The SACP will do for Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas what it did for Jacob Zuma when he faced difficulties in the past, party boss Blade Nzimande said yesterday.
Speaking at the party’s Red October Campaign rally in Sebokeng in Gauteng, Nzimande did not announce that the party would go its own way, as had been speculated. But he warned that the “monopolisation and Guptarisation” of the country had to stop.
“We are today drawing a red line and we call upon the people of South Africa‚ especially the workers and the poor‚ to stop this rot and abuse of state organs for purposes of serving narrow accumulation agendas.
“As the SACP‚ we are prepared to fight this scourge in the same manner as we fought in defence of comrade Jacob Zuma some ten to 13 years ago, when we believed state organs were being used to pursue narrow political agendas. If we do not do so‚ all of us will be in the queue of being harassed for narrow political reasons.”
His comments follow reports in two leading Sunday newspapers that the finance minister, his deputy and ANC treasurer general Zweli Mkhize were being investigated for “failing to report” that Jonas had allegedly been offered a R600-million bribe by members of the Gupta family.
In a surprise twist yesterday afternoon the Hawks denied an earlier confirmation of an investigation.
But Nzimande said if half of what was in Sunday’s newspapers was true‚ then there was a renewed plot to charge the minister of finance‚ and that some state organs were targeted at tarnishing the image of the ANC secretary-general‚ Gwede Mantashe‚ and other ANC leaders.
The SACP said “enough is enough and no more,” Nzimande said, adding the party was well aware who the driving force was behind the “chasing” of Gordhan and leaders such as Mantashe.
“We have all the information, we know who is chasing comrade Pravin – it’s not rocket science,” Nzimande said to loud cheers from SACP members.
“One day we will talk but not now. We will keep quiet because we don’t want South Africa to burn.”
Lashing out at the Gupta family Nzimande demanded: “Who is this family that has a sense of entitlement?”
Also at the rally were SACP chair Senzeni Zokwana, Young Communist League secretary Mluleki Dlelanga and ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte.
Dlelanga was equally scathing of the Guptas, but more so of Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, who featured extensively in the public protector’s state capture report released last week. “The Guptas are a threat to the national revolution. The golden boy of the Guptas, Brian Molefe, lied to the people of South Africa and said he went to a shebeen in Saxonwold.
“But the information is that there is no shebeen there,” Dlelanga said.
Duarte, whose son-in-law has been associated with the Gupta family, came to the defence of Molefe saying that he could not be referred to as a ‘corrupt person’.
She also said the ANC-led tripartite alliance was experiencing its most vulnerable and critical moment.
“We are in a moment where our detractors are hoping that we will tear each other apart… not have the courage to defend the revolution.
“It is not so much about defending the leader of the alliance; we are here to defend the national democratic revolution,” Duarte said.
Red defence against capture
Speaking at the party’s Red October Campaign rally in Sebokeng in Gauteng, Nzimande did not announce that the party would go its own way, as had been speculated. But he warned that the “monopolisation and Guptarisation” of the country had to stop.
“We are today drawing a red line and we call upon the people of South Africa‚ especially the workers and the poor‚ to stop this rot and abuse of state organs for purposes of serving narrow accumulation agendas.
“As the SACP‚ we are prepared to fight this scourge in the same manner as we fought in defence of comrade Jacob Zuma some ten to 13 years ago, when we believed state organs were being used to pursue narrow political agendas. If we do not do so‚ all of us will be in the queue of being harassed for narrow political reasons.”
His comments follow reports in two leading Sunday newspapers that the finance minister, his deputy and ANC treasurer general Zweli Mkhize were being investigated for “failing to report” that Jonas had allegedly been offered a R600-million bribe by members of the Gupta family.
In a surprise twist yesterday afternoon the Hawks denied an earlier confirmation of an investigation.
But Nzimande said if half of what was in Sunday’s newspapers was true‚ then there was a renewed plot to charge the minister of finance‚ and that some state organs were targeted at tarnishing the image of the ANC secretary-general‚ Gwede Mantashe‚ and other ANC leaders.
The SACP said “enough is enough and no more,” Nzimande said, adding the party was well aware who the driving force was behind the “chasing” of Gordhan and leaders such as Mantashe.
“We have all the information, we know who is chasing comrade Pravin – it’s not rocket science,” Nzimande said to loud cheers from SACP members.
“One day we will talk but not now. We will keep quiet because we don’t want South Africa to burn.”
Lashing out at the Gupta family Nzimande demanded: “Who is this family that has a sense of entitlement?”
Also at the rally were SACP chair Senzeni Zokwana, Young Communist League secretary Mluleki Dlelanga and ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte.
Dlelanga was equally scathing of the Guptas, but more so of Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, who featured extensively in the public protector’s state capture report released last week. “The Guptas are a threat to the national revolution. The golden boy of the Guptas, Brian Molefe, lied to the people of South Africa and said he went to a shebeen in Saxonwold.
“But the information is that there is no shebeen there,” Dlelanga said.
Duarte, whose son-in-law has been associated with the Gupta family, came to the defence of Molefe saying that he could not be referred to as a ‘corrupt person’.
She also said the ANC-led tripartite alliance was experiencing its most vulnerable and critical moment.
“We are in a moment where our detractors are hoping that we will tear each other apart… not have the courage to defend the revolution.
“It is not so much about defending the leader of the alliance; we are here to defend the national democratic revolution,” Duarte said.
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