SACP congratulates Deputy Minister of Finance, Cde Mcebisi Jonas for affirming the values of revolutionary morality by refusing an offer to take over the position of Finance Minister he confirmed was made to him by members of the Gupta family
16 March 2016
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the decisive stance taken by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Comrade Mcebisi Jonas in affirming the values of revolutionary morality which laid the foundations for the development of our national liberation movement and alliance, as led by the ANC.
The Deputy Minister has come out openly without fear or favour and confirmed on Wednesday 16 March that members of the Gupta family offered him the position of Finance Minister to replace former Minister of Finance Comrade Nhlanhla Nene who was removed from the position on 19 December 2015.
The confirmation by Comrade Mcebisi Jonas vindicates the SACP and its call for a full Judicial Commission of Enquiry and broad spectrum investigation into the phenomenon and activities of corporate state capture. The investigation must go to the root of the problem and also reveal how offers made by private individuals in violation of the values of our movement and democracy find their way into effect. Proper and thoroughgoing investigations will go a long way in positioning our developing democracy to deal with the problem of corporate state capture and safeguard our democratic national sovereignty, which, if compromised, will result in catastrophic failures.
The SACP congratulates Comrade Mcebisi Jonas for refusing the offer, and for coming out against the malady of corporate state capture. The SACP further invites other comrades with similar experiences to come out, take their cue from Comrade Mcebisi Jonas, speak out and join the revolutionary determination to stop the danger of corporate state capture.
As the SACP we are further calling on our movement and the alliance, as led by the ANC, to take categorical steps to terminate poisonous relationships such as corporate state capture and its twin evil, rent-seeking.
The SACP is looking forward to our movement defending its revolutionary values as epitomised by the stance taken by Comrade Mcebisi Jonas and ensuring that no victimisation in any form takes place.
South Africa has a history of illustrious families, the Mandela, Slovo, Sisulu, Dadoo, Tambo, among others, and who never sought to monopolise access to public power and resources. Who is the Gupta family by the way; what are their revolutionary credentials in our struggle for national liberation and social emancipation; what is their claim to fame and entitlement to our resources and basic wealth as a nation?
When the SACP raised its concerns about the alleged unbecoming behaviour of members of the Gupta family, the Party was misconstrued to be attacking President Jacob Zuma. Such claptrap can only be intended to de-focus our revolution from tackling the potential problems that can cause its failure, and thus the SACP condemns such agendas in the strongest terms possible.
As the ANC states in its statement issued 16 March 2016 titled 'CABINET MEMBERS PREROGATIVE OF PRESIDENT WORKING WITH LEADERSHIP COLLECTIVES', issues of deployment within our movement rest, and must be seen resting, within proper consultative procedures and structures in the ANC working together with the alliance - not some unelected 'authority' outside our movement.
Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, National Spokesperson, Head of Communications, SACP, 16 March 2016
