The South African Communist
Party (SACP) closed its congress on Sunday with its central
committee bloated with unionists and militant youth, while kicking
out government ministers and sympathizers of President Thabo Mbeki.
Pretoria News reported on Monday that Intelligence Minister
Ronnie Kasrils is out of the second highest body as is Transport
Minister Jeff Radebe, who was earmarked to be voted in.
Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula was replaced by
former mineworkers' leader Gwede Mantashe. But Nqakula remains
in the central committee.
Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi opted
out, according to the report.
Other Mbeki sympathizers left out of the SACP's leadership
include trade union leader Willie Madisha and National Prosecuting
Authority executive Dipuo Mvelase. He was voted out as deputy
chairman but elected to the central committee.
Delegates voted in "dissident" Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe
Madlala-Routledge, the Young Communist League's radical
chairperson David Masondo and militant Zuma-hardliner National
Union of Mineworkers president Senzeni Zokwana.
However, stalwarts and neutral leaders such as deputy general
secretary Jeremy Cronin and Deputy Trade Minister Rob Davies were
retained.
New faces include national treasurer Phumulo Maswalle replacing
the suspended Philip Dexter.
According to another report, membership of the SACP increased
to 51,874 this year from 19,385 in July 2002, when its last
national congress was held.
The organizational report debated at the 12th congress which
ended on Sunday described this as "tremendous membership growth"
for a communist party.
The reason for the significant growth was the "campaigns and
principles working class leadership provided to society," it noted.