Comrades it is improper to just think that Billy Masetlha’s statements we a distortion or fabrication by the Mail and Guardian or MG. When we said we want the President of the ANC to serve another term, we said that it is, amongst other things, because some people are already engaged in these debates and are beginning to position themselves and what we see is that they do not have an agenda to advance the cause of the people but want to serve their narrow BEE interest. A frank analysis of this tendency is provided by the SACP Special Congress Discussion Document titled, “Building Working Class Hegemony on a Terrain of the National Democratic Struggle.” In analysing the balances of forces in the battle of ideas the document indicates that, “Over the past several years, in the battle of ideas within our movement a broad front of tendencies and ideological orientations got to be mobilised against the “1996 class project”. The SACP played a leading role in this process. However, it would be an error for the SACP to imagine that within this broad front everyone agreed with the positions of the Party, or necessarily disagreed with the core underlying ideology of “the 1996 class project” (as opposed to having personal grudges, for instance, against it).” This paragraph does not need to be unpacked and elsewhere in the document it is analysed as to why these people got to be mobilised against the 1996 class project, even thought they did not disagree with the core underlying ideology of the project. It states that this was because they, like SACP and COSATU, dismissed the manner in which the 1996 class project abused the state in order to advance its factionalist ends. In analysing these concerns the document states that, “In other cases the concern appears to have been more opportunistic – i.e. a grievance at being excluded from the abusing inner circle – rather than a principled rejection of the idea that personal wealth, or access to bureaucratic power should be used to advance personal accumulation interests.” We must always take these issues into cognisance and we must be always ready to fight against what comrade Mao calls ‘non-antagonistic’ forces within our movement. Cronin puts it bluntly that “The fact that they are “non-antagonistic” does not mean that they are not real political contradictions ultimately located in objective realities.” Luzuko Buku YCL Chairperson, Rhodes University ANC Rodgers Faltein 0786172286 www.lbuku.blogspot.com
"The state is the product and manifestation of the irreconcilability of class antagonisms..."State and Revolution, Lenin (1917) ________________________________ From: morgan phaahla <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, October 12, 2009 11:18:39 AM Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] Re: STATEMENT OF THE YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE OF SA ON BILLY MASETLHA Comrades, There is definitely nothing wrong with expressing a view but something wrong with expressing it in a manner that provokes a break-down of unity in the organisation and above all, using media to articulate a position which purports to be the view of a particular faction or tendency within the ANC. Cde Billy Masetlha is an NEC member who should understand better that these type of things have a potential to paralyse synergy among branches and disintegrate any concentration on the organisational renewal. After all, the main responsibility of every elected member is to work with the collective and debate whatever issues within the structures - let alone defending the unity and integrity of the ANC and its principles, and combat any tendency towards factionalism. It's unbecoming of him to ignite tensions through the media while the Alliance Summit is underway for members who hold any concerns can be able to air their views. His behaviour constitutes a violation of the constitution and bringing the name of the organisation into disrepute. It's also not surprising that the ANC leadership distanced itself from Masetlha's baseless and unfounded claims. I therefore submit that a displinary action must be taken against Masetlha and/or reprimanded to refrain from such misconduct. Remain Morgan Phaahla Ekurhuleni "Sometimes, if you wear suits for too long, it changes your ideology." - Joe Slovo --- On Sun, 10/11/09, Gugu Ndima <[email protected]> wrote: >From: Gugu Ndima <[email protected]> >Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] STATEMENT OF THE YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE OF SA ON >BILLY MASETLHA >To: [email protected] >Date: Sunday, October 11, 2009, 9:43 AM > > >STATEMENT OF THE YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE OF SA ON BILLY MASETLHA >11 October 2009 >The Young Communist League of South Africa (uFasimba) notes with contempt and >extreme disappointment the comments attributed to ANC National Executive >Committee (NEC) member Billy Masetlha in the Mail and Guardian, 9 October >2009. >We view Masetlha’s statements as taking us back to the pre-Polokwane >Conference attitude of seeking to mobilise ANC members and leaders against >communists and trade-union leaders in the ANC. The statement is equally >against the letter and spirit of the ANC leadership that seeks to rebuild a >strong Alliance. It is hypocritical for Masetlha to suggest that the Alliance >was only necessary when there were problems within the ANC, and that leaders >such as Blade Nzimande and Zwelinzima Vavi where only necessary to defeat the >1996 class project. >What is even worse is for Masetlha to threaten dissent against the president >of the ANC, Jacob Zuma, at the next Conference if he (Zuma) does not act >against Nzimande and others. >Contrary to Masetlha’s fantasies and misdiagnosis about why Polokwane >happened, change had to come in the leadership of the ANC precisely because of >the divisive nature of the then President of the ANC when it came to the >Alliance. >We want to emphasise that issues such as banning Labour Brokers, dissolution >of the SABC Board and other allegations against the SACP and COSATU are in >fact part of the ANC Resolutions and some of them where in the ANC Election >Manifesto; unless if Masetlha is suggesting that the ANC should renege from >the promises it made to the electorate and not implement its Manifesto. >We are also worried that Masetlha chose to unleash a salvo against the office >bearers of the SACP, Gwede Mantashe, Phumolo Masualle and Nzimande. Isolating >these leaders because of their membership and leadership of the SACP and >accusing them of being influential in the ANC is very consistent and reminds >with the same reasons that Terror Lekota gave when he was issuing divorce >papers. How sad that there is such a coincidence, but equally, how revealing. >We hope that Masetlha will regain his sobriety and temperance; reconsider his >divisive statements and apologise to all the leaders that he had targeted, or >face rebuke by the ANC. >Issued by the YCLSA Head Office >For more information contact > Gugu Ndima (076 783 1516) >National spokesperson > >-- >Gugu Ndima >+27 76 783 1516 > > >> > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
