A decisive mandate to press ahead with the radical second phase of our transition

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape convened the Provincial Working Committee meeting on the 11 May 2014 at the East London City Hall. The meeting was held as an ordinary PWC meeting to carry the day to day operations of the party.

The meeting received and discussed intensively both the organizational and the political report and proposed scientific solutions to the challenges faced by the workers and the poor here at home and abroad. The meeting was also attended by the SACP Central Committee members, Comrades Mandla Makupula, Bulelwa Tunyiswa and Fezeka Loliwe.

Abduction of more than 300 girls in Nigeria:

The meeting condemned the unfortunate incident of more than 200 school girls abducted in Nigeria by Boko Haram extremists. We call upon all African Governments to work together with the Nigerian Government in bringing home the abducted girls as part of building a human rights culture and protecting our children.

We would like to join millions of the people of the world on calling for the immediate unconditional release of this young girls. Our children should not be used as pawns in any fights.

We are suspicious of the assistance of the imperialist United States (US) and other western countries using their military in trying to find the abducted girls. This is informed by our experience of US entering many states ostensibly for a genuine purpose but in reality having an intention for military, political and economic dominance. The US has intervened in many countries with mineral resources with no other intention other than stealing those resources using their military might.

It is imperative for the people of Nigeria, their government and peace loving people throughout the world to get to establish who provides financial and political support to the Boko Haram extremists.

The outcomes of 2014 National and Provincial Elections:

The SACP congratulates our ally the African National Congress (ANC) on a decisive electoral mandate from the people of South Africa which clearly demonstrates the confidence people have in our movement. The victory of the ANC on the 07 May 2014 general elections is a clear indication that the people of South African recognize the progress that has made by the ANC government in improving their lives.

The ANC has received steady support with 11 436 921 voters out of 18 402 497 valid votes in National Elections and secured 1 5228 345 votes out of 2 180 464 in the Eastern Cape Province. The ANC led alliance must use this electoral mandate to transform the lives of the people: we should not be consensus seeking in a class divided society. We must press ahead with the radical second phase of our transition, eradicate poverty, create jobs and bridge inequalities amongst other things.

The PWC expressed its appreciation of the imperative role played by SACP structures, activists and volunteers in ensuring this decisive ANC victory. We are proud of the role played the SACP activists and leaders in their own right as leaders and members of the ANC, COSATU and SANCO; this include the important role played by the Vuyisile Mini detachment as led by our Provincial Chairperson, Cde Mzoleli Mrara in his capacity as the leader of the ANC.

The SACP is concerned that many people have not exercised their hard won democratic right to vote owing, in some cases, to their Identity documents (IDs) being held by loan sharks and in other cases by not being given time off at work, in particular in the retail sector. The right to vote is sacrosanct and therefore cannot be taken away by greedy loan sharks or greedy shop owners.

Way forward:

The SACP is of the firm view that we should be adopting a different posture all together in the aftermath of this election period, we should be focusing on the radical phase of the transition and respond to many issues raised by our people during the election campaign. The absence of a two thirds majority cannot under the current constitution be seen as a constraint to effecting radical economic change.

The best way of saying thank you to those who voted us into power must be through accelerating change in the conditions of our people as the platform to launch our 2016 election campaign. This would also be the best way of uniting our alliance from below if what we saw in many areas during the election period is anything to go by.

Among many urgent tasks is to speed up the roll out of National Health Insurance Scheme, as many of the workers and the poor rely largely on the public healthcare system.

The other urgent task is tightening laws around credit regulations to ensure that people are no longer abused by the financial institution and bogus loan sharks. We should increase our collective efforts in stopping reckless lending by the financial institutions.

As the SACP we commit to work with our allies and all our people in taking our province and our country forward.

Statement issued Siyabonga Mdodi, SACP Eastern Cape provincial spokesperson, May 12 2014

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