5 July 2017
The front page story in today`s The New Age claiming that Comrades Jeremy Cronin and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma "almost came to blows" in a "heated argument" over the Mining Charter in an ANC National Policy Conference commission on organisational renewal is a complete fabrication. In the first place Comrade Cronin was not even at the NPC on Sunday, as he arrived on Monday. Neither did he attend the organisational renewal commission, nor did the two comrades have any discussion on the Mining Charter. In addition, the story is unprofessional. It relies on unnamed sources as its information authority with no effort made or reported to obtain the other side of the story in line with the principles of accurate, fair and balanced reporting. This is typical of fake news. The New Age did not contact Cde Cronin or the SACP as he is the Party`s 1st Deputy General Secretary, in which capacity he attended the ANC National Policy Conference. No effort in the story is reported to have obtained Cde Dlamini-Zuma`s side as well.
The SACP rejects the attempt to sow division and to factionalise important debates on complex challenges. The SACP has contacted at least one of the media practitioners who co-authored the story, to register its concern before issuing this clarification. We are looking forward to the matter raised with the editor, who has a duty to ensure compliance with the press code.
The two comrades, Cronin and Dlamini-Zuma, indeed, but on Monday in Commission 4 on economic transformation, had a constructive engagement on the land question and expropriation. It was a comradely interaction that was then taken forward informally outside of the commission in which the comrades agreed there was considerable although not necessarily complete convergence of perspectives. We are sure that Cde Dlamini-Zuma, and others like North West Premier, Cde Supra Mahumapelo who was seated at a nearby table, will be happy to confirm the cordial interaction.
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