Comrades the constitution states that the GS is full time;
under conditions of service determined by the CC the CC clearly has no issues about the GS having a role in national leadership so the constitutional discuss should be cease. the issue is why this argument is being braught to the fore. what are the underlying agenda's here? if it is an issue of what blade does with his money then i think that is greatly misplaced. it is his decision as a communist weather he gives his money away. its a moral choice for him not congress to make On Nov 10, 10:58 am, Karl Cloete <[email protected]> wrote: > Fellow revolutionaries > > I am not certain why the starting point to the debate is the rigid and > dogmatic articulation of the constitution as it relates to the fulltime > position of the SACP General Secretary as if politically the PArty did not > formulate a position which compels us to occupy all key centres of power to > build and advance working class hegemony. > > In this context we should appreciate that the resolution to occupy all key > centres of power would invariably translate into some of our finest cadres > assumming key and strategic positions in governance and the state to give > concrete expression to the South African Road To Socialism. > > If all of us are agreed, as it appear we do, that Cde Blade continues to > represent the aspirations of communists and the proletariat as SACP GS, then > why do we not amend the constitution so that there is more flexibility in an > ever changing environment? Unlike the Bible, a constitution is premised on > the mortal ideas of human beings and is subject to change as material > conditions change. > > A closer reading of history tells us that General Secretary's of Communist > Parties are the person who becomes President of a country where the > Communist PArty assumes state power. Why do we South African Communists want > to do it differently? > > The debate should really be about how do we strengthen the office of the > General Secretary by employing a full time head and dedicated staff in the > General Secretary's office so that all the responsibilities of the GS can be > attended to on a day by day basis. (In fact the SACP CC has taken steps to > appoint a Head in the General Secretary's Office) In this virtual and modern > day of many different forms of technology, being in office is certainly not > the Alpha and Omega. > > Let us amend the SACP constitution and get on with the task of building > working class hegemony on the terrain of the National Democratic Revolition > for a Socialist South Africa. > > Emotive and trivial arguements is less likely to cement the much needed > unity we require to advance the revolution unless we have become purist of a > special type. > > Socialism is the Future Build it Now > > With warm revolutionary regards > > Karl Cloete > > On 11/10/09, Dominic Tweedie <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Dear Comrades, all, > > > This is a tremendous debate we are having. I have personally said enough > > about the particulars. I would just like to add, in my capacity of your > > virtual VC, that this question of the GS poses no different conflict of > > interest from what any comrade must deal with as a vanguard communist > > necessarily working in the reformist mass movements of our country. Our SACP > > Constitution covers it very well (and better than any other communist > > party's constitution) in Rule 6.4 as follows: > > > 6.4 Members active in fraternal organisations or in any sector of the mass > > movement have a duty to set an example of loyalty, hard work and zeal in the > > performance of their duties and shall be bound by the discipline and > > decisions of such organisations and movement. They shall not create or > > participate in SACP caucuses within such organisations and movements > > designed to influence either elections or policies. The advocacy of SACP > > policy on any question relating to the internal affairs of any such > > organisations or movements shall be by open public statements or at joint > > meetings between representatives of the SACP and such organisations or > > movements. > > > There is no easy way, and certainly there is no bureaucratic or formulaic > > way, to deal with the contradictions of being a revolutionary within > > bourgeois civil society, comrades. > > > One thing that all this points to is the necessity of developing more > > cadres. > > > Good cadres will always be in demand and that's why they have to be > > replaced all the time. Therefore everything depends upon the production of > > cadres. > > > I wish I was hearing of more study circles around the country. > > > The eight Generic Courses of the CU are ready and waiting for you at * > >http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum*. > > > Best wishes, > > > Domza, VC. > > > Mduduzi Herman Vilakazi wrote: > > > Et al, > > > Cde Domza, I understand why you debate this issue in this fashion. You have > > the same suspicions I have about people who want to hijack the platform to > > strengthen their case against the GS. I am also aware that there are > > opportunists who want nothing but to annihilate the spirit of unity within > > the party. I am equally aware that there are those who are not comfortable > > with a communists receiving two salaries and believe that they have a share > > in personal wealth