SACP Free State 7th Provincial Congress Declaration
20 June 2016
We, 350 delegates to the 7th Provincial Congress of the SACP in the Free State Province, representing 11 550 members of the Party in the Province, met at Aldam Resort and Conference Centre near Ventersburg under the theme "Communist Cadres to the Front: Unite the Working Class, Our Communities and Our Movement; from 17th to 19th June 2016. The Congress received messages of support from the Alliance, which, in keeping with the theme of the Congress, emphasised the need for maximum unity among the working class and other progressive forces in struggle for the radical second phase of the revolution. The Congress received keynote address from the Second Deputy General Secretary of the SACP comrade Solly Mapaila on behalf of the Central Committee of the SACP.
The Congress took place in the context of persisting and deepening crisis of global capitalism which is characterised by imperialist aggression, variants of extremism, terrorist atrocities and regime change agenda under the false banner of democracy through colour revolutions. We will mobilise the masses of our people against the imperialist regime change agenda here at home orchestrated by the West, particularly the USA and Britain.
There is a global realignment of forces: in Syria and Ukraine in favour of Russia; in Africa in favour of China; the Middle East against its allies Israel, Saudi Arabia and Gulf States.
At the same time Latin America is asserting a more sovereign independent foreign policy, albeit in a hostile terrain.
The USA is thus left with only a fragile and weak western European ally, which is confronting its worst crisis since the founding of the EU, as it faces threats of a break up. The USA has responded to this realignment of forces with renewed belligerence, warmongering and regime change policies.
The 7th Provincial Congress resolved to deepen our anti-imperialist struggle, advance working class internationalism and solidarity with the oppressed globally. Congress called for the immediate lifting of the unilateral USA economic blockade against Cuba, the return of Guantanamo Bay to Cuba and for enhancing our solidarity work with the people of Palestine, Swaziland, Western Sahara and Kurdistan; called for a lasting solution to the crisis in Sudan and committed to continue work with sister organisations in Lesotho for lasting peace in that country.
The 7th Provincial Congress congratulated the ANC for successfully launching the local government elections manifesto across the country, where huge crowds turned to endorse the Movement. The Congress noted that the SACP structures played an important role in mobilising people to attend the national and various provincial elections manifesto rallies. The attendance of these rallies by thousands of the masses of our people was a testimony that the overwhelming majority our people continue to have confidence in the ability of ANC-run municipalities to change the lives of the toiling masses of our people for the better.
We commit ourselves to campaign for an overwhelming victory of the ANC in the local government elections. To this end, all the SACP districts and branches will henceforth implement the already developed elections campaign programmes aimed at complementing the ANC elections campaign.
The SACP must have a visible elections campaign programme, which is independent as part of deepening the NDR which, in the SACP's view, is our most direct route to Socialism.
The SACP elections campaign will focus on the challenges confronting our communities which include but not limited to the following:
household indebtedness and the transformation of the financial sector;
halting of evictions;
deepening participatory governance in our communities;
food security;
building of co-operatives and sustainable livelihoods for the people;
ending outsourcing and contracting out of work
job creation with a bias for the youth employment programme
The elections campaign presents an opportunity for maximum unity within the Alliance and the people's'; camp. As we campaign for an overwhelming victory of the ANC in the local government elections, we should take seriously the concerns raised by our communities.
The 7th congress, reaffirm the SACP's position that the strategic enemy of the working class remain monopoly capital. We commit to pursue a campaign against the ruthless mining and agricultural capital in our province. An important weapon in the hands of the working class struggle against monopoly capital is state power. We believe that the struggle against monopoly capital will not succeed if the SACP can't defeat the parasitic bourgeoisie and their political associates who seek to use the state for their narrow accumulation agenda. We will accordingly campaign against corporate capture of the state and the movement including by parasitic bourgeoisie. We note that the Alliance Summit and Alliance Lekgotla cautioned against the threat of corporate capture of the state. The SACP campaign against corporate capture will also focus on the transformation of the SABC; focus on building a democratic developmental mandate of provincial state owned entities, municipal entities and to enhance the strategic capacity of the state to be able to decisively act in the interest of the poor and safe guard our sovereignty.
We further reaffirm the Central Committee's observation that the two greatest concerns advanced by the majority of South Africans are the unemployment crisis and corruption. While our persisting crisis-levels of unemployment have many systemic underpinnings, there can be no doubt that corrupt rent-seeking behaviour by a parasitic bourgeoisie and its political associates diverts billions of rands out of the productive economy, thus contributing to persisting unemployment, racial inequality and poverty.
We note the SACP will not be able to mount these campaigns if it is having weak structures. Accordingly, focusing on building a strong and vibrant SACP structures reliant on cadres who are rooted in community struggles
We recommit to build a strong campaigning SACP and YCL SA that would lead struggles of the society in all sites of powers as per party programme, outlined by the South African Road to Socialism.
We will be in the workplaces, building and strengthening structures organised workers in particular, Cosatu - forging strong relations that seek to reconfigure the power relations of the work place in favour of the workers.
