Contribution of South African CP [En]

The South African Communist Party (SACP) expresses it profound gratitude to the Vietnamese Communist Party (CPV) on the occasion of the hosting of the 18th International Meeting of the Communists and Workers Parties and creating excellent conditions for us to be able to ensure we proceed without hassles to execute the work of the 18th meeting.

This International Meeting of Communists and Workers Parties takes place under the theme: "Capitalist crisis and imperialist offensive - strategy and tactics of the Communists and Workers Parties in the struggle for peace, workers and peoples' rights, socialism". We believe this theme correctly captures the essence of working class and popular strata struggles in the current period. Indeed, we must continue to develop appropriate responses to the crisis and provide alternatives for the masses of people reeling from the consequences of the effects of capitalism. The working people and popular strata depend on us to struggle for a better quality of life and the ultimate overthrow of capitalism and for the construction of socialism.

We are meeting at a time when the crisis of capitalism continues to envelope all of the world with huge serious negative ramifications for working class of the world. For much of developing world, the drop in commodity prices has led to sluggish growth, which in return has impacted negatively on the livelihoods of the majority of the poor and working people. Furthermore, trade agreements and others have been unfairly used to benefit the developed world at the expense of the developing world as the game of unfair trade and bullying continues. The perpetuation of an unfair unipolar world continues to result in wars, tragedy, disease and other negative consequences particularly for the working people, women, children and youth and Africans in particular - who must migrate (through treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sea) to the developed world in search of jobs, security and a better life.

The SACP is conscious of the enormity of the tasks that confront the working class, it's formations and the popular strata in the struggles for an alternatives in South Africa, the region and the world. This, we want to believe requires even greater unity between and amongst the progressive and popular forces to enhance its mobilisation, campaigning capacities and overall tactics. In fact we require a deep debate and discussion in the ICWP movement to outline perspectives and appreciation for those exploring the difficult tasks of evolving a trajectory for change - an alternative to capitalist development within conditions and circumstances not of their own making.

The SACP which is an active participant in the Tripartite Alliance led by the African National Congress (ANC), also understands the challenges that confront the progressive alliance in country and has continued work on that front, but has also scored major victories in the past. We take responsibility for the revolution - both the victories and setbacks! Huge advances have been made to reverse the legacy of apartheid colonialism through a myriad of policies in the last 20-odd years. Though a lot needs to done to ensure fundamental transformation occurs. It is for this reason that we have supported the ANC's more radical second phase of transformation so as to ensure that the process becomes reversible and materially alters the conditions of the majority of our people, who are the working class and the poor, women and youth.

The strategy of the imperialism in the ensuing crisis of capitalism is to impose on the the world a hybrid war - as can be witnessed in certain regions of the world. The strategy of a hybrid war as witnessed in Brazil (and elsewhere) entails a variety of tactics, but remains the same - regime change and undermining of the popular vote of the people. The hybrid war strategy seeks to achieved the same objective of regime without the classical use of the military warfare but by creating instability, mobilizing large sections of the population through one sided media narrative and delegitimizing of the real concerns of the people.

There is currently a fast developing hybrid war against the BRICS countries and in particular those countries who are perceived as the weak link in the bloc. Imperialism has been able to achieve its goal in destabilizing Brazil and through the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, realize it's goal. In South Africa we have witnessed student protests around university fees - a legitimate demand, but has been exploited by sections of the ultra-left and others for regime change agenda. Those the demands of the students have by and large been addressed, but the lumpen burning and destroying of property and general anarchy has been continuing in order to portray the ruling African National Congress as being incapable to address the demands of the students.

Th demand for free university education as propagated by the regime changers' is unconnected to the socialist demand of the decommodification of basic needs, including healthcare, social security, housing and other basic needs. Importantly, those making the demand of free university education are unable to distinguish between free education for the poor on the terrain of capitalist society - meaning those who can of ford to pay must pay! The rich must pay and and they must not be subsidized by the poor!

The tactic of imperialism in the broader scheme of the hybrid war, is to cultivate and harness the demands of the people and channel these into a political demands for regime change, particularly in countries it doesn't like and wants to change the trajectory in favour of the superfluous 'American way of life and dream'.

Indeed, there are also internal challenges which contribute towards internal instability. These subjective challenge contribute in a significant manner towards a conducive environment for pursuing a regime change agenda. These subjective challenges will have to be tackled and honesty addressed in order to ally the fears for regime change. The charge of corruption has been raised both by internal and external forces as a major issue but has been used by the external to pursue its agenda more vigorously. The disaster of unchecked corruption under late capitalism, involving left governments warns us that corruption is a fundamental issue for the left. If we ignore it, we will create spaces for populist and demagogic forces. We therefore have added our vocie to express our condemnation of this abuse of power and warned of the dangers of creeping predatory elitism and corporate capture.

Secondly, the South African government recently stated that it intends to undertake a process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC). This decision follows a process where the imperialist powers together with their proxies wanted the South African government to arrest Sudan President Al-Bashir when he attended the African Union (AU) summit in the country last year. The decision to withdraw from the ICC is a huge decision and will a rippling effect on the continent. There are others countries on the continent, who have also given their intentions to withdraw from the ICC. The ICC has proved to a biased body of criminalization of, in the main Africans. The US which is not a signatory of the Rome statutes continues to prevail as a policeman of the world without any repercussions.

What should be the response of the majority of the working class be in the context of the ensuing strategy of imperialism? On the African continent and in particular in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) imperialist intrigues are unraveling as the debacle of the general elections which are supposed to take place in November takes on another dimension as part of broader strategy of the hybrid war. The US, France and Belgium in particular are unhappy with the fact that incumbent President Joseph Kabila will stay in power until 2018.

They envisage a change in leadership in the country which favorable to the positions of imperialism and displaces China. China has the largest investments in the DRC and seem set to occupy an advantageous positions in that China, which holds the almost 60% of the world reserves of coltan has invested heavily in the country as part of broader strategy of ensuring supply-chain dominance of the cellphone-component parts and electric-car market - which represent the future of the world economy.

China has also made significant inroads in the country and has bought some strategic mines in order to secure the supply of minerals that are significant for its continuing economic growth. The Mail and Guardian reported in March 2016, that “[C]hina, the world’s biggest buyer of industrial metals, is Africa’s largest trading partner, with two-way flows exceeding $220 billion in 2014. The country overtook Belgium to become Congo’s top trade partner in 2008, according to International Monetary Fund data. In 2014, it did $4.33 billion of trade with DR Congo, 57% more than the entire European Union and 12 times greater than the US”.

The intrigues and inter-imperialist rivalries continue to manifest in the DRC and elsewhere on the continent. We are particularly worried about the ongoing border debacle between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which could spark another interconnected civil war. Eritrea which has had unilateral sanctions imposed upon it by the US for many years continue to be a country isolated and neglected by the progressives of the world. We should express tangible solidarity with this resilient people and country and quest to delink from imperialism and undertake a trajectory of development with much of the hallmarks of capitalist-market in place.

In conclusion, the SACP wishes express its profound solidarity with the all the peoples of the world executing and struggling for an alternative trajectory and path of development. We remain steadfast in our believe and firm in our convictions that socialism is the answer to the tragedies, diseases and others that continue to ravage societies. War is not the answer!

Forward to socialism! Socialism is the future!