of documents and representing only an agreement of leaders. Our alliance is a living organism that has grown out of struggle. We have built it out of our separate and common experiences. "

The strength of the Alliance is the understanding and respect of the different histories, roles and responsibilities of each partner which are distinct. This ensured that members of the SACP, a Marxist-Leninist party and vanguard movement of the workers were equal members of the African National Congress, a national liberation movement that mobilizes all classes, strata and sectors of society; in partnership with Congress of South African Trade Unions which organizes workers around the working conditions. Lately including South African National Civic Association which focused on civic issues involving residents.

This unique relationship enabled the Communist Party to contribute in the thoughts and the theory of the revolution and development of many leaders we share.

As we celebrate the 99th Anniversary today, we pay a special tribute to generations of working class leaders who have made an impact in the history of our struggle. Among them are Moses Kotane, J. B. Marks, Harry Gwala, Chris Hani, Elijah Barayi, Chris Dlamini, John Gomomo, Oscar Mpetha, Ray Simons, Moses Mabhida, Raymond Mhlaba, Govan Mbeki, Joe Slovo, Edwin Mofutsanyane, Dan Tloome, Curnick Ndlovu, Steven Dlamini, John Nkadimeng, Billy Nair, and many others who served everyone of our revolutionary organs with distinction.

The combined experience and lessons from our forebears demonstrated that as Alliance partners, we are stronger when we work together. The best outcomes have been achieved from our united action. Over the years we have supported one another. It is correct that we continue to influence one another. This approach has saved our struggle and averted serious crises that our country has faced.

Our partnership was created to build a strong foundation for a positive future characterized by democracy, peaceful coexistence, unity, non-sexism, equality, freedom, justice and prosperity. While the ANC and the SACP have not always seen eye to eye, our history has proven that when we work together, what we can achieve is endless. United, we brought an end to a ruthless and unjust system, we changed the trajectory of an entire country and we changed the lives of millions of our people.

Our forebears knew this to be true— many of them holding up the toast of both the SACP and ANC while leading the movement. This continues today with SACP members spearheading critical roles in government. Our two parties have a symbiotic relationship — there is no ANC without the SACP. We have distinct roles to play as we continue the path toward our National Democratic Revolution, and we can only achieve the best outcomes when we are united towards a common goal. This has special relevance today as we face one of the greatest challenges in our recent history.

lt is only normal for partners to disagree on some issues, but such disagreements are not antagonistic differences. It is important to ensure that we never allow adversaries and detractors to take advantage of those differences and divide us. Such arguments between us must always be a reflection of a healthy contestation of ideas and competition of different but constructive views. After all, our leaders have also warned us about these tensions.

President Nelson Mandela, addressing an SACP congress in 1995, said about the relationship of the ANC and the SACP:

It is a relationship that has detractors in abundance; a relationship that has its prolific obituary scribes. But it is a relationship that always disappoints these experts. Because it was tempered in struggle. It is written in the blood of many martyrs". This revolutionary partnership became invaluable in advancing the struggle for freedom. We need to work together to uproot the demons of factionalism that has slowly taken root in our structures. Factionalism in the ANC means factionalism in the Communist Party. We have to work hard to rid our organizations of this demon.

Rampant corruption is threatening to tear our structures and is eroding the deep trust and confidence our people have in our movement. These have to be ruthlessly tackled by Alliance partners with the same vigour used to fight against apartheid. We note that we celebrate this important birthday when the fault lines of poverty, hunger, joblessness have exposed our flanks. We need to close ranks as we search for solutions of how to rebuild our ailing economy and eradicate inequality.

