COSATU's response to YCL
The Congress of South African Trade Unions has noted with concern a statement by the Young Communist League, alleging that "we have witnessed unwarranted attacks on the leadership of the SACP, in particular the General Secretary, by certain individuals within COSATU and two of its major affiliates, NUMSA and SADTU".
COSATU is totally unaware of any such attacks from within its ranks, and challenges the YCL to substantiate these serious allegations. If they cannot do so, we urge them to unequivocally withdraw theses defamatory charges. We reject with contempt any insinuations which are based only on rumours or gossip.
The statement further alleges that this "attack on the SACP General Secretary and the leadership and character of the Party is intended to prepare for a leadership contest at its 13th Congress planned for July 2012" and that "these individuals have constituted themselves as a faction, posing as revolutionary mouth-piece of the poor, with the intention to take over the SACP and weaken it for their malicious intents".
The federation totally reject the charge that it, or any of its affiliates, are intervening in the SACP's leadership processes and categorically rejects the charge that any of its members are trying to weaken the SACP or constitute some kind of faction. On the contrary COSATU remains an ally, supporter and defender of the workers' revolutionary vanguard party.
We urge the YCL to refocus on the massive challenges facing young South Africans - unemployment, poverty and the lack of access to further and higher education for the poor - rather than making unfounded and false accusations against their staunchest ally, the South African working class and its leadership in COSATU.
Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, May 31 2011
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