Local communists remember Joe Slovo

Members of the South African Communist Party (SACP) gathered at Noluthando Hall on 28 January to remember their slain leader, Joe Slovo and to strengthen party membership in the Makana region.

About 100 members of the SACP, ANC, SANCO, COSATU and community members discussed the impact of their slain leader, as well as proposals to contest the 2019 national elections.

Zola Kolisi from Cosatu mentioned the high rate of unemployment in Grahamstown and reminded the organisation of the value and principles of togetherness between the ANC and the SACP.

Leaders must stop working for themselves and instead work for the people, he said.

Gideon Mapapu, chairperson of the local SANCO branch also encouraged members to collaborate and strengthen the alliance. “We should have branches that work with the district,” Mapapu said.

“SANCO is going to work together with the SACP to build structures and Branches.”

Mawethu Rune, an SACP PEC member for Eastern Cape quoted a famous Nelson Mandela’s about Slovo whom he called a strategic thinker who played a an important role in the liberation of South Africa.

“Socialism did not fail. It’s the people who failed,” Rune said, pleading with community members to strengthen the local SACP, whose numbers are very low.

“It is the people themselves who have to liberate themselves. The Communist Party of today must solve the problems of today.”