SACP Free State Provincial Executive Committee Statement
SACP South African Communist Party
South African Communist Party
Free State Province
SACP Free State Provincial Executive Committee Statement
Wednesday, 5 February 2025: The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Free State Province (FS) convened its first Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting of the year in the post-Special National Congress era virtually on 1 February 2025.
The PEC reflected on the state of the revolution, including the role and tasks of the Party in the midst of evolving contemporary political, organisational and socio-economic developments globally, in the country and in the Free State province. The discussions were informed by a Central Committee input by Comrade Pat Horn, and the political, organisational and financial reports of the province.
The PEC thanked Comrade Pat Horn for her visit to the province during the past week for collaborative Party work with cooperatives and community based organisations in the informal sector of the economy in both Tisha Vanga and Thabo Mofutsanyana Districts. The Party will continue to support and ensure sustainability and growth of these organisations operating in various sectors in our communities.
Party Building, SACP decision to contest elections and the reconfiguration of the Alliance
The PEC received a report on the SACP 5th Special National Congress that unpacked the persisting socio-economic crisis arising from the structural defects in our economy that continues to produce and reproduce crisis levels of unemployment, poverty, inequality and underdevelopment in South Africa. The centrality of the national democratic revolution (NDR) and the struggle for socialism were reaffirmed as the main contours of our strategic path to confront capitalism and its neoliberal collaborators, who are consolidating within the so-called ‘GNU’ to champion austerity measures while society, especially the working class and poor, suffer exploitation and worsening high cost of living crisis.
The PEC welcomed the fact that the Special National Congress was firm and decisive on the practical tasks of building the independent posture and presence of the Party as well as the reconfiguration of the Alliance from within and without. The PEC appreciated the decisions of Congress, including the decision to contest elections and noted that the experience and lessons of the Party’s independent electoral participation in Metsimaholo contributed significantly to the discussions nationally. The Party decisions are necessary to assert working-class representation, action and leadership in advancing, deepening and defending the NDR and actively pursuing the struggle for socialism.
The PEC condemned the wedge drivers both within and outside the movement who speak with forked tongues attempting to isolate our General Secretary Comrade Solly Mapaila, who has been and continues to meticulously communicate, advance and defend our collective decisions as the Party. Furthermore, the PEC took exception to the targeting of some members of the Party, especially those deployed as ANC councillors in some councils wherein condescending insinuations and remarks are passed against them on the basis of the Party’s decision on state and popular power.
The PEC adopted a programme to communicate and engage its structures, progressive formations and society on its decisions and the immediate tasks to consolidate and build fronts and a powerful socialist movement of the workers and poor.
The PEC acknowledged that the Party has to improve its style of work and refocus its approach towards selfless service of the people, with a strong focus on ensuring that the work of local government is responsive to the basic and fundamental needs of communities. Wherever there are community challenges, Communists must be at the forefront working with such communities to find lasting solutions. In order to ensure systematic and consistent work within communities, the PEC agreed to convene a solution-oriented workshop intended to shape the Party response to the state of our communities and deteriorating state of service delivery.
Court decision to hold municipal management/leaders personally liable for defrauding workers’ third party contributions at Mafube Municipality
The PEC welcomes the precedent-setting court decision that holds specific political and administrative leadership of Mafube Local Municipality personally liable for paying back over R14 million in pension fund contributions of workers. The municipality has been deducting pension fund, medical and funeral contributions from the salaries of workers but not paying such contributions to the relevant schemes. This criminal conduct is rife across several municipalities in the province.
The SACP stands sternly firm with the workers and demands that the sheriff executes the court order immediately. We further warn that the municipality and individuals involved must never use public municipal resources to appeal this decision. There are currently workers well over their retirement age who are forced to work as they cannot go on retirement as the municipality is unable to pay them. Other workers die and the municipality is unable to pay their beneficiaries for their funeral contributions. The SACP will work with COSATU and SAMWU to ensure this decision is extended to all other municipalities that are effectively defrauding workers of their third party contributions.
On standing with the workers, the PEC further reaffirmed the position of the SACP articulated by our Central Committee in relation to the problematic ending of contracts of CDP workers of 55 years and older of age. This step was as a result of austerity measures imposed by National Treasury, resulting in the reneging on ANC led Alliance manifesto commitments. In our province, the Party welcomed the reported reabsorption of workers in the health sector by the provincial government, in line with the intervention the SACP made together with the Alliance, when the contracts of over a thousand workers were abruptly ended.
Congratulations
The PEC noted with congratulations that Comrade Lechesa Tsenoli and Comrade Lindiwe Tshongwe (posthumously) received awards at the SACP 5th Special National Congress for their dedication to the revolution and selfless service to the movement and the people. The PEC also appreciated the appointment of Comrade Lechesa as the chairperson of the ANC Integrity Commission in the province.
The PEC also congratulated the ANC for hosting a successful 113th January 08 celebration in Parys, and agreed to send a Party delegation to the planned ANC Provincial Lekgotla following an invitation from the ANC. The Party also wished COSATU well as it prepares for the provincial conference planned for mid-February 2025 and looks forward to strengthening the left-axis and contribute towards building the Alliance.
Issued by the SACP Free State Province
Contact:
Bheke Stofile – SACP Free State Provincial Secretary
Mobile: 071 600 4899
Phillip Kganyago – SACP Free State Provincial Spokesperson
Mobile: 071 896 0157