Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you! -----Original Message----- From: Sithembewena Tsembeyi <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:18:20 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [YCLSA Discussion] SAUS President Responds to Takalani Mmbengeni
1. Comrades Lazola and all progressive comrades, I have with great interest followed all the debates on Free Education and all interrelated Student "Working Class Students" issues. One let me affirm you that I am a member of the YCL in the Dr Yusuf Dadoo, serving in the DEC and comrade Buti is my National Secretary at this time, but however as this may be, I am also a "Working Class Student" that suffer the same yet true issues raised by my Organisation SASCO which I am a member of in the UJ. I have been in this organisation lang before the re-establishment of YCL when I was still a Arts student at Wits early 2001. Many of us inclusive of comrade Manamela, Floyd, Phindile, Lazola and other joined the YCL, which possibly we would have never known if it where not for the same "attack suffering" SASCO. At the verge of fearing victimization in the up coming Provincial Legotla let me be straight I write my response not only as a conscious disciplinarian but as a member of SASCO at a least. Let first acknowledge that over the years the YCL and most affectionately its leadership has become the real "Ufasimba", those who would follow the Zulu King 'u-Shaka" can attest to what is mainly meant by Ufasimba, well its true those who have named the YCL are Marxist readers as this can be altar-lintched with Stalin's Molotov, however this is not the matter for debate today. But I would like to take you to one of my post in this forum "The Manshevicks of the Party" late November 2008 if not early December 2008. the Same attacks came from a variety of comrades but to not but not withstanding others is the current Secretary of Gauteng comrade Alex, it was a surprise to me as I was just not more than few months that I have relocated to West Rand (Gauteng) from Eastern Cape that comrade Alex had found means to merge me with what he termed the "Gauteng Bolsheviks", indeed let me state this clear I am a "Bolshevik" but it is not of the environment, but in the fear of contradicting myself I know well that the environment determines ones consciousness. It was obvious at that time I had to participate in the area where I resided. For may times I had swallowed my pride and become an activist not only because I had something to prove but because from the time I learnt to be Marxist, I knew it requires ad-best discipline regardless of the "Hitlero-Stalinist" one can meet along. One can term that mostly as the YCL not withstanding the SACP, we have become what my comrade would note as "Ideological vendors of every description". Do not get me wrong comrades, my input is not to fight against this leader or that one, as I would put it in the Blade way "I am fighting against the 'new tendency'", simply meaning to me but not in a common sense way, that the new developments in the YCL and the SACP are but a threat to the course for socialism regardless they come from that or this comrade. *Let me take you through comrades why I wrote!!!* * * comrade Lazola wrote at most five (5) notes in SASCO's Muithuti namely 1) Cry the beloved students..., 2) Denialism in not going to solve but will exacerbate our problems, and the three SASCO summoned to answer at the bar of history namely 1) Should we shelve working class struggle just because there is a threat of a New Tendency? 2) We want free education not Ndzimande's head-Yet? and 3) Gradualism is a variant of reformism. One can not deny that these topics by my fellow SG have been nothing but a food for thought regardless of you position in society, government and or organisationaly, I can hardly put down my hard copy of these thesis if one is permitted to say as. but however the notes are just not a blow in the wind but some ideological needed debate point, that led me to even persuaded the institution that I am currently volunteering at to invite him to make clear classical deliberations with the working you in my area (Dr Yusuf Dadoo Workers Institute) on the 7th April 2011 at Bondasio Hall Randfontein. However comrades one of the latest developments in SASCO not minimizing the above and one posted in my response, is the one by none but the President who supposedly was abroad when all this started meaning the slash hammering between the SACP/YCL and the Student movements SASCO/SAUS. Comrade President Mbulelo made critical points that I would like us to delibarate on very urgently in his latest Political Points in MOITHUTI, comrade notes quotes and write the following: - We Understand the socio-political conditions that define the retain of the struggle and we apreciate the nature of our surface upon which we travel. we are clear on the charector of the state that we face.." This a clear answer to what I felt insultive of many of us by comrade Malesela who by the way is a former member of the org when he write in his capacity of the Spokesperson of SACP and say "*SASCO does not have a Marxist/Communist hand book...