Ruling party has ‘serious and systemic problems’ – SACP

A CLEAR sign the SACP is at odds with alliance partner, the ANC, emerged at the funeral of an SACP member in Inchanga, between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, yesterday.

This after SACP deputy national chairman Thulas Nxesi accused the ANC of “extreme recklessness”.

Addressing about 3000 party members who attended the funeral of local SACP leader Nontsikilelo Blose, he said the ANC’s poor performance in the August 3 municipal elections had little to do with the success of opposition parties, but more to do with “serious and systemic problems within the ANC”. The “money-driven factionalism” had permeated the organisation from top to bottom.

“The 20 intra-ANC assassinations in the run-up to the elections and the subsequent assassination of another ANC councillor-elect in Tsolo is an indication of just how dangerously sick large parts of the ANC have become,” Nxesi said.

The Nondlini Sport and Community Centre Hall in Inchanga was packed with party supporters, family members and a large press contingent. A few hundred were unable to gain entry.

At the same time about 5km away, about 1 000 ANC supporters packed the Michael Gwala Hall in Inchanga for the funeral of ANC Youth League member Xolani Ngcobo, who was killed last Monday during the angry mob rampage that followed Blose’s shooting.

Blose’s funeral was attended by former eThekwini metro mayor James Nxumalo, who is also the provincial chairman of the SACP, and SACP KwaZulu-Natal secretary Themba Mthembu.

“Not since 2007 have we seen such visible signs of division among the national leadership and the wilful bypassing of ANC and cabinet-mandated positions on things like the SABC, SAA, digital migration, nuclear (energy), Marius Fransman etc.

“There is a climate of extreme recklessness in the ANC and in government and across many parastatals,” Nxesi said.

Blose’s killing could not and should not be seen in isolation.

“It must be seen as a culmination of persecutions she endured since she witnessed the murder of comrade Philip Dlamini,” Nxesi said.

Blose, who was a witness in the case of five men accused of killing SACP supporter Philip Dlamini in January, was shot dead at a tavern last Sunday. – ANA