‘SACP can never replace the ANC’ – Blade Nzimande

The SA Communist Party’s (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande has tabled the party’s political report with great emphasis on the need for the ANC to remain intact.

Nzimande was speaking with delegates at the SACP’s 4th Special Congress when he said it was important to review the resolutions taken at the 14th Congress in 2017 because some of the decisions which were taken have been “misread” or “misinterpreted” by some of their structures.

“We do not dream of a SACP that will be ANC now or tomorrow. It is because of this reason that the central committee says to you, the primary challenge is to build the ANC,” he said

He elaborated: “Our argument is that, if the ANC were to disappear we would still need an ANC-type organisation. We are a class party, we can never replace the ANC.”

Nzimande said the resolutions which were made regarding the party contesting independently were based on “political uncertainty” because of the ANC’s 54th national conference which was marred by divisions.

READ: SACP debate on whether to contest elections alone

“We were not sure if the ANC will survive Nasrec,” Nzimande said.

He spoke about the divisions which their other alliance partners have continuously been faced with, saying that it was up to the communist party to assist in rebuilding these organisations.

“We are meeting now in a period where Cosatu faces its own internal challenges; we need to rebuild the industrial unions,” he said.

Nzimane went on to speak about the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco), where infighting has gone as far as the courts.

“Unfortunately Sanco is divided into two, that is why they are not invited. We are trying out best to help Sanco rebuild itself,” he reiterated.

“Cosas [Congress of South African Students] equally is divided; this is the context [in which] we are meeting,” he added.

Regarding opposition political parties, he said the DA’s woes were based on the party’s decision to move from a white liberal party to a multi-racial party.

He described former DA leader Mmusi Maimane and former parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko as “qualified franchisees” and they fell short the moment they started speaking out about socio-economic ills faced by black people.

The SACP’s Congress convened on Monday and will be held until Thursday.

The party is expected to take stock of the resolutions which were made at their last conference in 2017.

The party will also be presenting their organisational and financial reports and discussing issues around gender-based violence, the economy and South Africa’s state-owned entities, among other issues.

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