SACP KZN PEC Press Statement
The Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of the SACP in KwaZulu-Natal held its first meeting on the 5th of June 2011, after the successful local government elections in which the African National Congress recorded an overwhelming victory throughout the country and especially here in KwaZulu-Natal.
ON THE RECENTLY HELD LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
The PEC noted the dramatic growth in support of its alliance partner the ANC in KwaZulu Natal which was demonstrated by the phenomenal increase in the number of people who voted for the ANC in this province.
However the SACP is deeply concerned by the mass exodus of the white, Indian and Coloured vote to the DA. This is attributed to reckless racist and populist statement by some leaders assisted by the hostile media which have assumed the central role in oppositionist politics.
The PEC was also grateful that the elections were free with almost no incidents of political intolerance and intimidation that were reported.
ON THE NEW ONSLAUGHT FOR THE "REGIME CHANGE" IN MANGAUNG
After analyzing the political developments throughout the country and internationally the SACP in KwaZulu-Natal has concluded that there is a renewed and energized imperialistic onslaught against the alliance and this onslaught is targeting the leadership of ANC president Jacob Zuma and the alliance partners.
This onslaught manifests itself in the form of peddling or brewing and fermentation of conflicts and factions in preparation of a change of leadership in the forthcoming conference of the ANC in Mangaung next year.
The imperialist forces and their puppets within ANC are hard at work preparing for what they call "regime change" in Mangaung. There is definitely a desperate attempt to install elements which will be favourable to western foreign interests and capitalist agenda.
However as we move closer to the centenary of our movement we will consolidate and strengthen the alliance. We will remain vigilant and watch out for those forces who never leave the boardrooms where they studiously plot the undoing of the alliance.
As Oliver Tambo said when he addressed the SACP congress in 1989 where he said: "Our victories are many and significant but now, more than ever before, we need to defend them in order to secure our offensive and ensure our advance to the victory of our revolution."
ON THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
The PEC has noted the tender rules revamp announced by national finance Minister Pravin Gordhan last Tuesday. The monitoring processes announced by the Minister are a victory for the SACP which, for a very long time, has waged a relentless fight against corruption from all levels of government, parastatals and the private sector.
The SACP in KwaZulu-Natal is calling on all levels of government especially the provincial levels, local government level and state parastatals to follow suite and introduce stringent measures to curb corruption in all its forms including allocation of tenders.
If these measures are not introduced and followed in due course the party will embark on mass action to force these levels of state to follow suite.
ON THE MOVE TO REDUCE STUDENTS DEBTS BY THE NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER
The PEC has also noted the move by National Higher Education Minister Dr Blade Nzimande to reduce the students debt by ensuring that the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will begin to charge interests on students loans at least one year after graduation.
This move, which the SACP and Young Communist League, has fought so hard for, will go a long way in releasing thousands of students from the shackles of debts which become a serious financial setback to thousands of students even before they start working.
ON THE ARRIVAL OF THE ANC PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA'S DELEGATION TO INVESTIGATE THE NOMINATION LISTS CONTROVERSY.
We welcome the arrival of the Presidential team which will be here to investigate the controversies that emerged during the nomination process for the candidates in the previous local government elections. The SACP will provide its full co-operation and support to this team.
ON THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENTS
The PEC wishes to applaud the pact signed between the National Freedom Party and the ANC which has or is set to result in ensuring that the ANC takes control of many hung municipalities in the province thereby ensuring a speedy delivering of basic services especially to remote rural villages which are lagging far behind in terms of development.
The party is aware of the controversy in which some NFP councilors have allegedly vote with the IFP thereby betraying the pact but we hope that this is an isolated incidence.
The PEC wishes to congratulate the recently appointed mayors and all Municipal Office bearers and hopes that they will ensure a speedy service delivery which will be underpinned by the clean administration.
However the party is very disappointed with the deployment of some councilors who were implicated in acts of corruption but have been brought back into key municipal positions.
We believe that this act of appointing people accused of looting state resources and depriving ordinary citizens basic services flies in the face of this government's commitment to fight against corruption and run clean local government.
Worse still, these appointments were done when there was an understanding reached between the ANC and its alliance partners that people who were implicated or accused of corruption will not be brought back to the same municipalities that they looted. The PEC regarded certain deployments in Msunduzi Municipality and Umgungundlovu District as scandalous and blemishes the name of our glorious movement the ANC.
It is now clear why it is becoming so difficult to root out corruption at local government level because the very same individuals who are implicated in acts of corruption are cynically redeployed against the will of the people and alliance partners.
Statement issued by ThembaMthembu, SACP KZN Provincial Secretary, June 7 2011
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