SACP Statement Following PEC Meeting of Sunday 21 July 2024

23 July 2024: The SACP Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in Limpopo held an ordinary PEC meeting on Sunday 21st July 2024 to deliberate on the international and national political situation, on the state of the Party, the Party programme South African Struggle for Socialism, and developments related to the results of the May 2024 national and provincial elections.

Following a Central Committee directive at the beginning of the year, the PEC and all other provinces had to focus solely and exclusively on mobilizing communities and workers, students and young people in general, the religious fraternity and traditional leaders, and all other sectors of the economy for an ANC led Alliance victory in the province and nationally. We will continue to draw inspiration and lessons from the relative success of our focused campaigning, which we planned and conducted severally and jointly with our Alliance partners and the progressive movement as a whole.

INTERNATIONAL

The PEC meeting took place in the midst of interesting developments internationally, all of which tend to have direct or indirect implications for South Africa and the continent. Most remarkable are inroads made in support of the people of Palestine. The Central Committee has already released statements in respect of South Africa’s successful ICJ case and the Court’s latest declaration of Israel occupation of Palestine as a violation of International law. Similarly, the SACP will continue to mobilise and push for a much more concerted support for the peoples of Cuba, Western Sahara, Venezuela, Nicaraqua, and Swaziland, amongst others. The meeting also took time reflecting on the implications for the emergence of and rising ethno nationalist populism and right-wing political parties in Europe, as well as the recent elections in France and the UK amongst others. Developments in the USA and the incoming elections are of great interest.

The Party will monitor and study very closely attendant implications around issues such as immigration policies, diplomatic relations, BRICS, trade and investment, support for African initiatives and regional integration, regional and global peace and security, education and cultural exchanges, as well as climate change co-operations.

2024 ELECTIONS, THE GNU AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION

The PEC conveys special gratitude to the citizens of Limpopo for ensuring a 73.3% support in favour of the ANC during the May 29th elections. Our gratitude also goes to members and activists of the SACP, COSATU and SANCO across the province for the enormous efforts made in support of ANC structures and in contributing to the overwhelming victory of the ANC in the province.

The PEC reiterates congratulations to our provincial Deputy Chairperson cde Phophi Ramathuba and provincial Treasurer cde Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya for their appointments as Premier and MEC for Education respectively. Congratulations also go to the provincial Secretary cde Chuene Malebana, provincial Chairperson of COSATU and SACP PEC member cde Esther Mokoele, and all other SACP, COSATU, SANCO and ANC cdes who got deployed to the provincial EXCO, Legislature and national Parliament and Cabinet.

We call on all the deployed cdes, our members in particular, to ensure that the ANC led Alliance Manifesto is implemented, and that programmes and interventions of meaningful impact to the poor and the working class are of utmost priority.

The SACP accepts that the ANC could not win elections at a national level, resulting in the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU). However, the ANC remains the largest party with 40% and therefore the character of this GNU will depend on the strength of the working class, other motive forces and the progressive movement generally on the ground. It is the strength of these forces that will guarantee the defense of the gains of democracy and defeat the growing neo liberal faction emerging within and outside the ANC.

Whilst the SACP is strongly against neo liberalism and austerity on one hand, and on the other hand the criminal and counter revolutionary networks masquerading as revolutionaries, the PEC conveys its utmost support to the characterization of the recent developments by the Central Committee as well as the subsequent articulation by  the General Secretary made on the occasion of the Nehawu national political school.

ALLIANCE

The PEC noted that, contrary to indications of the past two years or so, the state of the Alliance in the province has deteriorated largely as a result of factors related to the elections. The provincial office bearers have been directed to attend to this matter with utmothe utmostency and to continue to put the issue of reconfiguration at the centre. In the same vein, a bilateral meeting with COSATU will be arranged to jointly reflect on the situation in the province and to develop mechanisms of strengthening the trade union movement and joint programmes in defense of the gains of the National Democratic Revolution. A special focus will also be dedicated to the unity and orientation of SANCO in the province.