of individuals. > > > I am aware that people attack leadership to so as to insult the > > organisation they lead. I am aware that at all times discussions should be > > informed not by forces of the economy but by operational material > > conditions. I am made to understand that there are some political thugs who > > are on standby to weaken progressive political organisations. All these is > > but a manifestation of the cruelty of capitalism. > > > The angle of my debate is that we should not ignore documents that we have > > developed to assist in the running of the organisation. I have said it > > before and say it now without any favor that my support for the non-change > > of leadership will not blind me. I am sincerely raising an issue of > > constitutional implications which is but part of my conviction that when > > things are done in a democratic organisation like SACP, the "rule book" > > should guide us. The "fulltime" is not in any position of responsibility but > > only in that of the GS. > > > I understand that the special congress is not for elections and am > > comfortable with comrade Blade at the helm. However, we have developed the > > constitution to be the supreme law of the organisation. Even the sitting of > > the special congress is a constitutional matter - issues of delegates, > > forming of qourum, receiving of reports etc. are all in the constitution. > > Therefore, we are slaves of our suppreme rule book - it is not by choice on > > when to apply it. So in whatever decision of the party, the constitution > > should guide us. I hope I was never ambiguous in my construction of the > > sentences. > > > Will it be difficult Cde Domza to say, yes the GS is doing a good job, both > > in government and in the party, why can't we amend the constitution to suit > > this situation? Is it difficult to accept that the constitution as it stands > > does not accommodate this situation? Do we as communists want a situation > > where debates are stiffled by the likes of MDU, DOMZA, CLARENCE etc? Surely, > > once we cease to debate issues, we would be left with no choice but to close > > this forum. > > > As I debate this matter, I am not afraid to state that the GS should remain > > but this should be done in line with the suppreme law of the SACP. I do not > > have a blind support on this matter and we all are aware that we should do > > it in this way unless we become anarchist-marxists. > > > Amandla!! > > > On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 3:55 PM, Lebese OE <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> Cdes, > > >> Let us try to remind cde Mdu that; > > >> 1. The GS is not an employee of some company that has its office > >> hours from 8 – 4. For your benefit the extract says: *The General > >> Secretary shall be the leading National Office Bearer of the SACP and a* > >> *full-time official* *under conditions of service determined by the CC**. > >> The General Secretary shall be an ex officio member of all party > >> structures **(Now this does not say 8 – 4 to me and am sure to you too)** > >> .* > > >> 2. From time to time we will need to make decisions based on > >> conditions at any given time. We need not read our Constitution as if we > >> are > >> lawyers and it is some kind of Legislation. > > >> 3. The constitution is not meant to block and delay us in achieving > >> our strategic objectives. > > >> 4. We are a party that has a huge responsibility of pushing the > >> agenda of the working class and doing ‘*everything in achieving’*socialism > >> in our lifetime. > > >> 5. This is the same leadership that played an important part in > >> literally forcing the wheels on the movement back in the right track. > > >> 6. Changing leadership of the Movement was just but one of the many > >> things that we needed to do and there is still a lot to be done so nobody > >> is > >> going to disturb our momentum. > > >> Our National leadership of YCL was spot on when it said through our > >> National Secretary that the GS is going nowhere. > > >> We will defend and support our leadership and will not be apologetic for > >> doing so. > > >> Oagile > > >> *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > >> [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Mduduzi H Vilakazi > >> *Sent:* 09 November 2009 12:06 PM > >> *To:* [email protected] > >> *Subject:* [YCLSA Discussion] Blade 'safe from drunk dreamers', Buti > >> Manamela, Times > > >> *Cdes,* > > >> *I do not know Cde Malgas what you mean but Cde Adriano raised a debate > >> on the constitutionality part. If the extracts he made are from an original > >> copy of the constitution of the SACP then the debate should be whether the > >> constitution is changed or the incumbent is changed.* > > >> *The extract read as follows:* > > >> *11. DUTIES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY* > > >> *The General Secretary shall be the leading National Office Bearer of the > >> SACP and a full-time official under conditions of service determined by the > >> CC. The General Secretary shall be an ex officio member of all party > >> structures and shall:* > > >> *11.1 Keep (or cause to be kept) the minutes of all CC and PB meetings > >> and such other books, records and archives as may be required.* > > ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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