*" - The struggle to change the living conditions of the working class does not occur in the offices and enclosed spaces. It neither happens on the internet nor in the libraries. What happens and what is done in libraries and posh offices in an interpretation of the real changes and shift in class struggle taking place on the ground, any attack or defense of either a person or system or policy must be seen in realm of real struggles before we can put it on the website." - If you enter the kitchen you will feel the heat. The only way to avoid this heat in the case of unwillingness to bear it, is to remove oneself from the premises of the kitchen. It is almost near impossible in the context of this idiom that those that are in the kitchen have no contact what so ever with the especially if the conditions that make hot the kitchen to prevail. Why should we act surprised when the normal happen? whys should we question the legitimacy of the heat's presence when we entered with full knowledge that it is in its nature that this particular kitchen emits heat? - ...That the permanent features of all changes in society has been and is class struggle. The evolution of society has been propelled, even in spite of many subjective considerations, by class struggle and by class struggle alone. *The history hitherto exist society is the history of class struggles*. At no point in the development of society towards whichever direction has the class struggle not been a defining feature as result of either it being postponed, suspended or eliminated. At absolutely no point has this happened and for this reason the communist idea claims the highest moral ground among all strands or sets of thought for it is based on the most supreme and most indisputable notion: the notion of class struggle. In its totality therefore the work of the Communist Party is... - It is also true therefore that the class struggle in the South Africa is a constant reality. It is a constant reality despite the fact that progressive forces are occupying positions of power in government and it’s not unnatural that it is. To expect any less is not merely counterrevolutionary it also smells of naivety. It matters not that the African National Congress that is a working class biased organisation is leading the state, that the SACP as part of the dispensation occupies certain positions as ANC ministers, that the trade union movement at all the previous elections has endorsed the elections campaigns of the ANC. Even in this particular set of political circumstance it is natural that we ought to expect class struggle to occur and to intensify. - low wages, lack of housing, lack of access to education, should not be shunned by those who struggle for socialism but should be embraced as part and part of the work of the revolutionary party to pursue the struggle destruction of capitalist conditions for these are inherent ills of the capitalist system. This should be especially displayed when those who lead these confrontations do so on the basis of sound political programme. The question therefore is what is the task of the party in the simplest form possible in the context of capitalist state? What is the task of the party then in relation the ever-present class contradictions and what is its most urgent task in as far as the ideological struggle in a capitalist system is concerned? - what is the revolutionary or transformative duty of the Party in that state in the interest of mobilising for socialism. And perhaps to what extent is reformism likely to creep in the set of circumstances said in the last sentence? - The Party itself on many occasions have argued together with the progressive left in general that the task of the revolutionary forces in society with particular reference to those in the state does not involve and should never be seen as involving the duty to manage class contradictions in the state, or even better put, their duty is not to mediate in the contradictions between the working class and capital but their duty is to intervene on behalf of the working class as a true testimony to their revolutionary character. - ‘side by side with the antagonisms of the feudal nobility and the burghers, who claimed to represent all the rest of society, was the general antagonism of exploiters and exploited, of rich idlers and poor workers. It was this very circumstance that made it possible for the representatives of the bourgeoisie to put themselves forward as representing not one special class, but the whole of suffering humanity’ IN my conclusion comrades, Pres raise many critical issues and questions in his notes but preferred to call thesis, on the party of our times, going forth regardless of the 2012 congress of the Party, regardless of the ANC 2012 or COSATU congress, I am tamped to believe that this *"socialist revolution"* May have been unaware temporarily suspended, shelved or what so ever means that makes us left and found wandering as members of the YCL and the SACP. Lastly comrades I chalange us all if possible that on the 7th April lets come in our numbers at WRDM Local Municipality to the Dr Yusuf Dadoo Workers Institute 17H00 (5pm), take this debate onces and for all, we would also remember comrades that comrade Ali Nooshin from the IMT gave a very critical writing of the YCL Mafikeng congress, he has also been invited to form part of the declaration's. Lets meet there. Socialismo o muerte Hasta la Victoria siempre I remain!!! Socialism in our life time... Socialism is the future...let build it now!!! Sithembewena Tsembeyi Dr Yusuf Dadoo YCL Treasure 0742342521 On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 1:26 PM, Lazola Ndamase <[email protected]> wrote: > * > <http://www.thenewage.co.za/rssfeed.aspx>* > [image: The New Age Online] <http://www.thenewage.co.za/home.aspx> > > > *Comments: We can’t be threatened, we represent students!