SACP criticised on social media as Slovo remembered
THE SACP may find itself at pains this year to get its house in order amid the vast criticism if faces from its members.
As the party kicked off its campaign to remember late party leader Joe Slovo, who would have been 94 this year, some on social media platforms indicated they no longer had confidence in it.
In posting that it would today remember Slovo at the annual commemoration to be held in Soweto, one social media user reacted, saying: “That’s when the SACP died, in 1995. Lala ngoxolo (rest in peace), tatu Slovo.”
He was referring to the year Slovo passed away.
SACP leader Blade Nzimande is expected to deliver the keynote speech at the event.
Other speakers will include representatives from the Young Communist League and the SACP’s alliance partners – the ANC and Cosatu.
The 25th commemoration follows the SACP’s 12th Special Congress, which took place in December last year.
During the conference, members pointed out that the SACP had, over the years, faced a myriad of challenges.
They also questioned its role and support for the ruling party, which they complained often sidelined its members as far as key government posts were concerned.
Others gave Nzimande an ultimatum: to either focus on the party, or on his job as minister of higher education and training, indicating that it appeared he had lost focus.
The party has also contemplated contesting elections independently, as it maintained it no longer had confidence in the ruling party.
Today, at the Avalon Cemetery in Soweto, Nzimande is expected to provide a clear direction for the party, along the ideals previously envisioned by Slovo and former leader Chris Hani.
Meanwhile, on the SACP’s Twitter account, some social media users took time to celebrate Slovo, while others lamented the current state of the party.
“As long as the so-called Vanguard Party is in the Alliance with the multi-class organisation, we will never see socialism; and as long we have leaders of the same party dining with bourgeoisie on the same table, there shall be no socialism,” one user wrote.
Slovo who also served in the ANC’s national executive committee succumbed to cancer on January 6, 1995, aged 69. At the time of his passing, he was the minister of housing in the Nelson Mandela-led government of national unity.
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo has said that this year’s commemoration, being a significant one, would be slightly different as it would be preceded by a political school and night vigil at the historic Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto.