Rumblings+over+Blade+in+SACP,+Vicki+Robinson,+Mail+and+Guardian

Mail and Guardian, 15 February 2007 11:59
=Rumblings over Blade in SACP=


 * Vicki Robinson**

The general secretary of the South African Communist Party, Blade Nzimande, is likely to face a stiff challenge to his leadership at the SACP’s congress in July this year.

Party sources say there is widespread dissatisfaction over his outspoken support for ANC deputy-president Jacob Zuma and his management of ideological differences in the party.

The Mail & Guardian understands that five senior party members have significant support as potential challengers to Nzimande. They are Fikile “Slovo” Majola, politburo member and general secretary of the health workers’ union, Nehawu; deputy national chairperson Dipuo Mvelase; SACP provincial executive committee member in Gauteng, Langa Zitha; deputy secretary general Jeremy Cronin and Phillip Dexter, national treasurer.

Cronin said that anyone claiming that the five were actively canvassing for support was “misguided and factionalist. We have many challenges, but one of them is not a succession battle. As a national leadership, we are united.”

However, the M&G spoke to seven SACP leaders, including central committee members and provincial leaders, who confirmed that there were succession “rumblings” in the party. These were largely related to Nzimande’s handling of the Zuma issue.

Majola said that while he was unaware that he was being proposed as a challenger to Nzimande, he was aware that groups within the SACP “wanted to challenge Blade’s leadership at the congress ... there are certain people who are unhappy with his leadership”.

The SACP has been deeply divided over how to deal with Zuma, with Nzimande and Young Communist League (YCL) leader Buti Manamela, seen in some quarters as overzealous in their expressions of support for him.

Young Communist League secretary Mazibuko Jara and others are known to be critical of Nzimande and Manamela. In November last year, Jara was suspended by the league for reasons it would not disclose.

The M&G understands that North West and Free State SACP provincial structures are also unhappy about the party’s “overwhelming support” for Zuma.

A meeting of SACP branches in Khayelitsha last Friday was marked by accusations and insinuations, suggesting mistrust and tension in the party.

The meeting, which SACP Western Cape provincial secretary Khaya Magaxa said was part of the party’s “Meet your Neighbour” campaign, was attended by two Nzimande loyalists, the SACP’s KwaZulu-Natal secretary, Themba Mthembe, and politburo member Lindela Dunjwa.

Some party members allege the meeting was staged to discredit Jara, who is seen as a challenger to Magaxa, also an Nzimande loyalist. The presence of Mthembe and Dunjwa prompted the belief that Nzimande, through his lieutenants, aims to influence the outcome of the SACP’s forthcoming Western Cape congress.

However, Mthembe insisted he was in Cape Town for a separate meeting and attended the Khayelitsha gathering on a whim. He said the only reference to Jara at the meeting was when the branches asked why he had been suspended from the YCL.

Magaxa said that he invited Dunjwa to address the Khayelitsha meeting because “she is a senior member of the party”.

According to Jara: “The Cape Town district executive committee is not aware of this meeting as we convene sub-district meetings every two weeks, including in Khayelitsha. If there was such a meeting then the district committee would considering investigating. He said he was unaware of the succession issues in the party and commended Nzimande’s leadership.

The SACP congress, held every five years, elects the central executive committee.

Tensions in the SACP reach back as early as April last year, when it emerged that the YCL was considering withdrawing its support from a number of SACP leaders, primarily because of their critical stance on Zuma. Those allegedly targeted were central committee and politburo member Yunus Carrim, Dexter, North West chairperson Howard Yawa and Francis Ratlhaga, North West provincial secretary.


 * From: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=299130&area=/insight/insight__national/**

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