We need to unite as we transform our economy to become more inclusive and stimulate growth and eradicate squalor in rural areas and peri- urban settlements. We need to unite as we transform our education to change society and usher in a better life and dismantle trans-generational poverty. Only a united alliance is capable of ushering in a universal Health Care system in the form If the National Health Insurance. lf ever we needed unity this is the time, more than ever before

Comrades,

It is timeous that one year before the SACP celebrates its centenary, it is called upon once again to aid the movement in yet another fight: a common enemy which we call COVID-19. To date, more than half-a-­million positive cases have been recorded in our country and more than 8, 000 of our brothers and sisters have died. Many of our workers are fighting hard on the frontlines of the battle against this virus — some have lost their lives in this fight.

We need to ensure that we provide them with the support needed to see our country through this tumultuous time. We need to demand that all resources deployed to fight the pandemic be utilized appropriately and all corruption reported be investigated and uprooted and consequences be meted to those involved.

This is a time in which our alliance needs to be at its strongest, let us learn from one another as we draw the battle plans going forward. The fight against COVID-19 is only the first step, however. Global healthcare inequalities which have been so boldly emphasised by the currently disproportionate ill-effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic are predicated on the history of economic orthodoxy which stacked the odds against the developmental interests of poorer nations.

Despite the COVID-19 effects knowing no skin colour, class, gender or region, the deeper truth is that developed nations stand a better chance of both withstanding and mitigating its worse effects by virtue of good public health systems, strong economies and relatively well-off and healthy citizens. We wish to pay tribute to the Cuban brigade.

We commend them for their solidarity and support. We understand why there has been a call for this brigade to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Global inequality as indexed by the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic is a dismal reality that privileges some to the cost of others. This is the reason Europe and North America could easily mitigate the onslaught of this pandemic, despite the toll that it has taken on their societies

This becomes glaring when one considers the fact that the World Health Organisation has declared health a basic human right. Yet people in lower socio- economic quantile have to pay exorbitantly for basic health services which are priced beyond their means, with dire results for livelihoods and social reproduction. We join the World Health Organisation in calling for equity in the access of essential health commodities such as vaccines, diagnostic kits, therapeutic drugs and equipment to all nations on the basis of need not on the basis of influence.

As we commemorate Women's Month in August, as the ANC we want to denounce any form of gender-based violence and femicide. We have a duty to love, care and protect our women and young girls. We cannot keep quite as gender violence incidents continue to increase. This is an indictment on us as men and it requires us as leaders to continue n South Africa, good, quality healthcare is still a mirage for many toiling masses. We face numerous challenges when it comes to healthcare costs and services. The country spends huge amounts of money for health care on very few people. Many health care professionals only serve a few people who have money and the rest of the public is serviced by very few professionals.

We have therefore adopted a revised policy of the National Health Plan which will see ordinary South Africans have unfettered access to national healthcare service. Hence the National Development Plan calls for a National Health Insurance system 'which needs to be implemented in phases, complemented by a reduction in the relative cost of private medical care and supported by better human capacity and systems in the public health sector'.

The NHI is in the works and we are confident that it will come into force soon as due process and conditions are ready. This will make a qualitative difference to the lives of South Africans, most of whom are languishing in fragile and uncertain social conditions which in turn impact on their well-being and life chances Programme Director,

This year also marks one hundred years since the birth of Comrade Harry GwalaAna well as 25 years since the passing of Comrade Joe Slovo. Comrade Slovo envisaged a post-apartheid South Africa enshrined in the National Democratic Revolution which would bring to an end every sort of racial discrimination and privilege, guarantee democracy, freedom and equality of rights, and opportunities to all.

We ought to learn lessons from Comrade Slovo's demeanour and the way he conducted himself in the movement. Comrade Slovo led from the front and believed that a revolution without the working class is not a revolution at all. We therefore need never forget our responsibility to the people of South Africa as we conduct our duties in government. Collective leadership was also important to Comrade Slovo — we need to embrace our alliance and its partners going forward.

On behalf of the African National Congress we wish the South African Communist party a happy and revolutionary 99th Anniversary and many more years ahead to assist in building the future of our country. Thank you

Amanda!

Issued by the ANC, 2 August 2020