SACP+Western+Cape+PEC+Lekgotla+Statement,+25+February+2008




 * South African Communist Party, Western Cape Province**

=SACP WESTERN CAPE PEC LEKGOTLA DECLARATION=

// For immediate release // The SACP Western Cape Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) held a Provincial Lekgotla on the 23-24 February 2008 at the CTPA Offices in Bellville to review its performance since its election on 23-25 March 2007 and to chart the way forward for the remainder of its term. The Lekgotla, which had a full quorum, was attended by members of the Central Committee, PEC and the following SACP Districts, namely Cape Town Metro, Boland, Southern Cape, Overberg, West Coast and the Young Communist League. Following a week-end of intense debate, the SACP PEC Lekgotla, amongst many other things, pronounced on the provincial economy, media reports on the Metro District and our Sacp provincial programme of action. The lekgotla analyzed the international, domestic and provincial political economy and reflected on the progress made as well as the challenges encountered in the process of building working class hegemony for a socialist oriented national democratic revolution. Key amongst the deliberations was the socio-economic challenges facing the Western Cape. In reflecting upon the progress registered since the democratic breakthrough, the provincial lekgotla noted with serious concern that the province remains racially segregated and patriarchal, with socio-economic disparities and inequalities continuing to block significant redistribution of wealth and transformation. The rising levels of unemployment, the decline in the matriculation results and the continued subjugation of our people to poor housing provision and health conditions were highlighted as manifestations of these disparities. The lekgotla resolved that in 2008, the party will be implementing the resolutions of the SACP 12th Congress in line with our Medium Term Vision. The Party has identified the immediate tasks of the SACP, in our road to socialism, as that of building working class hegemony that is gender sensitive in all sites of power, prioritizing the state, the economy, the workplace, the community, ideological and the international as critical terrains of struggle. The lekgotla further confirmed that our road to socialism is consolidating, advancing and deepening a working class-led, socialist oriented national democratic revolution, whose immediate programme is guided by the emancipatory values of the Freedom Charter. Hence the Sacp Provincial Working Committee was directed to reflect on the Premier’s 2008 State of the Province Address with a view to developing the SACP Western Cape’s perspective on what the provincial budget should reflect on and to engage with government programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme, the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy and Local Economic Development Strategies to increase the meaningful participation of the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized in the economy and to introduce more participatory methods of production such as co-operatives. The lekgotla also reflected on the decision of the 16th February 2008 Metro District Council to dissolve its District Executive Committee (DEC) because: 1. It failed to effectively service its branches and most branches collapsed under its leadership; 2. It failed to facilitate the active participation of branches in the programmes of the SACP 3. Certain individuals on the Cape Metro DEC had persisted to introduce into a August 2007 district political report objectionable perspectives despite a decision of the DEC for these unacceptable statements and perspectives to be removed and corrected so as to reflect a true reflection of the SACP 12th National Congress outcome. Some of these unacceptable issues which the Cape Metro District Council held in August 2007 rejected related to the following; The decision of the District Council to dissolve the Cape Metro District was endorsed by the SACP PEC Lekgotla. The PEC Lekgotla furthermore endorsed the establishment of the interim leadership core to work towards the organizing of a District Congress. Work has already begun to prepare branches in the Metro District for a District Congress in June 2008 to ensure that a more inclusive and disciplined leadership is elected soon. The SACP PEC noted that the former Cape Metro District Secretary Luthando Nogcinisa tendered his resignation from the SACP in the District Council on 16th February 2008 after branches unanimously voted to dissolve the DEC with a statement that he intends joining another organization. The Lekgotla also noted Nogcinisa’s statement that he had interacted telephonically with Mazibuko Jara who also advised that he intends to resign. Having noted these statements, the PEC Lekgotla resolved that the SACP cannot entertain verbal resignations which is not reduced to writing and therefore decided to endorse the District Council’s recommendation of 16th February 2008 to bring the necessary disciplinary charges against Luthando Nogcinisa and Mazibuko Jara. In this regard a disciplinary committee has been established to manage the disciplinary process in terms of the SACP’s constitution. The SACP PEC Lekgotla expressed concern that disgruntled individuals have chosen to go to the media and display the SACP as a structure that ‘purges’ individuals when these individuals are called to account by the democratic structures of the SACP. These actions by disgruntled individuals clearly undermine the constitutional right of branches in a District to determine, assess and remove its leadership when wrongdoing is identified. We will work more closely with the media to ensure that developments in the SACP are not sensationalized in future. The key issues identified by the Lekgotla as key and strategic programmes are on the issue of public healthcare, access to housing and the provision of free education and facilities. The PEC noted with concern the contestation for housing in Delft and the N2 Gateway which has now found expression in racial terms amongst the African and Coloured working class. The SACP resolved to engage the affected community’s and government with a view to address the scrambling of resources and the massive backlog of housing in the Western Cape. The lekgotla further resolved that the Party will enhance and entrench the culture of communist activism in the province, build a communist party that is capable of realizing the objectives of the MTV and position the SACP in the position as a the vanguard of the working class and the poor, intensify ideological work and build dynamic and functional branches and workplace forums. Organisational development will not occur in isolation from key issues that affect working class communities such as health, education and housing, which will form core element of the Party’s programmes in the Province. In forging working class unity a concerted effort will be made to build branches in ‘minority’ areas and to particularly recruit and address the concerns of working-class women. As we advance our programme we will work closely with the African National Congress and Congress of South African Trade Unions in a reconfigured alliance to ensure an overwhelming victory for the alliance in the 2009 general election. The nature of the action will be defined more clearly at a Provincial Alliance Summit to be held before June this year. A detailed copy of the programme will be released upon endorsement by the Provincial Council. Karl Cloete, SACP Provincial Chairperson: 071 340 6707
 * MEDIA STATEMENT **
 * 25 February 2008 **
 * 24 FEBRUARY 2008 **
 * THE ECONOMY **
 * THE METRO DISTRICT **
 * a misrepresentation of the SACP 12th National Congress resolutions and the outcome of the National Congress;
 * suggesting that the newly elected SACP national leadership was imposed from the SACP Head Quarters this despite the fact that ordinary Congress delegates considered the different nominations and therefore made their democratic choice;
 * Introducing ideological perspectives that deviate from the Marxist Leninist position of the SACP. This deviation affected the DEC’s approach to its own programme, resulting in tension within the DEC which made it difficult for them to work as a unit.
 * OUR 2008 PROGRAMME **
 * CONTACTS: ** Khaya Magaxa, SACP Provincial Secretary: 083 721 0221