Compilation of stories (shortened) relating to the SACP, 3 June 2016 News24white.png You risk your life if you speak out against state capture - SACP's Mapaila Carien du Plessis, News24 Johannesburg, 3 June 2016 Members of the ANC and its alliance partners who speak out against state capture may be risking their lives, SACP second deputy general Solly Mapaila has said, adding that various party officials - himself included - had recently received death threats. Speaking on the sidelines of the start of the SA Communist Party's central committee meeting in Braamfontein on Friday, Mapaila said the threats had started in 2010, and that most of those affected "have been living with [private] security, without state involvement". Provincial office bearers, as well as those in national leadership, had been on the receiving end of these threats, he said. "They even try to attack [the office bearers] from time to time. It's not a new thing, the threats to our party leadership," he said, adding that the cases were reported, but that there was no clarity on where the threats came from. In 2010, then-Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi also complained about having received death threats after he spoke out about corruption. Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas also revealed that he received a death threat from a prominent businessman. From: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/you-risk-your-life-if-you-speak-out-a gainst-state-capture-sacps-mapaila-20160603 ANC accuses SACP of contesting local govt elections in the EC SABC, Johannesburg, 3 June 2016 The African National Congress (ANC) has accused the South African Communist Party (SACP) of registering members to contest the local government elections in Alfred Nzo municipality in the Eastern Cape. This is despite a standing decision by the SACP to back the ANC during elections. Tension has been rising between the SACP and ANC especially in the run up to finalising candidates list for the local government elections. Tensions have been most expressed in KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga where the process was marred by violence and politically linked deaths. The SACP has also warned the ANC that it will be punished by communities for failing to investigate the alleged state capture by the Gupta family. ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe says they will meet the party at the ballot box. "It is not our business. We will meet them at the ballot box, it is a strange position as it was raised in 2006 and was defeated. I think die-hards want to test it, if it works it may become an issue that becomes a hot one in the party." From: http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/8776fe804cff885187e6d7a4a305fcae/ANC-accuses-SA CP-of-contesting-local-govt-elections-in-the-EC-20160603 SACP is not the communist party registered to contest local government polls Genevieve Quintal, Business Day, Johannesburg, 3 June 2016 THE South African Communist Party (SACP) has distanced itself from a political party with a similar name that has registered to contest this year's local government elections, taking on its alliance partner the African National Congress (ANC). The Communist Party was registered with the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to contest the August 3 elections in the Alfred Nzo district municipality, the Mbizana local municipality, Umzimvubu local municipality, Ntabankulu municipality and Matatiele municipality. A notice of the registration was issued by Zandisile Mqokolwana, who is reportedly an ANC councillor in the Mbizana council. Mqokolwana could not be reached for comment. SACP national spokesperson Alex Mashilo has insisted that the registered Communist Party is not connected to the party. "The bottom line is that the South African Communist Party has not registered to contest any election in any part of the country," he said, adding that the advertisement did not claim to be the SACP. Mashilo said reports that the SACP had registered with the IEC was a "big lie". He said he had been in contact with the party's Eastern Cape secretary who said Mqokolwana was not a party member. On Thursday, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told reporters in Johannesburg that it was up to the SACP to deal with any members who were registering the party outside of the alliance. In 2006, the SACP reportedly applied to register its party with the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC). Mantashe said suggestions that the SACP go at it alone outside the alliance were raised at its conference in 2007 but were rejected. The idea was again raised at a recent midterm congress but again did not enjoy support. "I think the diehards want to test it," he said. "If it works well for them then it could become a very hot debate within the party. "I don't think the ANC is expected to deal with that issue, it is a party internal issue.. We've agreed to go together to elections. If one party in a district registers in the name of the communist party, it is the communist party who must deal with that matter," Mantashe said. From: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/politics/2016/06/03/sacp-is-not-the-communi st-party-registered-to-contest-local-government-polls Communists blast The New Age for backing Guptas TMG Digital, The Times, Johannesburg, 3 June 2016 The South African Communist Party has blasted The New Age newspaper for what it describes as defending the "smash-and-grab" agendas of the Gupta family. The party accused the newspaper of concocting "toxic gibberish" purportedly coming from ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in an article published on Friday. Mantashe is quoted in the article, headlined "SACP <http://www.thenewage.co.za/sacp-must-self-correct/> 'must self-correct'", saying that, "The SACP has registered its own candidates to contest the elections in the Eastern Cape's Alfred Nzo district municipality. They went against our advice and refused to co-operate." A statement issued by the SACP on Friday said: "The newspaper attributes this gibberish to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, who knows where to contact the SACP and how to engage with the party, including necessity of validating with it any information that comes to his attention concerning the SACP. The SACP outright dismisses the claim as a big lie. "The New Age is obviously defending the brazen smash-and-grab accumulation agendas of the Guptas." The party, which started its central committee meeting on Friday, demanded that The New Age retract the story or face legal consequences. Solly Mapaila, the SACP's second deputy general-secretary, lambasted the ANC this week for closing its investigation into allegations of "state capture". From: http://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2016/06/03/Communists-blast-The-New-Age- for-backing-Guptas 'Leaderless' SACP is now irrelevant George Matlala, Sowetan, Johannesburg, 3 June 2016 The National Union of Mineworkers, one of Cosatu's biggest affiliates, has questioned the relevance of the SA Communist Party. NUM general secretary David Sipunzi said in his secretariat report to the union's central committee meeting that the leadership of the party was in parliament when they were needed at all times at the party's headquarters. The embattled NUM, which was losing members in droves, is holding its central committee meeting ending today at the St George Hotel in Irene, Tshwane. "The SACP is the vanguard of the working class movement which is supposed to continuously lead the struggle of the working class. "The question we must ask is how relevant is the SACP in today's political agenda. The party must protect the interest of the working people and lead them to economic emancipation," Sipunzi said. "Little is heard about its contribution in the public space. We must be honest here. The leadership of the party is in parliament when the party requires their leadership at all times." Sipunzi said mineworkers also needed to discuss if the SACP should contest elections when the relationship between the communists and the ANC was deteriorating. "Comrades I am not questioning the ability and the capability of the SACP, but we must vigorously and intellectually [critique] our strategic intervention and the deployment strategy, including dual leadership roles. Is the party failing to meet its mandate to be the vanguard of the working class?" Sipunzi asked. Nzimande, who was warmly received by the delegates, called on members to remain in Cosatu. From: http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2016/06/03/leaderless-sacp-is-now-irreleva nt -- -- 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 received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Discussion Forum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
