Betrayal not an option, Lesufi tells SACP

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has vowed to defend Gauteng premier and ANC provincial chair Panyaza Lesufi against those who targeted him because of his strong antigovernment of national unity (GNU) stance.

Lesufi received a warm welcome from delegates at the SACP fifth national congress in Boksburg yesterday.

In his address, he thanked the SACP for standing by him as he was being attacked over his approach to the GNU.

Lesufi thanked SACP for standing by him

“We were attacked but the SACP stood with us. When we advance the programmes of our people we were called names, but the SACP came to our rescue,” he said.

“Our sin was that we established a government without the bullies. Our sin was that we defended attempts to render the ANC government in our province useless. We were demonised and insulted,” Lesufi said.

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He said he was proud that he was able to establish a government that was ready and prepared to represent the interest of the poor and the unemployed.

He said there were those who opposed his employment programmes and the dismantling of the e-tolls, but the ANC, SACP and the South African National Civics Organisation supported him.

Lesufi asked the SACP to support his efforts to ensure the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act was implemented in full to realise the Freedom Charter clause that said “the doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all”.

Ask for support to ensure Bela implementation

“Friday [will be] a difficult day when we have to defend our children or surrender,” said Lesufi, referring to the Bela Bill coming into effect and President Cyril Ramaphosa authorising the remaining clause of the legislation to be effective.

“The SACP must add its voice to ensure the dignity of our children is maintained and that never and never again that it is decided that our children will enter a school on the basis of the colour of their skin,” he said.

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“If the agenda of the Bela Bill fails comrades, there is no way that the agenda of [National Health Insurance] will succeed because the enemy has tasted blood. We must implement it,” Lesufi said.

He appealed to the SACP to stand together with him in the battle to have the Bill implemented for the sake of black children and country.

“Betrayal is not an option. This is the period comrades where cowards must step aside. Periods like these want us to strengthen our forces,” he said.

‘Betrayal is not an option’

Lesufi addressed the gathering after a delegate from the Eastern Cape proposed that Lesufi should not speak because only SACP leaders should do so. The proposal was unanimously rejected.

He was applauded when he announced that he refused to form a government of provincial unity with the other party (DA).

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SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila urged the delegates to support Lesufi and reiterated the party’s stance that it was backing the premier.