Purged SACP members poised to launch splinter leftist party
Sibusiso Ngalwa, Saturday Star, Johannesburg, 21 November 2009
A group of leftists - including influential former officials purged after they clashed with SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande - are planning to launch a breakaway party.
In a similar fashion to the way that the founders of the Cope served "divorce papers" on the ANC to form that party, the brains behind the planned venture say the governing party's promise of a better life has not materialised.
Under the banner of the Conference of the Democratic Left, the grouping comprises former Young Communist League leader Mazibuko Jara, community leader Trevor Ngwane and former SACP Gauteng secretary Vishwas Satgar.
But Jara yesterday denied wanting to launch a new party, although he did not rule it out.
"There is no such plan ... for now people are talking of a united front. Whether a political party emerges out of this, no one knows. It will take time, debate and convincing each other," he said.
The SACP, which described the group as those who lost debates internally, said the party has "always anticipated that this tiny minority will cause this drama".
"For years we have tolerated their disruptive behaviour and ill-discipline... If these characters... wish to leave, we advise them not to use the name of the SACP to achieve their narrow objectives," SACP spokesman Malesela Maleka said.
"Their planned 'Cope tactics' won't work on us; the sooner they and those who support them leave the SACP, the better. We will not be plunged into a crisis, it's good riddance," he said.
The ANC's Ishmael Mnisi said the governing party would not comment before a detailed briefing about the grouping.
The Saturday Star is in possession of a document distributed by the organisers, calling on interested parties to attend the conference, scheduled for March 20-22.
It is understood the conference would be a springboard for the establishment of a splinter party, contesting the SACP's socialist, leftist terrain.
But Jara is adamant theirs would not be an anti-ANC/ tripartite alliance initiative and ruled out co-operation with Cope. "Cope is a disaster, this is where I agree with the SACP; it's a right-wing spinoff from the ANC. Ours is about an anti-capitalist critique, and Cope is not about that.
"We are not going to go on a sectarian attack on the ANC... Yes, we are critical of the ANC and its approach and capitalist policies. (But) we are not going to impose ourselves unrealistically as if we are going to vanquish and replace the ANC," said Jara.
The document calls for a unity of purpose to deal with capitalism because "the promise of a better life for all (the ANC's slogan) has not been realised".
"As long as the ANC government refuses to confront capital and redistribute wealth, poor communities will continue to be downtrodden".
To get the ball rolling, a "convening committee" will be visiting communities, factories and farms to build momentum towards the conference.
"We need a people's conference, solidarity and a united front. What is envisaged is a process of bottom-up deliberation, debate in which voices from below shape outcomes and collective action. The organising of the conference is about creating local, provincial and a national (forum)," said the document.
"This is a conscious political initiative informed by a recognition that we all fought for the liberation of South Africa. The conference is an affirmation of democratic pluralism and is a process which seeks to elaborate political objectives, practices, alternatives and new ways of engaging in Left politics."
The group has been operating behind the scenes since after the 2007 SACP conference when those opposed to Nzimande were left out or were forced out of the party.
From:
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5254655 interesting shit!!
