SACP hails Castro, hits out at ANC factionalism

THE SACP has lashed out at factions within the ruling alliance movement and called for unity in order to transform society and take the revolution forward.

It also sent a warning that a revolution in Africa’s most industrialised country could no longer be postponed; and criticised comrades who thought government positions were their birthright.

These remarks were made by SACP second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila at the party’s memorial service for Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro in Joburg yesterday.

Castro, who played a role in the liberation of many African states, including South Africa, died on November 25, aged 90, and his ashes were interred yesterday at the Cementerio Santa Ifigenia, in a ceremony attended by an SACP delegation and state leaders.

Mapaila praised Castro’s selflessness in leading the Cuban revolution, and said South Africa could learn from the Caribbean island nation.

“The important values we have learnt from Fidel are that he personified the concept of service to the working class. He hated injustice. He fought against all the imperialist forces that perpetuated injustice,” Mapaila said.

He credited Castro for upholding national sovereignty, “without shivering”, in the face of a protracted economic blockade by the US.

Mapaila also noted that Castro and his comrades spent most of their energies schooling the Cubans on “revolutionary consciousness, for without it people could be easily swayed by the enemy”.

“In our case we have comrades who believe that government positions belong to them,” he said, adding that there had been calls for a cabinet reshuffle to remove ministers who differed with President Jacob Zuma on the call for him to step down.

Mapaila said there were no ministers in the ANC national executive committee, just ordinary NEC members.

During a recent NEC meeting, Zuma faced a call for him to step down, with the charge being led by Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom and supported by other NEC members, including ministers Aaron Motsoaledi, Thulas Nxesi and Naledi Pandor, as well as ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu.

Those who successfully argued against the call included AU Commission chairperson and Zuma’s ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ministers Fikile Mbalula and Malusi Gigaba, and the ANC Youth League, among others.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the NEC decided against the call, after a “robust and honest” debate on the matter.

Mapaila said the unity of the ruling alliance movement was pivotal. “We have a task to unite our movement, but the task should not be a song, it should be put into action in our deeds. If you prop up factions but talk unity, you will not be friends with us,” he said.

He accused the factions of seeking to derail the movement and warned that the US’s Central Intelligence Agency was hard at work as it wanted to subvert the cause of the revolution.

“But we won’t be able to fight imperialism if we can’t confront corruption and stealing from the state,” he warned.

SA has to first fight corruption, theft from the state