South African Communist Party

We salute the ANC on its 113^th founding anniversary

SACP message delivered by Deputy National Chairperson Thulas Nxesi at the ANC’s 113^th anniversary rally, 11 January 2025

As Africa’s oldest liberation organisation, the ANC has played a critical role in the struggle against colonialism and apartheid. South Africa’s democratic breakthrough in April 1994, a key part of our revolutionary Alliance’s achievements, highlights the ANC’s outstanding leadership in our liberation struggle. Together we defeated the apartheid regime.

However, let us be clear, comrades. We had strong support from united progressive trade union and civic movements as allies in the liberation struggle. We had the support of the array of united organisations that formed our mass democratic movement. Our democratic breakthrough would not have been possible without the support of the majority of our people, with the working class at the centre. The ANC’s 113^th founding anniversary celebrations across the country give us the opportunity to reflect on what happened to the unity and support our liberation struggle received after our April 1994 democratic breakthrough.

That said, the SACP acknowledges the leadership role that the ANC further played beyond the post-April 1994 commendable social advances. These achievements have built on the foundation of the hard-won human rights enshrined in our Constitution, a product of our collective struggle as allies.

The ANC-led government has made significant strides in improving the lives of millions, particularly workers, both employed and unemployed. Notable advances include workers’ rights, the provision of free housing, large-scale household electrification, the expansion of education at all levels, improved access to healthcare and an extensive social grants programme.

However, alongside these achievements, there are pressing challenges.

Electricity provision, for instance, reached a point where it faced severe setbacks due to load shedding, load reduction and steep tariff hikes. This disrupted access to electricity, rendered it unaffordable for many and contributed to de-industrialisation.

Still, our country is grappling with multiple capitalist system-generated crises. Over 12 million people, both active and discouraged work seekers, are unemployed. Retrenchments and de-industrialisation exacerbated the unemployment crisis. This is why the SACP is deeply concerned about the termination of contracts in public employment programmes by the GNU and the shutdown of key steel operations by ArcelorMittal. These developments unfold amid crisis-high poverty rates.

In 2024, approximately 39.7 million South Africans, or 63 per cent of the population, lived below the upper-middle-income poverty line of $6.85, roughly R125.56 per day. This meant 2.2 million more people fell into the yoke of poverty than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Africa remains the most unequal country globally, ranking first among 164 countries.

The legacy of colonial and apartheid social engineering continues in the impacts of unemployment, poverty and inequality – it is the formerly oppressed national groups that bear the brunt of unemployment, poverty and inequality, while those who benefitted from white privilege remain better off. This divides our nation in many ways. Entrenched along historical fault lines, the division hinders genuine national unity and cohesion.

Closely associated with the crisis-high rates of unemployment, poverty and inequality, another crisis has emerged in the form of crime. This includes drug dealing, theft, robbery, housebreaking, hijacking, interpersonal and gender-based violence, murder and the destruction as well as looting of public infrastructure, to name but a few categories. Crime casts a shadow of fear over daily life and deters investment, contributing to the economic stagnation.

As if that were not enough, our country also faces severe infrastructure challenges and a lack of economic transformation, particularly in industrial sectors, such as finance.

The negatives in the objective factors – rooted in the racialised and gendered crises of unemployment, poverty and inequality – have impacted the ANC’s electoral performance and political support. Internal divisions, fragmentation, state capture and other corruption allegations, have compounded the decline, with far-reaching implications not only for the ANC but also for our entire Alliance.

In light of these challenges, the working class – the majority of our people – urgently needs a clear way forward. This way forward should include the following.

1. A large-scale employment creation programme.
2. An adequately funded, high-impact industrial policy.
3. State-led infrastructure development, maintenance and security
4. Expansion of public employment programmes, as opposed to retrenching workers, saying they are 55 years and above.
5. A comprehensive poverty eradication programme, including rural and township infrastructure and broader economic development.
6. A programme of radical class, race and gender inequality reduction.
7. Immediate implementation of the Sovereign Wealth Fund: revenues, royalties and a share of profits from the mineral wealth of our country must serve as part of the initial funding sources of the Sovereign Wealth Fund.
8. A comprehensive social security system, including a decisive advance towards a universal basic income grant.
9. Decisive implementation of the National Health Insurance to guarantee universal access to quality healthcare for all.
10. Financial sector transformation, with the establishment of a state banking sector and a public banking system as an apex priority, thereby fulfilling our manifesto commitments.

However, let us be clear. The crises and challenges facing South Africa are unlikely to be resolved quickly. Progressive proposals cannot succeed under macroeconomic policies entrenched in fiscal austerity and restrictive measures. A new approach is essential. This approach must advance and deepen the “Revolution” in the “National Democratic Revolution”.

We want to take this opportunity to address the issue of Alliance reconfiguration, which remains unresolved despite over 17 years of dedicated efforts and engagements. We approach this matter with a clear understanding of the Alliance’s character. Ours is a strategic Alliance of independent yet interdependent allies.

As things stand, however, the absence of Alliance reconfiguration is compromising the independence of its working-class partners. This is deeply undesirable. Commitment to our Alliance must go beyond rhetoric. It requires inclusive approaches in shaping the political, economic and social policies, as well as the strategies and tactics needed to advance our shared strategy, the National Democratic Revolution. This requires Alliance collective leadership and accountability – as opposed to an individual Alliance partner.

Consensus-seeking consultation within joint Alliance decision-making processes and Alliance participatory democracy are essential. This independence should strengthen our interdependence rather than undermine it. It must be a source of unity and collective power.

To be clear, our resolution is to exercise our independence across all fronts of the struggle, including the battle of democracy. This is not about leaving the Alliance, which we have painstakingly built since the late 1920s. It is about strengthening the foundation of the Alliance – especially our independence as a pillar of strength for our interdependence – towards fully realising our Alliance’s historical mission.

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Issued by the South African Communist Party,
Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa..