Recently the Young Communist League national secretary, Buti Manamela, was detained for questioning at Heathrow on his arrival. Sounds like a horrible experience to go through — one which he shares in an interview in the Mail & Guardian a few weeks ago.
What I found fascinating, though, was Manamela’s admission that he flew to the UK in business class. Clearly the irony is lost on him. I mean — hello! — doesn’t business class symbolise the untrammelled, opulent excess of the “evil” capitalist system? So much for comrade Manamela representing an organisation that claims to be fighting for the proletariat, the people — and, of course, a classless society. Ahem, classless.
Ag shame. If the South African Communist Party had even a shred of credibility, it has lost it now — though my hunch is that it has been without any since its remarkable reluctance to pay its outstanding debt to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University for the use of its facilities for the party’s conference last year, an amount in excess of R1-million. It’s no wonder the SACP is in favour of debt relief!
This little gravy-plane episode, I suppose, is just another reminder that the SACP has long lost its battle with ideological irrelevancy, being clearly unable to put into practice the archaic “principles” it so vehemently preaches. In true Animal Farm style, this is a case of all being equal — but some being more equal than others.
Whatever its protestations to the contrary, the SACP is wholly reliant on the ANC to survive. And, of course, that is why it is such a toothless entity — it knows only too well on which side its bread is buttered, and it isn’t in promoting the ideology from which its name is derived. Clearly, serving the interests of the poor is not one of the SACP’s priorities — but of course that has been the case among communist parties the world over (such as the Soviet Union, whose communist elite lived as luxuriously as the tsars they booted out).
Yes, the SACP’s current focus is not poverty alleviation or holding the government to account for its service delivery and education failures, its inability to reduce unemployment and its shocking missteps on Aids — the things that have hit the poor the hardest and left us with a country with a vast socioeconomic schism between rich and poor. Rather, the SACP and its infantile youth league is focusing on blindly supporting a money-grubbing, power-hungry populist who will do anything to wriggle out of being accountable for the alleged corruption he so often claims is just a conspiracy against him. In return for what? Power and patronage: the story of communism the world over.
Perhaps it’s not so surprising Manamela flew business class after all.
Whatever its protestations to the contrary, the SACP is wholly reliant on the ANC to survive. And, of course, that is why it is such a toothless entity — it knows only too well on which side its bread is buttered, and it isn’t in promoting the ideology from which its name is derived.—– I dont agree. It is the SACP and COSATU that ties the working people to the ANC. For that they are rewarded with plum executive post they have no qualifications for—-
It’s really, really simple:
“Communism doesn’t work because people like to own stuff.” – Frank Zappa.
Globalisation is increasing the gap between the poor and the rich EVERYWHERE in the world, not just in South Africa.
Investors can invest ANYWHERE in the world – and the colour of their skin does not matter. The colour of their money is the same.
South Africa will get less and less competative, and poorer and poorer, unless you realise there are no “African Solutions to African Problems” but only “World Solutions to Worls Problems”.
Great article. People hopefully will judge him and his parasite organization on their actions and no longer on their nauseating rhetoric.
Are you using the actions of the Young Communist League to damn the SACP? That doesn’t seem fair or logical. But I’m not really sure what your argument is here anyway. It is certainly not any kind of coherent critique of the tri-partite alliance or any reasonable criticism of the SACP’s role in that alliance.
A few misquotes from Animal Farm, however, is all the DA-choir can ever seem to muster when critiquing socialism.
Perhaps it is rather the story of political reality the world over, perks are a major component for political positions appeal are they not? I’m not saying that it is okay but rather that it is to be expected in much the same way the we expect Mr. Zuma to deny all the charges brought against him, similarly to how we expect cats to chase mice and then drag them inside for everyone’s viewing pleasure. Politicians too are creatures of habit, as are prostitutes I guess.
…a often heard dictum, that often rings true: “The Best Capitalist…is an ex-Communist”. Hey ! so give comrade Mamamela a break..ok !!
Did you really expect some sense of values and sensitivity from the SACP – are’nt they leading the revolution from the front line? They are now part of the mainstream so why should they not get their share of comforts – wont the poor be with us always? Besides if they were to effectively address issues of poverty they would become totally irrelevant. As they have generally around the globe – ‘capitalism’ in its various formats has largely won the war. Not that it has been terribly effective in reducing poverty for the global majority! Then again life is not fair for the majority – its brutally short and desperate. Give the man a break – he has a career in the shadow of a social conscience to get on with.
Luddite asks …. “Are you using the actions of the Young Communist League to damn the SACP?”
And why not, given that birds of a feather…..
