SACP statement on recent developments in some universities

24 February 2016

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has noted with concern the worrying developments at the University of Free State and other universities. The SACP in particular condemns racism in the strongest terms possible, and calls on all South African universities, particularly historically white institutions and campuses to eliminate the legacy of apartheid in all respects within their fold.

The slow pace of transformation in most of these universities and the neoliberal restructuring that they have adopted against workers post-1994 constitute a serious problem. Old-order attitudes to language policy, among other barriers inhibit the development of a non-racial institutional environment.

These are some of the reasons why the SACP has welcomed the tabling of the new Bill on higher education and training. It is important to continue developing the enabling environment ushered in by our 1994 democratic breakthrough and enhance the role of the democratic government to speed up the pace of transformation in our higher education and training institutions.

The SACP calls on all progressive formations and individuals to close ranks and unite to ensure that non-racial transformation prevails over apartheid acquired white privileges. The SACP says: "Let us unite on a non-racial basis to uproot the primary problems of the legacy of the past and neoliberalism in our institutions of learning". In this regard, senior leaders of the Party have been on the ground and are intervening to ensure a revolutionary way forward at the University of Free State, for example.

The SACP reaffirms its support for decent work. As the SACP, we believe that insourcing of outsourced workers by universities will contribute positively towards decent work for them. To this end, the SACP calls on all universities to speed up their review of outsourced operations, and will work with the progressive trade union movement, in particular our ally the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and its affiliates to defend workers’ rights and entitlements.

To all progressive workers and students the SACP says: “Our struggle is a just struggle. Its revolutionary morality is superior to the racism of apartheid, its legacy and residual elements. We therefore encourage our activists on the ground to respect the rights of others in the struggle to affirm our collective rights and secure transformation”.

Statement issued by the SACP, 24 February 2016