Communists oppose new powers for tribal courts

CAPE TOWN — The South African Communist Party (SACP) has added its voice to the opposition to the controversial Traditional Courts Bill.

Now before Parliament, the bill was one of the issues discussed by the party’s central committee at the weekend. Also on the agenda was the party’s draft political programme for 2012-17 entitled The South African Road to Socialism to be debated at its national congress in July.

The party said that it felt “very strongly” the bill needed further discussion in the alliance and in broader society because aspects were in conflict with non-sexist, democratic, nation-building values. The bill — which seeks to legalise traditional courts and grant them the power to adjudicate disputes — has been widely criticised for reversing the gains made for women’s rights under the constitution and institutionalising coercive powers of traditional leaders to whose jurisdiction rural communities would submit.

The SACP believed the issues addressed by the bill should be considered within the context of a more comprehensive review of the entire justice system aimed at ensuring greater access for the poor.

The party also resolved to be more active in tackling climate change and give more attention to land reform. It attacked the growing use of statutory institutions by “liberals” to undermine what it called the national democratic revolution.

It expressed support for the government’s intention to stop goods produced in the illegally occupied territories in Palestine being labelled as products of Israel. “This will also allow South African consumers to make a choice on whether we want to buy goods produced through the dispossession and subjugation of the Palestinian people,” the party said.

It reaffirmed its commitment to sanctions against Israel and the boycott of Israeli goods.