Cdes, I think the problem with many people who continue to criticize the Party, is their inability to understand, what is called "influence" and the relation between political parties and state power.
Perhaps, they think election state contestation is the only way to have influence in the state and society. These critics must continue to do that and say all these things about SACP and Leadership, but all I know is that they won't take us to an equal society. They will wake up tomorrow in a Socialist State without this "bible called socialism" which they are waiting for, to fall from the sky. Siyaqhuba thina comrades.. Examples of change are in Health Ministry, Education, Trade and Industry, Economic Development and Rural Development, amongst.... Hold on ke to Housing, defense, Bafana Bafana... U will find us phambili.... Madala Sent from my BlackBerryŽ wireless device -----Original Message----- From: Dominic Tweedie <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:15:21 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] The SACP is a political party, not an NGO! - Nzimande Business Day *Political power is Nzimande's key strategy * /SACP general secretary says that the party is interested in government/ *Sam Mkokeli, Business Day, Johannesburg, 1 November 2011* NOTHING better captures the paradoxes of the South African Communist Party's (SACP's) politics than its head office. Party leaders are often teased by allies that they are "squatters" at Cosatu House --- a derelict high-rise building in Braamfontein. The SACP piggybacks on its landlord, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) . Unlike the SACP, the labour federation is self- sufficient, with 19 affiliates bringing subscription fees from its almost 2-million members. By contrast, the SACP's gaze is fixed on what counts most, political power. SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande emerges from his third-floor office, headed to the boardroom for our interview. He apologises for the noise emanating from Little Harare --- the bustling taxi rank behind the offices. The windows are cracked, and the blinds cannot be closed to block the light blinding the photographer. That is life at the SACP, one of the influential bodies in SA's politics. Perhaps, much like its tenant status at Cosatu House, the SACP gets criticised for being stuck on President Jacob Zuma . It defends him at all costs. Critics say the party has disproportionate influence on the African National Congress (ANC) and the government. Mr Nzimande juggles two jobs, and there are conflicting views on his ability to multitask. While he receives praise for his performance as higher education minister, others complain that the SACP is now a shell because the most senior leader is busy with government matters. His critics say the SACP has been weakened by his appointment as a minister. They say the party is not visible on the ground. Its campaigns end up being taken up by other players, like the ANC Youth League, which often claims the SACP's traditional role of looking out for the poor as its own. But Mr Nzimande dismisses criticism that his government work has weakened the SACP. Instead, he says the party is on an upward trend with 140000 members. It is also active in communities but its activism does not attract media attention. He says the argument over his two roles and the SACP's weaknesses has been addressed ad nauseum and is therefore closed. Yet it refuses to die. The National Union of Metalworkers of SA said at the weekend it had noted "the low visibility of the SACP in broader struggles of the working class" and that this was a challenge requiring "urgent political intervention". A meeting of the two bodies is planned . Mr Nzimande became the SACP's first general secretary to serve in government but he is not the only SACP leader who occupies more than one position. Party chairman Gwede Mantashe is also secretary-general of the ANC. Behind Mr Nzimande's insistence that his two jobs are not a problem is a shrewd political strategy that chooses government power over public activism. Mr Nzimande's Cabinet work puts him at the centre of government policy discussions, and in contributing from within, he may be in a better position than his Cosatu counterpart, Zwelinzima Vavi. Mr Vavi has kept his distance from the ANC and the government and continues to criticise its decisions. Speaking at a gathering last week, Mr Vavi said Cosatu needed to remain principled and not tie its fortunes to particular leaders. But the SACP seems to be doing exactly that. It has taken upon itself the duty of defending Mr Zuma from those who want him replaced next year. But Mr Nzimande says being a part of government is in the interest of the SACP . "We are a political party. We are seeking to build working-class power in all key sites of influence in the state, in the economy, in communities, in the work place, (in) ideology, as well as international work. We can't be in one and not the other." Under his leadership, the Department of Higher Education and Training is implementing a resolution of the alliance to provide free education up to the final year of university. It has started converting the loans of final-year students who pass into bursaries. These are among Mr Nzimande's achievements in government. He is helping to drive the agenda of helping the poor. Among his achievements in government has been contributing to brokering a skills accord with the private sector, as part of boosting the training of artisans. As part of this deal, companies will accept students for practical training. Some of the league's leaders blamed the SACP for the ANC's decision to discipline youth league president Julius Malema and five others. The SACP has denied the decision to charge the six was taken at Cosatu House. "We are a political party, we are not an NGO, we are interested in power, we are interested in government," Mr Nzimande says. [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=157465* ** ** ** -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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