We will be in communities building structures of the party, with special focus to both district and the VD based branches; build and strengthen SANCO structures, strengthen the YCL SA and the entire progressive youth movement, forge workable relations, which should be able to strengthen our know-your-neighbourhood campaign to ensure that people take responsibility for their own development.
We will forge a principled working relation with various community based organisations, various religious formations, our strategic allies the ANC, COSATU and SANCO, and the Mass Democratic Movement and all individuals involved in the pursuance of a better life for all!
This done with and understanding that the working class struggle for Socialism requires a principled unity amongst the people's camp. This unity must be built and consolidated in the trenches of struggles to build a better life for all our people.
We shall be actively involved in the process of strengthening our state, including both provincial and local governance and other state institutions to serve our people and ensure accountability. In this regard we shall ensure that we fight against any form of corruption and crime in our society and ensure that our elected councillors consistently interact with the people through convening meetings.
The 7th congress particularly noted the high unemployment rate in the Province which is between 33% and 39%. Job creation is critical and the SACP branches must take responsibility for job creation in their wards. In this regard, the SACP economic transformation document;Going to the Root; will serve as a guide for the SACP branches;Going to the roots; put self-reliance of our masses in the centre of economic productive activities, which is key to the success of the revolution.
Working with communities, we shall find ways and means to identify economic opportunities in our districts and branches and mobilise the into economic social movements that guide societal initiatives towards community economic productive activities in the form of cooperatives and other related activities as township enterprise development and small enterprise development. We shall mobilise society around our financial sector campaign focussing on mortgage bonds, evictions, access to finance and financial management education and saving.
Monopoly capital has intensified its ideological battle to its highest level in history, in its bid to influence and corrupt societal ideas. We shall continue to intensify our own progressive battle of ideas in all sites of power to ensure progressive thought prevail in our society. We shall conduct extensive campaigns around media transformation, including editorials free of corporate capture.
As part of strengthening our local governments and communities we shall take various environmental campaigns and programmes, leading our clean community campaign, campaigns against water leaks and for water saving strategies, renewable energy usage.
Finally, the 7th Congress noted with serious concern the attacks on the SACP and its leadership; particularly our General Secretary. The congress reaffirmed its full confidence in the leadership of the General Sectary and will not hesitate to embark on a campaign to defend our leaders.
Socialism is the future, build it now.
Issued by the SACP Free State Province
Contact:
Charles Stofile - Provincial Secretary: 071 600 4899
Teboho Kgoloanyana - First Deputy Provincial Secretary: 082 774 4254
Mojalefa Simango - Second Deputy Provincial Secretary: 078 893 8974
We, 350 delegates to the 7th Provincial Congress of the SACP in the Free State Province, representing 11 550 members of the Party in the Province, met at Aldam Resort and Conference Centre near Ventersburg under the theme "Communist Cadres to the Front: Unite the Working Class, Our Communities and Our Movement; from 17th to 19th June 2016. The Congress received messages of support from the Alliance, which, in keeping with the theme of the Congress, emphasised the need for maximum unity among the working class and other progressive forces in struggle for the radical second phase of the revolution. The Congress received keynote address from the Second Deputy General Secretary of the SACP comrade Solly Mapaila on behalf of the Central Committee of the SACP.
The Congress took place in the context of persisting and deepening crisis of global capitalism which is characterised by imperialist aggression, variants of extremism, terrorist atrocities and regime change agenda under the false banner of democracy through colour revolutions. We will mobilise the masses of our people against the imperialist regime change agenda here at home orchestrated by the West, particularly the USA and Britain.
There is a global realignment of forces: in Syria and Ukraine in favour of Russia; in Africa in favour of China; the Middle East against its allies Israel, Saudi Arabia and Gulf States.
At the same time Latin America is asserting a more sovereign independent foreign policy, albeit in a hostile terrain.
The USA is thus left with only a fragile and weak western European ally, which is confronting its worst crisis since the founding of the EU, as it faces threats of a break up. The USA has responded to this realignment of forces with renewed belligerence, warmongering and regime change policies.
The 7th Provincial Congress resolved to deepen our anti-imperialist struggle, advance working class internationalism and solidarity with the oppressed globally. Congress called for the immediate lifting of the unilateral USA economic blockade against Cuba, the return of Guantanamo Bay to Cuba and for enhancing our solidarity work with the people of Palestine, Swaziland, Western Sahara and Kurdistan; called for a lasting solution to the crisis in Sudan and committed to continue work with sister organisations in Lesotho for lasting peace in that country.
The 7th Provincial Congress congratulated the ANC for successfully launching the local government elections manifesto across the country, where huge crowds turned to endorse the Movement. The Congress noted that the SACP structures played an important role in mobilising people to attend the national and various provincial elections manifesto rallies. The attendance of these rallies by thousands of the masses of our people was a testimony that the overwhelming majority our people continue to have confidence in the ability of ANC-run municipalities to change the lives of the toiling masses of our people for the better.
We commit ourselves to campaign for an overwhelming victory of the ANC in the local government elections. To this end, all the SACP districts and branches will henceforth implement the already developed elections campaign programmes aimed at complementing the ANC elections campaign.