VBS

The PEC meeting welcomed the recent conviction and sentencing of Mr Tshifhiwa Matodzi, the former Chairperson of the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank who was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to 33 charges of theft, fraud, money laundering and racketeering involving about R2 billion of deposits belonging to the elderly, pensioners and other clients of the bank.

Having been in the forefront of a relentless campaign against the looting of the VBS mutual bank since 2018, the PEC commits SACP structures to continue to work together with the affected families, religious fraternity and concerned Foundations in the Vhembe region, COSATU and the ANC together with other community structure in support of the victims of this heinous crime.

The PEC reaffirmed its previous position regarding the need for those seriously implicated in the VBS matter to immediately step aside, resign or be removed from leadership and management responsibilities in government and municipalities.

Our position goes beyond calls for availability of evidence of transfer of monies (bribes) to implicated individuals or preference of charges against them. It is a principle about leaders taking responsibility and being accountable for unlawful decisions taken when they were in positions of authority in the municipalities.

The SACP continues to urge law enforcement agencies to do their work without fear or favour, and to expedite further investigations, more arrests, convictions and harsher sentences in order to bring finality on this matter.

Furthermore, the SACP calls on the Alliance and the ANC led government to look into possible relief measures for the victims of the VBS loot, whilst also taking seriously the implementation of previous resolutions on a provincial state bank, features of which may partly resemble some of the positive aspects of the VBS mutual bank and other existing development or finance institutions in the province and nationally.

The PEC meeting took note of insinuations pertaining to an alleged R3million contribution by a third party to cater for a national SACP congress in Gauteng as contained in Matodzi’s affidavit. Whilst the matter was clarified previously, the meeting has directed the provincial office bearers to continue to engage with the SACP headquarters for further interventions and solutions, should it be necessary. We have full confidence that the national leadership will continue to handle this matter with all the necessary urgency and sensitivity.

DISTRICT COUNCILS AND DISTRICT CONGRESSES

To further reflect on the overall global, national and provincial developments and to receive feedback on specific Central Committee and PEC inner organizational decisions, all districts are directed to convene district councils during the weekend of the 28th and 29th July 2024.

Deadline for all districts that are due for Congresses is 30 September 2024.

BUILDING POPULAR POWER AND WORKING-CLASS HEGEMONY IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Inspired by the remarkable success of our 2024 Elections Red Brigades who traversed the whole country mobilizing for the victory of the ANC, the Central Committee has directed that, instead of being dissolved, the Red Brigades be refocused to deal, amongst others, with backlogs and service delivery interventions in the communities. This should be done as part of a broader plan to build popular power and working-class power in the communities, so that communities are self-reliant and self-sustainable and less dependent on government.

The SACP shall prioritise the programme of building a Popular Left Front and a Powerful Socialist Movement of the Workers and the Poor to realize this overarching objective.

All our districts and branches are directed to build and rebuild strong branches and to ensure grassroots visibility and consistent support to community struggles.

PARTY DISCIPLINE AND REVOLUTIONARY MORALITY

Intrinsic in the values of communist parties throughout history are traits of high-level discipline, exemplary leadership, highest levels of sacrifice and selflessness, as well as revolutionary morality. Embedded in these values are principles of constructive criticism and self-criticism, as well as an imperative for continuous ideological training and cadreship development.

Informed by this context, the PEC has noted and condemns in the strongest terms a tendency by some former provincial leaders, notably a former provincial Secretary, who is hell- bent on attacking the SACP and its leaders through so called open letters. The PEC directs that such mischievous tendencies have to come to an immediate end and that all of our current and former leaders and members who wish to contribute to debates relevant to our national politics should do so constructively, without fear or prejudice but without being personal or motivated by ulterior motives.

South African Communist Pary, Limpopo Province

Provincial Secretary: Dr Chuene Malebana

Enquiries:

Provincial Spokesperson and PEC member, Charley Nkadimeng [074 462 8633]

Defend Communities To End Crime and Violence.

Fight the Rising Cost of Living.

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Limpopo facebook: Limpopo Provinc SACP

Issued by the South African Communist Party,

Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.

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