SACP statement on its current and new campaigns

Yesterday, 08 June 2009, the SACP held the meeting of the Party Building Commission attended by amongst others, Central Committee members, Provincial Secretaries and Provincial Organisers.

The purpose of the meeting was to assess SACP campaigns and develop strategies to take forward our campaigns. The meeting noted the significant manner in which SACP campaigns have found presence in the ANC Manifesto. This poses both a challenge and an opportunity to the SACP. 

It was the SACP that was in the forefront of raising the issue about the transformation of the financial sector and our developmental finance institutions. It was the SACP that led the struggle for building sustainable livelihoods through our Know Your Neighboorhood Campaign, led the struggle to fast track land reform and led the struggle for a better, efficient, safe and affordable public transport campaigns. These and many other campaigns we have taken up mainly under the banner of our popular Red October Campaign, whose foundations were laid by ‘triple H' campaign launched and led by Cde Chris Hani in the early 90's.

In all these areas, the SACP worked with progressive trade unions, civil society organisations and many other community structures to build a popular front for radical change.

The meeting took place against a backdrop of deep disparagement about the recently announced National Health Insurance Scheme, which the SACP fully supports as a critical component of our own campaign on quality public healthcare launched some years back supported by our progressive organizations in the health sector.  Newspapers are heaving with articles against the National Health Insurance. There is deep phobia about a process and the cost even before government can start the consultations process and release the estimated cost. All this is an attempt to reverse working class gains and preserve the right of the greedy capitalist administrators to milk millions and millions of rands from ordinary South Africans.

The SACP condemns the manner in which there is a persistent agenda to oppose any progressive move to rescue our people from poverty cycles and to improve the quality of their life. There is a deep obsession to debate government interventions from a narrow standpoint of money, as opposed to public value - these are the norms and values of capitalism that we must reject at all cost. This hysteria must come to an end and we must now have a sober discussion about policy in our country all inspired by the need to build a better life for all. 

The SACP will do all in its power to mobilize the workers and the poor of our country to use all their muscle and power to fight this capitalist offensive. We will meet with the greedy capitalists in the health sector in the workplace, in our communities and in the streets, in our numbers!

The SACP will in this regard take up a campaign to defend and hasten the implementation of the National Health Insurance. Capital continues to lobby and put pressure on government through various means, including corruption in other instances. Whilst we do not have golf courses to invite ministers and director generals to, the only important weapon the working class possess is mass work. We will get our people out in their masses to demonstrate their support for the NHI. We will revive and strengthen a network of community health forums that will form an important core of the consultation process by government.

SACP structures will also actively activate the public transport forums in order for us to continue to provide leadership amidst the threats of violence, on the smooth implementation of the BRT after the consultation process with the taxi industry.

The meeting further debated the issue of the current capitalist crisis and its impact on humanity as a whole. The time has come for us to build alternatives to current accumulation path. In that context, strengthened working class organisation both at the point of production and consumption is very crucial.

This calls for a more sustained effort to build a progressive co-operatives movement in South Africa if we are to make a significant dent on the current growth path. We can no longer afford a situation where capitalist driven initiatives to continue to pose as co-operatives in order to access support grants reserved for building and supporting co-operatives.

The SACP wishes to further add to the voices of all those opposed to the proposed 34% hike in electricity prices. The workers and the poor of our country simply cannot afford such a steep increase, and even worse in a situation of a recession. We urge the Regulator not to approve this hike.

The meeting further received an update report on preparation for the SACP Special National Congress and work is underway to prepare our structures to be ready for this important congress.

Statement issued by the South African Communist Party, June 9 2009

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