ANC+on+SACP+85th+anniversary



=ANC STATEMENT ON THE SACP'S 85th ANNIVERSARY=

The African National Congress congratulates the South African Communist Party (SACP) on the occasion of their 85th anniversary, which is to be celebrated this weekend.

The ANC's message will be formally delivered at the SACP national rally in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 30 July 2006 by ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma.

We extend best wishes to our revolutionary Alliance partner for these celebrations.

As the SACP marks another milestone in its long and proud history, the ANC shall continue to value the relationship between ourselves and the party. This is a relationship that has stood the test of time, and which has served to strengthen both organisations in the common struggle for national liberation. The achievement of democracy in South Africa and the advances made in our country over the last 12 years would not have been possible without the existence of this relationship.

With the valuable assistance of the SACP and other Alliance partners, the democratic movement has successfully registered victories in three national democratic elections and in three local democratic elections.

The ANC continues to share with the SACP the common goals and programmes aimed at eliminating poverty and unemployment. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of our declared objective of halving poverty and unemployment by 2014.

We applaud the SACP for keeping the red flag flying in South Africa throughout the 85 years of its existence.

The Communist Party has established itself as an honoured and leading force within South Africa's democratic movement. The moral conduct and intellectual pedigree of communist cadres, and the manner in which they conducted themselves within the liberation movement, has earned the Party a unique and central role in the ANC.

As we celebrate the achievements of the SACP and the democratic movement, and focus our energies on the tasks and challenges ahead, we are reminded of the internal memo of the SACP Central Committee in 1967, which said: "Revolutionary struggle is not an invitation to a picnic. All Communists must therefore make it part of their duty to instill the spirit of sacrifice wherever they are; to inspire the freedom fighters in the periods of difficulty; to constantly emphasise that the victory of the revolution is inevitable."

It remains our conviction that the victory of the national democratic revolution is inevitable.

Happy Birthday SACP! Long live the South African Communist Party!


 * Issued by: African National Congress, PO Box 61884, Marshalltown 2107, 27 July 2006

More information: Smuts Ngonyama 082 569 2061**

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