Thursday, October 30, 2014

South African Communist Party Eastern Cape 7th Provincial Congress Declaration

26 October 2014

We, the 838 delegates of the South African Communist Party in the Eastern Cape drawn from eight districts of our party and the YCLSA in the Eastern Cape,

We gathered at the Orient Theatre in East London on the 24 - 26 October 2014 under the theme "Working class unity and leadership now".

On the international front:

As the party we draw our understanding of the national situation from the global and continental context within which our country exists and our own concrete material conditions.

We have noted that the hegemony of the US led imperialism characterized by the rise of transnational companies (the military industrial complex), the changing role of the state, the rise of influence of the international financial institutions, the drifting away of the development finance from the productive sectors to speculative sectors such as (shares, bonds, currency ETC), privatization, low company taxes, removal of labour rights and social protection measure in an attempt to maximize profits, these and other factors have been the direct result of the on-going global social and economic crisis.

The three centers of global imperialism, United States of America, European Union and Japan are the epicenter of this social and economic crisis, notable is the drastically deteriorating conditions of the working class under the dictates of the financial monopoly-capital with policies of austerity through the command of all levers of power.

As such, we further noted that, the hegemony of US led imperialism is increasingly contested in all parts of the world, as a result it is becoming more reckless, causing immeasurable suffering of the millions of people world over. To mention but a few, is the brutal massacre of the people of Palestine, the geo-political crisis in the Euro (the former Soviet states), the Syrian war, the US led instability in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

These are just but few examples the congress has sought to highlight so as to show the empirical evidence that indeed global capitalism is in an irreversible stage of crisis.

We therefore resolved to intensify our international work , work close with progressive forces world over, including the work done at the level of BRICS , we need to fight to ensure that the BRICS Development Bank work in the interest of the workers and the poor of our countries.

We further resolved that we must join the DBS campaigns in our country and world over, as an attempt to expose the apartheid Israel brutality against the people of Palestine and intensifying against Woolworth Stores, to pledge solidarity with progressive forces in the EURO (Russia and Syria) to also actively support the self determination of the Asian Countries that are under the offensive of the US led imperialism.

All these campaigns will assist the progressive forces world over, to shift the international balance of power from the reactionary global north to the emerging progressive Global South.

The continental context:

The SACP seventh congress noted the brutality of the Mswati Tikundla monarchy in Swaziland. The protracted brutality of the Swazi regime which victimizes all organs of the people in that part of the world, the political crisis at Lesotho, the Boko Haram tendency in Nigeria.

The congress further notes the positive traces of stability and economic growth in most parts of the continent (Africa), though we note with concern the on-going illegal theft of the financial and mineral resources out of the continent, imbalances in terms of trade with the west , in particular the poor economic integration within Africa.

Therefore the congress calls upon the ANC Government to develop an action plan aimed at strongly integrating South African economy with the broader African economy and rapidly growing economies in Latin America and Asia.

The congress says that the economic integration must amongst other things, enforce a systematic and coherent effort to work with other countries in the continent to drive the agenda of an alternative development trajectory for Africa that, amongst other things, deal with but not limited to: a balanced and accelerated integration of the African economy, the unjust terms of trade with the west and other regions, the plunder and illegal extraction of capital and minerals out of Africa.

The global economic crisis presents some nuances for Africa to learn in our attempt to advance for the integration of the African economy.

At the National front:

As said earlier, the congress noted the national situation against the background of global and continental objective realities, that the global imperialist forces are waging an onslaught to the working class masses world over in an attempt to manage the collapsing and false neo-liberal economic solutions.

At the national front these forces appear in the two extremes, the first extreme is the ultra-right as represented by the DA, the second extreme is the ultra-left tendency as represented by the DFB (Amandla Network) and the newly formed United Front.

As the congress we therefore resolved that we must defeat these two extremes, to consolidate and deepen working class unity and leadership.

The congress noted that despite our setbacks , the national reality is marked by major advances such as consolidation of our constitutional democracy and many other concrete achievements that have uplifted the standard of living of many South Africans, these are, but not limited to, the bill of rights, the progressive labour laws, the provision of houses, etc, the congress noted with concern that our advances are threatened by the triple-crisis of unemployment, poverty and multidimensional inequality.

Against the above background of the global and national context, the congress reaffirmed that there is a consensus in the alliance on the need to move onto the second - radical phase of the democratic transition, in short the need to place the economy unto the new labour-absorbing growth path through a state-led bulk infrastructure programme and industrialization supported by the exploitation of our minerals for manufacturing and extensive skills development programme.

The congress noted that this consensus has made the big business and bourgeois media to view the state and our progressive unions as twine-evils, and therefore launched a campaign to paint the ANC-led government as the reason for the persistent triple-crisis that threatens our social stability.

The congress further resolved that, communist party in the Eastern Cape must close ranks against forces that seek to derail our revolution and neutralize some whom have the win-win illusion within the people’s camp.

The SACP 7th Provincial congress noted the blackout of our provincial congress by the national broadcaster, the SABC. The congress viewed this continued sidelining of the party programmes by the SABC as denial of the workers and the poor of the news they deserve to be told.

On organization:

The congress notes that next year, 2015 will mark the 20th anniversary of the untimely departure of our former General Secretary Cde Joe Slovo. The coming year will mark the 60th anniversary of the freedom charter as adopted in the Congress of the people held in 1955. In the coming year the South African Communist Party will hold its Special National Congress, the African National Congress (ANC) will hold its National General Council (NGC) and the COSATU will hold its 12th National Congress.

It is in this context that we believe, we as the communists are charged with the responsibility to unite the people, it is therefore our revolutionary obligation to mould and produce the cadreship of our party with a strong, dynamic and agile character which will lead decisively in these times. To lead the province in taking up the above tasks 7th Congress elected the following comrades:

Cde Xolile Nqatha - SACP Provincial Secretary
Cde Mzoleli Mrara - SACP Provincial Chairperson
Cde Vuyani Limba - SACP Provincial Treasurer
Cde Sisimoni Rakaibe - SACP 1st Provincial Deputy Secretary
Cde Siyabulela Mbedla - SACP 2nd Provincial Deputy Secretary
Cde Ntombizodwa Zothani - SACP Deputy Provincial Chairperson

Ordinary members:

Xolani Malamlela
Ntombovuyo Nkopane
Andile Mfunda
Vangiwe Hokwana
Mawethu Rune
Kholiswa Fihlani
Pumeza Mpushe
Nonkoliso Ngqongwa
King Socikwa
Luthando Buso
Mpumelelo Saziwa
Fundile Gade
Andile Fani
Noluthando Balfour
Nonceba Mfecane

The congress was characterized by high levels of debate and closed on a high note with ordinary members elected by consensus and delegates committing to take the work of party forward by addressing day to day challenges facing our period.

Issued by: SACP Eastern Cape

Contact:
Siyabonga Mdodi
SACP Provincial Spokesperson
Cell: 083 358 8070
Email: simdodi@gmail.com

- See more at: http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?ID=4538#sthash.3uPlZ9zL.dpuf

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