Declaration of the 13th National Congress of the South African Communist Party

Delegates at the South African Communist Party (SACP) Congress held in July 2012., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

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Declaration of the 13th National Congress of the South African Communist Party

15 July 2012

We, 2000 Communist militants, have met over the past four days as delegates to the SACP`s 13th National Congress in Ongoye, KwaZulu-Natal. We are drawn from 3,298 SACP branches across the length and breadth of our country and from the ranks of the Young Communist League of South Africa. As delegates, we represent more than 150,000 SACP members – marking an unprecedented three-fold increase in the Party`s membership since our 12th Congress just five years ago.

Our Congress occurs in the midst of an ongoing and deepening global capitalist crisis that is inflicting ever greater misery on the majority of the world`s population and ever greater destruction of the natural world on which human civilization depends. It is a crisis that underlines the imperative of abolishing capitalism and replacing it with socialism, a system based on meeting social needs and on a sustainable relationship with nature.

Here in South Africa, notwithstanding 18 years of major progressive changes towards consolidating our national democratic revolution, the untransformed legacy of colonialism of a special type continues to reproduce the triple crises of racialised and gendered inequality, poverty and unemployment. If the gains of our democracy are not to be overwhelmed, then it is critical that, together with our Alliance partners, we embark on a radical shift in the National Democratic Revolution, led by the working class.

It is in this context that the 13th Congress reviewed progress made by the SACP over the past five years in advancing our Medium Term Vision to build working class hegemony in all key sites of power. The consolidation and acceleration of this strategic agenda remains a key imperative over the coming five years. At this 13th Congress we have adopted important policy and organisational resolutions to guide revolutionary action and to deepen and take forward our programme, “The South African Road to Socialism.”

Our 13th Congress was marked by both vibrant policy debate and unity – the product of 91 years of unbroken struggle, and of growing confidence based on our important achievements over the past 5 years. A common thread throughout the duration of our Congress was the need for Communists to take active responsibility for our unfolding revolution. We are not, and we shall not be armchair critics observing the struggle from a comfortable distance. We shall wage the class struggle wherever the class struggle is to be waged for democracy and against exploitation and all forms of oppression.

Our disciplined unity in the midst of an Alliance facing many challenges; our Marxism-Leninism; our principled commitment to Communist values of solidarity and to fighting all negative tendencies – including individualism, self-enrichment, and corruption – all these attributes of the SACP and its cadres place an enormous vanguard responsibility upon us, now more than ever.

This was a view that was also underlined in addresses to our Congress by the leaders of our Alliance partners, and particularly by the message of support delivered in person to our Congress by ANC President, cde Jacob Zuma. The work of our 13th Congress has sharpened our collective analysis of our current situation, and deepened our resolve to intensify the national democratic revolution as the most direct route to socialism in the South African context.

As delegates to this 13th National Congress we pledge to rise to these challenges, inspired by the many generations of SACP heroes, the sung and the unsung, who have kept the red flag flying for over nine unbroken decades in this southern tip of the African continent. We pledge to carry forward our vanguard role in our communities, in our places of work and learning, in the formations of our allied and other progress organisations, in the public sector and the state, on the terrain of the battle of ideas, and in our internationalist work. We pledge to work with a sense of confidence but also humility in the service of the working class and poor.

As we rise, today, at the conclusion of the largest ever, and one of the most united congresses of the Communist Party in South Africa, we declare once more that

SOCIALISM IS THE FUTURE!

WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR THAT FUTURE – WE ARE ACTIVELY BUILDING THAT FUTURE, HERE AND NOW!!

SACP 13th National Congress Central Committee

General Secretary, Blade Nzimande

National Chairperson, Senzeni Zokwana

National Treasurer, Joyce Moloi-Moropa

First Deputy General Secretary, Jeremy Cronin

Second Deputy General Secretary, Solly Afrika Mapaila

Deputy National Chairperson, Thulasi Nxesi

Additional members of the 13th Congress Central Committee

Cde Gwede Mantashe

Cde Phumulo Masualle

Cde Chris Matlhako

Cde Frans Baleni

Cde Shiela Barsel

Cde Rob Davies

Cde Lindelwa Dunjwa

Cde Fikile Majola

Cde Yunus Carrim

Cde Ben Martins

Cde Joyce Mashamba

Cde George Mashamba

Cde Madala Masuku

Cde Willies Mchunu

Cde Crosby Moni

Cde Dipuo Mvelase

Cde Gwebinkundla Qonde

Cde Nomonde Rasmeni

Cde Jenny Schreiner

Cde Charles Setsubi

Cde Lechesa Tsenoli

Cde Fiona Tregenna

Cde Mandla Makupula

Cde Phel Parkies

Cde Sidumo Dlamini

Cde Jeff Radebe

Cde Grace Bothman

Cde Godfrey Oliphant

Cde Jerry Thibedi

Cde Adrian Williams

Cde Buti Manamela

Cde Tunyiswa Bulelwa

Cde Judy Malqueeny

Cde Celiwe Madlopha

Cde Fezeka Loliwe