National 21.7.2015 10:00 am
Ngwako Modjadji
SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande speaks during the party's 3rd special congress on July 8, 2015 at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus in Soweto, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Vathiswa Ruselo)
The SA Communist Party (SACP) said its general secretary Blade Nzimande would lead the party "until Jesus comes back".
Releasing the party's special national congress resolutions in Braamfontein yesterday, second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila said the SACP was still happy with Nzimande.
"The bottom line is the party is still happy with comrade Nzimande as general secretary," Mapaila said.
"We think he will be with us for quite some time. If it means until Jesus comes, it's okay. As long as he is still able to lead the Communist Party, that's fine."
His views were echoed by the SACP head of policy and research, Malesela Maleka, who said Nzimande had served the SACP with much "distinction".
"The issue of Nzimande will be on the table at the next congress," Maleka said.
"You don't remove people because they have served for long."
Nzimande, who is also the minister of higher education, had been at the helm of the party since 1998.
The SACP refused to clarify its position on the controversial e-tolling system in Gauteng. But its resolution seemed to suggest the party agreed with the new dispensation brokered by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa announced the new dispensation will include discounts on motorists' outstanding e-toll bills and reduced tariffs.
Motorists with outstanding debts will also not be able to renew their licences.
Maleka said the party wants an acceptable and reliable integrated public transport system.
"The painful moment with e-tolls is that the loan has to be paid," he said. "The new dispensation goes far to address the challenge of those who cannot afford [it].
"We really need to mobilise everybody behind the campaign while we make sure the relief becomes genuine with respect to poorest of the poor," Maleka said.
He said fundamentally the project was "ill-conceived".
The party also said it wanted cadres implicated in corruption to be investigated with clear time-frames and those found guilty must resign or be dismissed.
http://citizen.co.za/429004/blade-leads-till-jesus-returns/