SACP+throws+support+behind+ANC,+Phasiwe,+Business+Day

Business Day, Johannesburg, 06 February 2006
=SACP throws support behind ANC=


 * Khulu Phasiwe**

THE South African Communist Party (SACP) yesterday threw its weight behind the ruling African National Congress (ANC) ahead of the March 1 local government elections.

“Don’t waste your vote on small protest parties. Opposition is a luxury,” spokesman Kaizer Mohau said in Johannesburg.

Mohau’s comments came yesterday as SACP secretarygeneral Blade Nzimande spoke at an ANC election rally in Umtata.

The SACP, a member of the tripartite alliance along with the Congress of South African Trade Unions, does not field its own candidates in elections, but supports the ruling party.

The support comes despite growing differences of opinion over policy between the SACP and ANC, most notably economic management.

Although government had provided electricity, clinics, housing and education and training opportunities for millions of South Africans, a lot still needed to be done and only the ANC was capable of doing this, the SACP said.

“That is why the SACP says ‘Vote ANC’.”

Mohau said all ANC candidates would take an oath to fight corruption, to stand without motives of material advantage or personal gain, and to live in the communities that had elected them.

Meanwhile, the SACP has expressed its support with Transnet workers challenging the way in which the restructuring of the parastatal is being handled to hive off units that do not fit its infrastructure business.

“Decisions on this matter should be made on the basis of the overall strategic and developmental objectives we want to attain through state-owned entities,” said Mohau.


 * From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A149883 **

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