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The South African Communist Party (SACP) in Gauteng held its ordinary Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting on Sunday, 01 November 2020. In light of the ongoing Covid-19 level 1 lockdown regulations, the meeting took place virtually.

The meeting, attended by Central Committee (CC) deployees, members of the 13th PEC, as well as Districts and Young Communist League of SA (YCL-SA) leaders, presented an opportunity for the PEC to analyse, assess and reflect on the class balance of forces at various levels, including the international, national, provincial and local situation.

The PEC received a report from the CC convener of deployees, comrade Jenny Schreiner. A political and organisational report was presented by the Provincial Secretary, cde Jacob Mamabolo.

International and global balance of forces

The PEC noted that the current Covid-19 pandemic remains the most complex dominant question facing humanity and nations across the globe. In the United States, the presidential elections are taking place under extreme and increasing rate of infections with the recovered Covid-19 patient Donald Trump continuing with his extreme denialism and lumpen defiance of science and data on the realities of the pandemic.

Whilst the list of countries experiencing new wave of infections and resurgence is fast growing, it is critical that we correctly, deeply and better analyse these developments for their implications in our country and most importantly our province. This is critical considering that new scientific estimates and statistical models for our province suggest that the next resurgence and peak in infection rates is likely to happen in the last week of November and early week of December. It is important that we seriously assess the experiences of these countries to develop a way forward and program of action for our province.

National and provincial balance of forces

The PEC noted the continued challenge and threat of the resurgence and second wave of Covid-19 pandemic faced by our country. The clear signs and indications in various provinces are a demonstration of no longer whether we will have a second wave, but rather when this will happen. While the PEC noted government’s and global efforts to find a vaccine, this will take some time before it is available to the overwhelming majority.The PEC also noted the fact that future global battles relating to Covid-19 will be about production, distribution and prices of the vaccine. 

In this regard, the PEC acknowledged the role played by frontline health workers to flatten the curve of the rate of infections, whilst also appreciating that the working class and people of our country and province rallied and united firmly behind the message of government especially since the harshest lockdown in alert level 5 and 4. The PEC is of the view that the victory to lower the rate of infections is a people’s victory. The PEC sends a message to the people of the province about the threat of the rate of infections which remains a defining reality of our time.

The PEC further noted with concern the right-wing neo-liberal consolidation represented by the recently released Medium Term Budget policy statement by the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni. We have already seen the announcement in relation to the public service wage bill and the threat to the ideal to build a developmental state that requires increased capacity and better pay for the workers. This is even more crucial in the context of the role played by public sector workers in the fight against the spread of Covid-19. To this end, the PEC welcomed and appreciated the profound statement and the line of march issued by the Central Committee on this matter.

Equally of concern to the PEC is the series and renewed wave of attacks and acts of intimidation against the Zondo Commission by various forces, including those from within the ranks of the revolutionary movement. Of late, these elements are resorting to racist populist stance to weaken and derail the principled fight against corruption and looting within state institutions. It is important that the Party reclaim and consolidate its work around the fight and battle against corporate capture of the state and the need to defend our sovereignty and organs of the democratic state. As a province we have played a key role in raising the banner of the Party at the Commission and National Prosecuting Authority. With the now relaxed lockdown regulations, the PEC resolved to reactivate the principled activism and campaign around this critical question.

The PEC remains concerned by the intractable problem of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country and our province. Deeply worrying is this continued scourge of GBV that is ravaging the country in the context of massive state resources and capacity that was announced especially last year when the new administration took office. As we approach this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence of Women and Children, the PEC resolved to intensify its work on the ground to ensure that law enforcement agencies and the resources committed to this fight are effective and decisive to combat the threat to lives posed by this act of criminality.

Lastly, the PEC voiced its concern on the emergence of our province as the face of corruption and looting relating to the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE). The meeting committed to fully assess the implications of this matter on the consciousness and outlook of the working class, especially considering the electoral outcomes of the 2016 local government elections and the 2019 national and provincial elections.

Previously, the PEC correctly analysed the emergence of this tendency in our ‘Reflections’ document where we cautioned against dangers of Guptarisation of the state in our province and the impact this will have on the national democratic revolution if it implodes in our province as the economic hub of the country. While noting the serious set-back and negative impact of the PPE corruption and looting, the meeting resolved to inter alia call for swift and decisive action to be taken by the provincial government by referring all matters relating to Covid-19 corruption and looting to the Special Investigative Unit (SIU).

The PEC resolved to fully support and welcome the decision by the provincial government to ensure that all recommendations contained in the SIU reports are promptly implemented. In this regard, the PEC welcomed the principled developments that led to suspensions and action against senior officials in the Department of Health.

Issued by the SACP Gauteng Province