Mapaila slams failures of SA’s democracy

SACP deputy general secretary criticises the ANC for not transforming the country’s economy

SACP deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila has slammed the country’s constitutional democracy, accusing it of prioritising capitalist interests at the expense of the poor majority.

Mapaila was among senior political leaders who spoke at the tribute event of the late anti-apartheid and ANC veteran, professor Ben Turok.

Turok, an outspoken veteran and respected leftist intellectual on the political economy – with nearly 20 published books, died last November at the age of 92.

Mapaila described Turok as a giant revolutionary and a thinker within the liberation movement, adding that the

SACP was in support of his criticism on the limitations of SA’s democratic system.

“It almost regards the capitalist system as holier than thou. This system cannot be touched (because) if you touch it you are put aside.

“We have to think about this matter because many other interventions that our movement has made are faltering largely because of over reliance on this system,” Mapaila said.

Turok had insisted that the building of a capable developmental state would have to be committed to by the ANC as the country’s wealth would trickle down to resolve inequality and poverty only through growth.

Mapaila said the state had been further hollowed out of its capacity, which resulted in over reliance in the tender system, which he also slammed for creating a new elite instead of transforming the country’s economy.

“The state has become almost the adjudicator of social programmes for tenders to different capitalist organisations.

“That is why today we have the SAA that cannot make (a) profit inside its own country.”

Turok was among the few remaining drafters of the Freedom Charter and while he remained steadfastly loyal to the liberation movement throughout his life, he had come to be known as being among the most outspoken and independent-minded stalwarts.

In 2011, Turok broke party ranks as an MP and defied the ANC caucus when he refused to vote in support of the controversial Protection of Information Bill, dubbed the secrecy bill, and instead chose to abstain as he was against it, resulting in him being taken to a disciplinary hearing.

ANC Veterans’ League president Snuki Zikalala hailed Turok for being among the consistent voices against state capture when it emerged under former president Jacob Zuma.

“When our glorious movement veered off track, our democratic Constitution undermined, with lies peddled and unscrupulous individuals were protected, when matters relating to the Guptas and Nkandla, and unnecessary dismissal of Cabinet members who should have been defended, comrade Turok was not afraid to break the ranks and demand accountability from those in power,” he said.

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe said Turok, who was born in Latvia in Northern Europe and migrated with his family to SA in 1934, and his commitment to justice were shaped by the intolerances his family suffered and which forced them to flee his country of birth at a young age.

“It is this family background that taught him to oppose and fight against any injustice, discrimination, oppression and exploitation exercised against any fellow human being anywhere in the world.

“His involvement in the struggles of the downtrodden and the exploited gave him political and trade union consciousness.”