Free+State+SACP+PEC,+March+2008,+Press+Statement

|| ==SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY == || Moses Kotane Building: Office Number 103 Fichardt Street Bloemfontein 9300: Tele-fax (051) 430 6492 || **SACP Free State Province Media Release, 18 March 2008**
 * ^  || **  FREE STATE PROVINCE  **

= FREE STATE SACP PEC – PRESS STATEMENT =

The Party Executive Committee of the SACP met over the previous weekend and considered the current political developments in the Free State province. Amongst host of burning issues which were thoroughly discussed from the positive to the negative include the following: (1) the post-Polokwane situation and a marked paradigm shifts in favour of the poorest of the poor, represented by the leadership collective outcome from the 52nd conference of the ANC, (2) the challenge of HIV & Aids, (3) transformation of the criminal justice system, (4) the Free State Government Budget allocations, (5) the widely reported acts of racism at the UFS, the assessment of mass action embarked upon, and lastly, (6) an evaluation of the SACP’s programme of action and the extent to which the party structures’ preparedness to implement the organisational programme. Here below we elaborate briefly of major decisions taken for the purpose of this statement.
 * (1) On post-Polokwane ** : the SACP acknowledged the most decisive role played by ordinary workers at the ANC 52nd Conference and further noted that the marked paradigm shifts and the decisive victory in favour of the poorest of the poor, represented by the leadership collective outcome from the 52nd conference of the ANC. Thus, requiring a sustained mass mobilisation of Party members and the public in general behind the outcomes of Polokwane and further resolved to call upon ordinary ANC members not to lower the guard in defence of these important victories.
 * (2) On the FS provincial government budget allocation ** : the Party noted the ambitious budget projections contained in this financial year budget; the marginal economic growth in the average of 2.4% between 1994 and 2006, with the real per capita income increased from R17, 656 to R20, 555 in 2006, the budget has increased 13 times from R3 billion in 1994 to over R15 billion in 2008/09 budget allocation according to MEC of Finance. However, the meeting noted that lack of governance and administrative capacity of government departments and local municipalities to discharge and spend on their allocations is a matter of serious concern for which we will seek audience through bilateral with the ANC and the alliance meetings including relevant government authorities to engage on these matters.
 * (3) On transformation of the criminal justice system ** : as the organisation the SACP reiterates the position of the Party national leadership (CC) in its call for a complete overhaul of the criminal justice system more specifically, the fast-tracking of the legislation to enable the DSO (Scorpions)’s disbandment and relocation to the SAPS within the timeframe decided at Polokwane. The meeting also raised its concern on how the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence’s findings and recommendations on the notorious ‘Special Browse Mole Report’ are being handled. We call for immediate and full disclosure of those behind it (the suspected culprits and their suspension from the NPA and Directorate of Special Operations).
 * (4) On evaluation of the SACP’s programme of action and the extent to which the party structures’ preparedness to implement the organisational programme ** : the meeting seriously spent time to look at the recent Central Committee decisions and took appropriate measures to ensure that those are implemented without compromise. This includes receiving a presentation by a CC member comrade Rob Davies on the National Industrial Policy Framework, the WTO and Economic Partnership Agreements, Negotiations and the implications for South Africa, the meeting has also looked at its organisational preparedness to rollout the programme on the framework for launching voting districts based branches in the province and called on its structures to brace themselves to tasks.


 * (5) On Public Health Service ** : the SACP to continue with its campaign on access to free and quality public health service. The organisation resolved on reclaiming all privatized service in the public health sector by continuing with the campaign and engagement with the relevant government department.


 * (6) Electricity Crisis ** : The Party sees the crisis as a class issues which in the long term would impact negatively on the workers and vulnerable poor people who are already exposed to shortage to or have no access to energy resource.
 * (7) The widely reported acts of racism at the UFS, the assessment of mass action embarked upon ** : the meeting received a report on the work done in respect of this issue, and further noted public pronouncements made by parents of the racist students and the remarks by Prof. Fourie & Co on the transformation of the university as well as his unwillingness to step down. The Party, not in an act of seeking public pleasure through populist rhetoric, would once again, reiterate the demands put forward in the alliance memorandum of the 14th March 2008, and furthermore warn that “ the management of UFS has declared war against humanity by allowing racism to breed within the institution. Such would thus be condemned with the strongest possible terms and prevented from further fermenting in the society”. We demand that all the demands made be met with without any compromise, failing which, the management of UFS will take full responsibility of their intransigence and anti-transformation attitude. The meeting condemns the appalling racist humiliation of black workers and students in the residence of the university and call on the institution to cover all expenses for medical and trauma counselling for the victims of this barbaric action. We, together with our alliance partners, commit to rid our public places off all forms of institutionalised racism, fight and mobilise all progressive formations and our people against it.
 * For more information, kindly contact the Provincial Secretary cde Phel Parkies @ 0825766331 or the undersigned.**

//Issued by SACP Free State Province//
**Sam Matiase, SACP Free State Provincial Spokesperson, 082 468 0823**

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