A storm of controversy has erupted following President Thabo Mbeki’s comments fingering left-wingers in the tripartite alliance.
Of the left, he said: ”Our movement and its policies are also under sustained attack from domestic and foreign left sectarian factions that claim to be the best representatives of the workers and the poor of our country.
”They accuse our movement of having abandoned the working people, saying that we have adopted and are implementing neo-liberal policies.”
Mbeki was speaking at the African National Congress’ national policy conference in Kempton Park.
The aim of these factions was to transform the ANC’s continuing national democratic struggle into an offensive for the victory of the socialist revolution, he said.
”The essence of their assault against our policies is that these policies do not advance the socialist agenda.”
This was despite the fact that the mission of the ANC was not to fight for the victory of socialism, Mbeki said.
”Had there been a merger of the national liberation and socialist goals in our country, with the ANC being both a national liberation movement and a party of socialist change, there would have been no need for a communist party… no need for the existence today of our ally, the South African Communist Party.”
The Sunday Times quoted Mbeki as saying that his party would not tolerate ”anarchy” in its ranks.
Meanwhile, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), as quoted by the City Press newspaper responded to Mbeki by saying it ”will not be intimidated” and that its national strike will go ahead this week.
Cosatu representative Vukani Mde told the newspaper that it was unfortunate Mbeki was suggesting Cosatu and the SACP had declared the ANC as their enemy.
”We have never declared the ANC as the enemy. It is Mbeki who has put that label on Cosatu,” Mde told the City Press. – Sapa