Press statement on the comments made by SACP 2nd Deputy General Secretary Cde Solly Mapaila
The South African Communist Party (SACP) notes the African National Congress (ANC) statement released today on the comments made by our 2nd Deputy General Secretary Comrade Solly Mapaila regarding the factionalised and oppositionist manner in which some elements have chosen to approach the conflict that has broken out in universities between the high cost of access and fee increases on the one hand and the legitimate student protest against unaffordability on the other hand.
The SACP, through among others Comrade Solly, has presented its assessment of the situation at the meeting between our Alliance Secretariat and formations of the Progressive Youth Movement last Thursday, 22 October 2015. The meeting agreed on the way forward. At present, that is where our focus as the SACP is, and on strategies to overcome the deep-rooted, historical, structural and systemic nature of the fundamental problem – which goes far beyond the mandate of a single government unit, the Department of Higher Education and Training and Comrade Blade Nzimande as the Minister.
This is why, in the coming period, the SACP will streamline the issue of student funding and the goal of free quality higher education, technical and vocation training in its financial sector campaign. This campaign will now include a series of actions to the door steps of capital to fund post-school education and training for the children of the workers and the poor who cannot afford. The SACP will, in addition, push for a wealth tax in this regard. Capital privately controls the largest stake of the wealth produced in our country and is the single largest consumer of our education and skills. Capital’s consumption of education and skills is by far disproportionate compared to its contribution – which is found wanting. This is a key issue for us as the SACP.
It is undeniable, however, that Comrade Blade unfairly endured a barrage of attacks during the past week appearing as individualised attacks against his person in his capacity as the Higher Education and Training Minister. The SACP welcomes the ANC and government’s vote of confidence in Comrade Blade as the Minister.
Thought the attacks on Comrade Blade appear to be personal and individualised, the reality is that many of the attacks are anti-communist and against the SACP in particular whilst other are oppositionist and anti-ANC.
Whilst the ANC statement is correct in directing the overall posture of the broader progressive movement, the SACP cannot be pigeon-holed by elite pact politics and palace management when it is butchered in public. The SACP will stand against such attacks publicly as they arise. The Party will also engage with the ANC and the alliance as a whole whenever there are problematic issues within the movement.
The SACP notes the recent ANC National General Council’s emphasis that the movement must decisively deal with the problems of factionalism. It is important for the rest of our leadership as a liberation alliance to move accordingly, regardless of how such problems are dressed up.
Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, SACP National Spokesperson, 26 October 2015
