2005-11-21,+Hogarth+features+Mazibuko+Jara,+Sunday+Times

Sunday Times, Johannesburg, Hogarth column, 20 November 2005

=A tantalising glimpse inside the party’s brain=

THE following quotation is from a document marked “CONFIDENTIAL: Not for distribution, circulation, quoting, citation or reference outside structures and meetings of the SACP:

“Can JZ [Jacob Zuma] really be regarded as part of Left and working-class forces in the ANC? JZ’s own role in the isolation and marginalisation of a working-class programme in the ANC requires scrutiny. Can JZ really provide breathing space for a Left project as it is sometimes argued and implied?

How will JZ open the space for the Left? ... What was JZ’s role in the rightwards shift of the ANC? The case for the political defence of JZ must still be made from a coherent and strategic Communist standpoint. Up to now, such a convincing case has not been made.”

Is the party over?

=Songs of freedom=

FROM the same paper: “A famous social activist changes the words of The Red Flag to provide a jocular and yet effective critique of the strategy, tactics and programme of our SACP. He sings: ‘The people’s flag is palest pink, it’s not as red as some would think. The working class can kiss my ass. To show that we are still sincere, we will criticise Gear once a year.’”

From: http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/articles/article.aspx?ID=ST6A152487

Although “Hogarth” does not say, Communist University readers will know that the quotations are from Mazibuko Jara’s paper.