Some things really are indefensible and hypocrisy is one of them
Let’s not be thin minded here, our focal point must be on the bigger picture, if Manamela or any SACP member flies with business class on one or two occasions, it means that SAA gets extra cash for petite deal, therefore additional returns for the enterprise which will in return promote self sustainability to the business; meaning Trevor Manuel will finally invest those much needed funds on bread & butter issues, and better off will be everyone.
But that should be done only on few occasions, we don’t want individuals to get gripped with such deeds; or else we’ll end up not drawing the line between Communist and Capitalist behaviours, nevertheless what Buti did was still a promotion of Socialism but in a Capitalist technique.
You get my grip?
Luddite
Socialism works very well with capitalism in some parts of the world – like the Scandinavian countries.
It has never worked with communism.
Some 50 years ago, we had “youth leagues” in all political parties to keep their senior leaders on edge. Today’s YL’s are just there to grab a comfortable chair in the near future. The only thing is to find the right spotlight at the right time. What better than Heathrow Airport for an interview in the M&G? And…how stupid of the M&G to offer the platform in the first place.
Alex, I think you need a free political lesson frm Dr Blade Ndzimande, for you are definitely clueless. Why don’t you just go and write about something you will know better, the verwoed erra or the voortreker junk.
Take my advise, you can learn a lot from Dr Blade, ask Madisha. And not forgeting that he is the next president of this country alongside Jacob Zuma.
Now the BIG question is – WHERE WILL YOU BE? Well, maybe in Australia.
The sacp has been critical of the neo-liberal economic policies adopted by the government. They have made statements against mugabe. they were a dissenting voice with regard to the demarcation of khutsong. I personally do not subscribe to communism, but I marvel at the manner in which people who subscribe to this ideology conduct them self in defence of it.
The problem with the ‘gap between the rich and the poor’ theory is that it doesn’t take into account what constitutes the gap, and that is more people moving into the middle class income group, with more middle class people moving up into the higher income group.
If you don’t believe me, read up on the black diamonds. Granted, South Africa does have a roughly 40% unemployment rate, but South Africa also has an emerging middle class it never had before. There are more people doing OK now than ever before.
How long did it take you to notice that in Communism everybody is equal but in reality some are more equal than others? Like Stalin, or Mao.
@ Lyndall Beddy
True. Socialism works well in Scandinavia, but they also have ridiculously high tax rates. I’d like to see how you and others would react when you have to pay around R100 for a Castle Lager.
Anybody ever watch the movie Utz with Armin Mueller- Stahl will remember the analogy between Krap and crap that the masses were eating in a Prague while the Communist party bosses were eating caviar. Human beings are never equal. That is why you are told that so and so contributed more to the struggle than so and so and hence is entitled to this and that.
one has to walk barefooted and beg on the roadside to represent the poor,how insulting.as a member of ycl manamela represent me,should he or any other leader misrepresent the values of the organisation i would know and do the necessary thing,unless if you think i am incapable of knowing that,these leaders you insult everyday lead people who are sane not skapies as you sometimes suggest
There is 40% unemployment of unskilled labour.
There is a great shortage of skilled labour.
Any educated black can do MUCH better in the private sector.
So the ANC Alliance has to dreg the dregs of the unemployable elsewhere. The higher up the less education needed.
Julius Melema has not passed High School.
Jacob Zuma never even passed Primary School.
So much for Mandela’s emphasis on the importance of education.
@Lyndall Beddy
Please elaborate as to exactly what you mean when you say “South Africa will get less and less competitive” in relation to Alex’s article? Also, I am interested in your basis for this statement “there are no African solutions to African Problems”, please relate to Alex’s article on Manamela? On that very same note, I would like to think that while South Africa struggles with a high rate of HIV infections, China and the USA are puzzled by the plight of obesity among their citizens, tell me which of the problems I’ve mentioned belongs to Africa and which ones do not?
@ Alex
You must note that “The Blade” Nzimande has set the tone for everyone, remember the R500k that disappeared in the hands of Willie “the comrade” and “The Blade” Nzimande, in a black rubbish bag nogal? If Manamela is travelling business class, I can only imagine the travelling tendencies of people on the ranks high up. By the way, what does the word blade mean?
Just come out and say it. He’s a mini mugabe who, incredibly has lots of supporters. Like Njokweni. Learn from Blade; like he says; probably learn it’s a good idea to bugger off to Oz while you still can.
Sbu
THAT is my point – Chinese, Americans, British AND rich Africans ALL have obesity problems.
People problems NOT African problems!
Luddite
My daughter pays 10 times what I pay for a beer in a London pub – and also earns 10 times what I earn! Plus in welfare states like Scandinavia there is subsidised transport, proper health care, decent education etc etc. Happily would I pay more tax, especially if I earned proportionally more money!