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Qina Msebenzi/Tia Mosomi SACP Gauteng intensifies its Qina Msebenzi/Tia Mosomi Election Campaign focusing on the unity of the industrial proletariat. Mpapa Kanyane, 1st Deputy Provincial Secretary of the SACP in Gauteng Following its recent successful Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) Lekgotla that took place on 14-16 February, in Hammaskraal, north of Pretoria, the SACP in Gauteng Province launched its Qina Msebenzi/Tia Mosomi Election Campaign. The Campaign forms part of the key outcomes the PEC Lekgotla and is well captured on the Declaration that has been widely circulated. At the onset, it should be noted that this campaign seeks to mobilise electoral support for our long-standing and historic ally, the African National Congress (ANC) in the forthcoming national general elections. While through this campaign and current conjuncture we seek to reach out to and mobilise industrial workers to vote for the ANC, this is by and large not the end itself. In our 13th National Congress held at Empangeni in 2012, the SACP resolved to increase its focus at the workplace as one of the key sites of power. Our strategic document, the South African Road to Socialism (SARS), outlines this task eloquently. Having noted that the restructuring of the workplace by the capitalist class has divided the working class into three major strata - the formal, the casualised, and the marginalised, it then posits that "The SACP working closely with the trade union movement seeks to unite the working class across these divides. We seek to build SACP workplace units to help workers to wage struggles beyond wages and immediate working conditions and to challenge the monopoly of management and capital over investment and other strategic decisions." This profound foresight and analysis by the SACP is thus one of the fundamental political premises of our Qina Msebenzi/Tia Mosomi campaign. It is an open secret that, over and above the concerted effort to transform capital and the workplace - led by our key class ally, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the industrial workplace has been one of the historical sites of the struggle against national and gender oppression, and class exploitation. It is for this reason that the PEC Lekgotla in line SACP perspectives, reaffirmed the view that given the strategic class location of the industrial workers, with clear historical ties to the national democratic struggle, are better placed to defend our revolution by delivering an overwhelming election victory for ANC. Historically, ANC has reaffirmed organized workers as a critical and key motive force of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). Given the fact that our province has a high concentration of capital, and therefore the industrial proletariat, PEC Lekgotla resolved to focus its election campaign on this key and strategic motive force. This is consistent with the character of the SACP as the only vanguard party of the workers and working class. Qina Msebenzi Election Campaign (Tia Mosomi) is also conceived as a unique and timely extra-ordinary intervention to strengthen and consolidate worker unity following intensified and renewed efforts by imperialist sponsored and inspired opposition forces with the sole mandate to weaken the ANC-led alliance. This renewed confidence by this coalition of reactionary and right-wing forces was characterized by the PEC Lekgotla as "low intensity" counter-revolutionary strategy. Included in this opportunistic coalition of Imperialist sponsored forces are strange calls for workers not to mobilise and vote for the ANC. It is for this reason that we call upon the industrial workers in our province, who have been the main target of this ploy, to defend our revolution. In the coming weeks leading to the elections we will be intensifying our Qina Msebenzi/Tia Mosomi Election campaign to defend, deepen and consolidate the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). This campaign is not only an election gimmick as the proponents of counter-revolution would like us to believe. This campaign will be intensified beyond elections as this task is part of our national congress theme of taking responsibility of the NDR. It is in this context that we are pleased to announce that the Campaign thus far has been a resounding success. This was clear from the positive reception and welcome the Campaign received since its launch in Oupa Phasha District, east of Gauteng in an industrial area known as Danswaart. This week the Campaign will be intensified in Sedibeng District, focusing on workers in Arcellor Mittal in Vanderbilpark. It is clear from this Campaign that the SACP in Gauteng has an immense opportunity to interact directly with the industrial proletariat, to build work-place units, recruit workers to establish VD Branches and to clarify workers politically and ideologically on various key and profound political issues. Through this Campaign, anarchy and left-wing childishness will be fully and clearly exposed. This will strengthen the unity of the industrial proletariat with the rest of the historically oppressed people, that is, Africans in particular and Blacks in general. Our main revolutionary challenge moving forward, and arising out of the experiences of this Campaign is to continue to build a solid, vibrant and dynamic Party in our province that is grounded on the industrial proletariat. This is a key and principal task for the SACP in Gauteng province as identified by the PEC Lekgotla and further directed previously by the Central Committee (CC). Just last week, the Campaign was well received and welcomed by workers in Tshwane District, in an industrial site of Roslyn. Workers reaffirmed their historic commitment and loyalty to the movement of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo and Chris Hani. We were deeply humbled, inspired and moved by the words of one metal worker who eloquently reminded us that "Just after Nelson Mandela was released from prison, it was us metal workers who gave him a car specially designed for him. The car was for him to continue his long walk to freedom. We cannot therefore betray him, especially following his untimely death. We will do it for Mandela, we will give him another gift and this time our votes. We will never betray Tata Nelson Mandela" -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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