As the South African Communist Party (SACP) wrapped up its fifteenth nationwide congress, Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande stepped up relatively than down in being elected the social gathering’s new nationwide chair, which merely recycled leaders, in keeping with an analyst.
Nzimande, who vacated the place of common secretary of the social gathering, beat his adversary, Gwebinkundla Qonde, by 118 votes.
Old canine with a new bone
According to political economist Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast, it might be important to have Nzimande in that place, however it was additionally only a reshuffling of leaders.
Breakfast mentioned Nzimande had been the common secretary of the SACP since 1998 and that he didn’t consider he would supply something new.
‘It simply looks as if he has not stepped down as a result of he has modified positions now and can really feel on the floor in townships.
“It just seems like he has not stepped down because he has changed positions now and will be chairing meetings,” he mentioned.
“I was hoping young people would be given the opportunity to emerge.”
Breakfast mentioned the problem of restructuring was key as a result of, whereas the ANC didn’t have a particular constituency, the SACP appealed to the working class.
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“Some people believed the SACP was treated as a stepsister or brother but not as a real partner of the [Tripartite] Alliance,” he mentioned.
“Decisions were made without the knowledge of the SACP about what is happening in government, which is why they are talking about reconfiguring the alliance.”
Breakfast mentioned one in all the weaknesses of the SACP was that the social gathering’s footprint had not been felt on the floor in townships.
Looking at unemployment and poverty, Breakfast mentioned, the working class was nonetheless on the margins
of communists.
“The audience to reach the Communist Party leaders and its message is the working class which has been marginalised,” he mentioned.
“You don’t discover them [the SACP] in townships, the place social conflicts escape. They needs to be main particular protests as a result of these are the actual challenges of poor folks.
“They are the vanguard to lead these struggles.”
Nzimande, the longest-serving SACP common secretary was changed by Solly Mapaila, who was elected unopposed.
He had served as a deputy common secretary for years. Mapaila had been outspoken in his opposition to corruption and was amongst those that ousted former president Jacob Zuma.
ALSO READ: Solly Mapaila elected unopposed as SACP common secretary
New blood would have been refreshing
Breakfast mentioned the substitute of Nzimande could be a “breath of fresh air” for the social gathering. “He is a bit younger than Nzimande, militant and a solid comrade,” he mentioned.
Political analyst André Duvenhage mentioned there was an absence of management inside the broader framework of the Tripartite Alliance and the SACP was no exception.
“I am not reading Solly Mapaila as a very influential, charismatic type of leader that will grip the imagination in some way,” he mentioned.
“I am reading him as more ordinary, business-as-usual, functioning in a party that, according to my assessment, is very outdated for the times we are living in.”
With solely 4 months left till the ANC nationwide elective convention, President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the ANC remained firmly dedicated to the Tripartite Alliance.
Duvenhage mentioned the SACP functioned inside the alliance to maximise its capability and influenced on a better stage in relation to their help base.
It was necessary for Ramaphosa to realize the help of the SACP in the months main as much as the nationwide elective convention.
“Ramaphosa is trying to stabilise the SACP, keep them on board and ensure they are supporting his side and not going the way of other radical forces,” he mentioned.
“If we analyse and look at the bigger political picture, at the moment, it is a toxic and dangerous world of political survival, and I feel we will still see a lot more instability in the build-up the conference.”
lungas@citizen.co.za