SACP calls for a reconfiguration of alliance with the ANC

The SA Communist Party (SACP) yesterday wrapped up its three-day fourth special national congress in Ekurhuleni by adopting far-reaching resolutions contained in a declaration, which – among other things – called for the reconfiguration of the ANC-SACP-Cosatu-Sanco Alliance and warning against supporting candidates with a corrupt background in the 2021 local government polls.

Read part of the declaration: “Options available to the central committee include allowing electoral contestation in the affected areas within the framework of the 14^th national congress resolution on state and popular power; and based on criteria to be finalised in 2020.

“The special national congress emphasised the principles articulated in the political council and the common Alliance configuration paper approved by the political council.

“These include consensus-seeking consultation on the manifesto, policy direction for our shared strategy of struggle, democratic transformation, deployment, accountability, recall, Alliance inclusivity and representation in electoral lists.

“The SACP will not support corrupt candidates or candidates emerging from processes that were not Alliance-inclusive – candidates imposed by factions or not supported by the community.”

Later asked at a media briefing to elaborate, SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande said the party wanted to see a reconfigured Alliance deployment committee established, from which the electoral list would be drawn.

“We are not going to support candidates rejected by people,” emphasised Nzimande.

In its declaration, the SACP said it strongly condemned the “sabotage” of the embattled power utility Eskom.

“The SACP identifies with the painful situation that our people are experiencing as a result of load shedding.

“The special national congress mandated the central committee to closely follow the investigation and ensure that the saboteurs are identified and held to account.

“The SACP calls upon the state to regulate mining and trade of coal in the interest of national energy security.

“At the same time, the special national congress called upon government to move more decisively in pursuing a just transition to cleaner and renewable energy.

“Eskom, in a turnaround form, must serve as the mainstay of reliable, cleaner, renewable and affordable energy production,” said the declaration.

On SA Airways, the SACP called on government to adopt “a comprehensive aviation policy, anchored in turning SAA around”.

“As part of its rescue plan, every contract entered into and tender awarded by SAA must be thoroughly scrutinised through a forensic investigation process – leaving no stone unturned.”

The SACP said key executive appointments at SAA, which included that of the chief executive officer, should be investigated.

On the financial sector transformation, the SACP called for the expansion of the mandate of the SA Reserve Bank to “explicitly target employment growth and an explicit, inclusive, balanced and sustainable inclusive high-growth target”.

On broader economic transformation, the SACP called for “a high impact, comprehensive industrial policy, including digital industrial and innovation strategies aimed at developing the domestic productive capacity”.

The SACP said the South African crisis stemmed from a stagnant economy that continued to shed jobs “in the context of persisting a high unemployment rate, entrenched poverty, widening inequality and an unresolved legacy of uneven development”.

– brians@citizen.co.za

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