* > > *Sandile Phakathi* > > On March 24, The New Age published an opinion piece under the name > Mmbengeni Takalani, lashing at the South African Union of Students (SAUS) > and the South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) for not doing their work as > student organisations. At the risk of glorifying the hogwash carried in that > article, I do think however, that it needs a direct response. Knowing > Takalani, I know that both the ideas and the language carried in the article > are far beyond his own comprehension. So rather than waste time responding > to Takalani, I will instead respond to the “real authors”. > > Takalani is working at the SACP head office and is a member of the national > executive committee of SAUS. It must be understood that he is part of the > NEC of SAUS and “he” can’t be posing questions to himself. He has the > courage to talk highly of public funds in his article, which I find strange > and inconsistent > > It is interesting that the Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, > does not bother addressing the issues that both Sasco and SAUS raised with > him and instead seeks defence from the Young Communist League (YCL). > > This strategy has never worked with the student movement and the minister > should know better. Since minister Kader Asmal’s time, any attempts from ANC > headquarters to silence the student movement failed and it is not about to > change. > > Takalani would have recalled that the last Sasco congress was in December > 2009 and SAUS in April 2009 when he was elected to the SAUS NEC. Surely he > can’t forget that, so obviously he is not the author. > > It is untrue that Nzimande’s department funds SAUS. Nzimande and his senior > staff know that the last minister to fund SAU-SRC and Satsu was Asmal in > 2002. The only funding that the union gets is a maximum of R120000 a year > from SRCs affiliated to the union. > > It is not in the best interest of the minister to have a resourced student > union. Because if you fund the student union it may have the ability to > mobilise students across the country and the situation would be out of > control. > > The leadership of SAUS last met with the minister in February 2010 at his > request to help minimise strikes on campuses. Issues of transformation have > never been discussed with Nzimande because he does not have time, despite an > agreement to meet with us quarterly. It’s baffling to learn from the media > that Nzimande has been meeting with us. > > The issues that the minister should address are: > > • SRCs have written numerous letters to him about allegations of corruption > and business interests by ministerial appointees serving on councils of > universities. He has not responded to these. > > • The recommendations of the NSFAS review committee which he appointed have > been distorted by his department, especially the vulgar free education for > final year students. > > • The taxation of the rich to fund free education is the responsibility of > the minister with all his colleagues in cabinet, but the support for this > must be solicited from him, before Treasury can effect it. > > • The demand for the building of universities in Mpumalanga and Northern > Cape was a student demand and therefore we shall continue demanding answers > on progress. > > • The minister cannot continue to lead higher education through committees. > He must take responsibility and have the necessary courage to confront > vice-chancellors about governance in institutions > > • He needs to be consistent in the manner in which he treats stakeholders > in higher education, as he knows that he is only available for > vice-chancellors and not for students and workers. > > • The stakeholders forum that the higher education summit resolved on must > be put in place and its work begin without any further delays. > > • The review of the merger of the University of Limpopo must not be a > Turfloop-Medunsa issue alone. It is about reviewing and reversing other > mergers as well, including WSU. > > • The minister must STOP referring to work being done without the knowledge > and involvement of stakeholders. This was one of his commitments when he > took office; to be reachable and to be consultative. > > This must cease to be a political slogan and be lived by in practice. > > It has come to my attention that there is a claim of a conspiracy to get > rid of the minister. > > If we had the power to do that as the students we would, but this is the > responsibility of the president. > > Where to from here, Mr Mmbengeni Takalani? Are you still going to attach > your name to statements you do not know about? For once have a conscience. > * > Sandile Phakathi is the president of the SAUS and a masters student at the > University of KwaZulu-Natal. He writes in his official capacity* > > -- > You are subscribed. 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