The SACP must have a visible elections campaign programme, which is independent as part of deepening the NDR which, in the SACP's view, is our most direct route to Socialism.
The SACP elections campaign will focus on the challenges confronting our communities which include but not limited to the following:
household indebtedness and the transformation of the financial sector;
halting of evictions;
deepening participatory governance in our communities;
food security;
building of co-operatives and sustainable livelihoods for the people;
ending outsourcing and contracting out of work
job creation with a bias for the youth employment programme
The elections campaign presents an opportunity for maximum unity within the Alliance and the people's'; camp. As we campaign for an overwhelming victory of the ANC in the local government elections, we should take seriously the concerns raised by our communities.
The 7th congress, reaffirm the SACP's position that the strategic enemy of the working class remain monopoly capital. We commit to pursue a campaign against the ruthless mining and agricultural capital in our province. An important weapon in the hands of the working class struggle against monopoly capital is state power. We believe that the struggle against monopoly capital will not succeed if the SACP can't defeat the parasitic bourgeoisie and their political associates who seek to use the state for their narrow accumulation agenda. We will accordingly campaign against corporate capture of the state and the movement including by parasitic bourgeoisie. We note that the Alliance Summit and Alliance Lekgotla cautioned against the threat of corporate capture of the state. The SACP campaign against corporate capture will also focus on the transformation of the SABC; focus on building a democratic developmental mandate of provincial state owned entities, municipal entities and to enhance the strategic capacity of the state to be able to decisively act in the interest of the poor and safe guard our sovereignty.
We further reaffirm the Central Committee's observation that the two greatest concerns advanced by the majority of South Africans are the unemployment crisis and corruption. While our persisting crisis-levels of unemployment have many systemic underpinnings, there can be no doubt that corrupt rent-seeking behaviour by a parasitic bourgeoisie and its political associates diverts billions of rands out of the productive economy, thus contributing to persisting unemployment, racial inequality and poverty.
We note the SACP will not be able to mount these campaigns if it is having weak structures. Accordingly, focusing on building a strong and vibrant SACP structures reliant on cadres who are rooted in community struggles
We recommit to build a strong campaigning SACP and YCL SA that would lead struggles of the society in all sites of powers as per party programme, outlined by the South African Road to Socialism.
We will be in the workplaces, building and strengthening structures organised workers in particular, Cosatu - forging strong relations that seek to reconfigure the power relations of the work place in favour of the workers.
We will be in communities building structures of the party, with special focus to both district and the VD based branches; build and strengthen SANCO structures, strengthen the YCL SA and the entire progressive youth movement, forge workable relations, which should be able to strengthen our know-your-neighbourhood campaign to ensure that people take responsibility for their own development.
We will forge a principled working relation with various community based organisations, various religious formations, our strategic allies the ANC, COSATU and SANCO, and the Mass Democratic Movement and all individuals involved in the pursuance of a better life for all!
This done with and understanding that the working class struggle for Socialism requires a principled unity amongst the people's camp. This unity must be built and consolidated in the trenches of struggles to build a better life for all our people.
We shall be actively involved in the process of strengthening our state, including both provincial and local governance and other state institutions to serve our people and ensure accountability. In this regard we shall ensure that we fight against any form of corruption and crime in our society and ensure that our elected councillors consistently interact with the people through convening meetings.
The 7th congress particularly noted the high unemployment rate in the Province which is between 33% and 39%. Job creation is critical and the SACP branches must take responsibility for job creation in their wards. In this regard, the SACP economic transformation document;Going to the Root; will serve as a guide for the SACP branches;Going to the roots; put self-reliance of our masses in the centre of economic productive activities, which is key to the success of the revolution.
Working with communities, we shall find ways and means to identify economic opportunities in our districts and branches and mobilise the into economic social movements that guide societal initiatives towards community economic productive activities in the form of cooperatives and other related activities as township enterprise development and small enterprise development. We shall mobilise society around our financial sector campaign focussing on mortgage bonds, evictions, access to finance and financial management education and saving.
Monopoly capital has intensified its ideological battle to its highest level in history, in its bid to influence and corrupt societal ideas. We shall continue to intensify our own progressive battle of ideas in all sites of power to ensure progressive thought prevail in our society. We shall conduct extensive campaigns around media transformation, including editorials free of corporate capture.
As part of strengthening our local governments and communities we shall take various environmental campaigns and programmes, leading our clean community campaign, campaigns against water leaks and for water saving strategies, renewable energy usage.
Finally, the 7th Congress noted with serious concern the attacks on the SACP and its leadership; particularly our General Secretary. The congress reaffirmed its full confidence in the leadership of the General Sectary and will not hesitate to embark on a campaign to defend our leaders.
Socialism is the future, build it now.
Issued by the SACP Free State Province
Contact:
Charles Stofile - Provincial Secretary: 071 600 4899
Teboho Kgoloanyana - First Deputy Provincial Secretary: 082 774 4254
Mojalefa Simango - Second Deputy Provincial Secretary: 078 893 8974
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