CONTRIBUTION OF THE

SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY

The South African Communist Party (SACP) expresses its fraternal greetings to all participants of the 15th Meeting of the International Communist and Workers Parties. We particularly express warm regards to the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) for their efforts in making this meeting a success and creating excellent conditions for the success of the 15th ICWP.

The South African democratization process will next mark an important milestone - 20 years of independence and defeat against the policies of racism and exploitation of the indigenous peoples of our country. This will also be marked in a year where an important set of elections national and provincial elections will take place - in 2014!

At this crucial stage of the democratization point, it will provide the Communist Party and it's allies, the opportunity to interrogate the post-colonial state and its challenges - and the extent to which the progressive alliance led by the African National Congress (ANC) has been able to advance the goals of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR)!

In fact, in much of Southern Africa (at least) the antidote of easy assumptions that former national liberation movements are the timeless and authentic voices if their respective countries and peoples abound. The role, we want to argue, is earned DEMOCRATICALLY - in daily work with and for the people! And that is the challenge facing the post-53rd ANC National Conference of the ANC and the wider alliance.

Comrades,

We coming together in Portugal in this 15th Meeting of the ICWP, under the theme: "The deepening crisis if capitalism, the working class role and the communist tasks in the struggle for workers and people's' rights. Imperialism' offensive, the international realignment of forces, the national issues, class emancipation and the struggle for socialism".

We are coming here also in the centenary of one of the most important figures and actors in the struggle for socialism and internationalism, the PCP has produced - the centenary of the late former general-Secretary of PCP, comrade Alvaro Cunhal! The events of 25 April Revolution and many efforts before and after in solidarity with the people's of our region, are important indelible marks of internationalism.

The anatomy of colonialism and exploitation in our region of Southern Africa, also bear colonial-Portuguese exploitation. It has been through the tireless work of PCP and other comrades, such as Alvaro Cunhal, that the forces fighting for liberation were able to overcome the yoke of colonialism in our region.

National liberation movement do not emerge one fine day out of the mind of some superman or at the instigation of some foreign power. They are born out of popular discontent , we want to argue. They emerge over long periods to combat oppressive conditions and express aspirations for different kind if society. They are, in short, the agents of class and national struggle. In the case of Southern Africa, they were born in the crucible of the colonial experience.

We point these out this in order to reinforce our the important notion of the Tripartite Alliance and its historic evolution in the unique conditions of South Africa. It is against this background that, we should properly contextual use the conjunctural endeavours of the Tripartite Alliance, led by the ANC and its strategy for achievement of the goals of the Freedom Charter - and thus further advance the struggle for socialism.

We want to further advance a proposal for doing an analysis of the state of the international communist movement. This we believe will prepare our international communist and workers parties movement to take advantage of the crises of capitalism, but more importantly to embed the democracy and win over the majority of the people's of the world, over to socialism.

The SACP is currently preparing important events to mark the centenary of the SACP in 2021 - and indeed many other parties born during this period will also mark 100 years of existence! This we believe could also provide a platform to prepare the international communist and workers parties movement to observe centenary of the Great Socialist October Revolution in 2017!

We wish this 15th Meeting of ICWP all success!

Socialism is the future - build it now!