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SACP takes aim at banking system and opposition parties Karl Gernetzky, Business Day, Johannesburg, 7 January 2015 The South African Communist Party (SACP) has set its sights on breaking up the "monopoly" of SA's big four banks; preventing the opposition from winning metros in Gauteng; and strengthening ties with communities to counter divisions within the tripartite alliance. Speaking at a memorial service to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of struggle icon and SACP chief Joe Slovo, general secretary Blade Nzimande attacked the media and opposition parties. He described divisions within the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and attacks on African National Congress (ANC) leadership as an "imperialist strategy" to divide the working class from the liberation movement. Similar strategies, which included attempts by opposition parties to "co-opt" former leaders - in order to make unfavourable comparisons with current leadership - had been pursued successfully in other African countries, he said. The SACP's financial sector campaign would focus on changing SA's financial sector to orientate it more towards development. SA's banking system only offered two options: "monopoly" banks and mashonisas (loan sharks), "with nothing in between", Mr Nzimande said. In Gauteng, the emergence of the Economic Freedom Fighters - the party obtained more than 10% of the vote - and the Democratic Alliance's 9% improvement are threats to the ANC's control of the province. The United Front - a new political movement spearheaded by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (NUMSA), which has been expelled from COSATU - could contest key local elections next year, providing more opposition to the alliance. SACP Gauteng chairman Joe Mpisi said the party would ensure that "all the metros in Gauteng" were retained. Unions supporting NUMSA have demanded that its expulsion be lifted ahead of any attempt by the ANC to broker a political settlement within COSATU. No further meetings between the ANC and COSATU affiliates had been scheduled, the federation's deputy general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, said on Tuesday. However, the end-of-year break had allowed time for perspective, while there was also pressure to finalise issues ahead of the next COSATU central executive committee meeting next month, when some will be discussed. These issues included discussions with the ANC on contentious chapters of the National Development Plan and finalisation of the national minimum wage. From: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/politics/2015/01/07/sacp-takes-aim-at-banki ng-system-and-opposition-parties -- -- 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] . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Discussion Forum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
