SACP will not retreat on anti-corruption pushback fight, says Solly Mapaila

12 July 2019 - 11:22 By Zimasa Matiwane
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Former SA president Kgalema Motlanthe, left, and first deputy general secretary of the SACP Solly Mapaila stand to sing the national anthem at Liliesleaf, Johannesburg, on July 11 2019.
Former SA president Kgalema Motlanthe, left, and first deputy general secretary of the SACP Solly Mapaila stand to sing the national anthem at Liliesleaf, Johannesburg, on July 11 2019.
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times

SACP first deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila says the party will not retreat on its anti-corruption stance, but openly respond to the offensive launched against those fighting corruption.

“We will respond appropriately in the coming days to the offensive launched against those who are leading the campaign against corruption. They are being attacked and state institutions are being abused,” Mapaila said.

He was speaking at Thursday night's gala dinner honouring the Rivonia trialists, who were arrested in 1963 for anti-apartheid activities at what used to be a communist party underground headquarters at Liliesleaf Farm, Johannesburg.

Mapaila reaffirmed the party's support for public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan. This came just hours after EFF MPs were ejected from the house after heckling Gordhan. "We saw what happened against minister Pravin Gordhan in parliament today ... we want to say to him that we stand in solidarity with you," Mapaila said.

The communist party has previously accused public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane of allowing her office to be used as “a hired gun of the corporate capture agenda”.

The comments came after numerous adverse findings against the public enterprises minister by Mkhwebane, relating to his time at the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and in relation to the Gupta family.

He also implored President Cyril Ramaphosa not be deterred by any push back in the anti-corruption fight.

“We appeal to President Ramaphosa not to bow down to demagogic radical economic transformation pushers and stand firm on the perspective of our movement, including his capacity to bring together all facets of our movement behind a common agenda," he added.

Meanwhile, the keynote speaker at the event, former president Kgalema Motlanthe, called on leaders of the tripartite alliance to emulate the Rivonia trialists' resolve - “sacrifices today for the greater benefit of our people”.

"Leaders must adopt young people and have mentoring programmes. The only way to train young people is to give them opportunities. Excuses that they are not ready only serves to threaten our future," he said.

Motlanthe added that the ANC and alliance leaders must be prepared to make sacrifices for the betterment of the people.

“They must volunteer and sacrifice their time and do community work … not only for elections, but to have programmes of volunteerism, whereby every weekend and month there would be community activities without using state resources … They must refuse to use these opportunities to give government money to friends and relatives.”

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