Nqakula on Who Really Runs South Africa

Here is a near admission, South African Communist Party leader, Charles Nqakula, that the SACP does indded run South Africa.

SACP National Chairperson Charles Nqakula Opening Address SACP 11th Congress
24th July 2002

"Governance - the SACP is not a ruling party in the strict sense of the word. Since the late 1920s, as an integral part of our strategy, South African communists have worked tirelessly to help build a mass-based, broad, well resourced ANC - capable of leading the national liberation struggle, and capable, eventually, of governing our country in the complicated revolutionary tasks of nation building and democratisation.

Since 1994 South African communists, together with other comrades, have worked very hard to ensure the ANC wins an overwhelming electoral majority - in the local, provincial and national spheres. And we have succeeded - four times over.

Since 1994 thousands of SACP members have been serving in government positions, in key departments, in local councils, in national and provincial cabinets.

The SACP is, to repeat, not a ruling party in the strict sense of the word, but we have never excused ourselves from the responsibilities of governance. We recognise, affirm and work very hard for the leading role of the ANC, including in government. The SACP is not oppositionist, and we are not abstentionist.

This Congress needs to reflect on the many positive lessons and advances we have made on the front of governance over the past 8 years, and it needs to help us to chart ever more effective ways to enhance the SACP governance contribution.

Being practical - related to the above is the imperative of being practical, of being relevant as an SACP to the challenges that are facing our country, our region and our world. We must not be like the philosophers described by Marx, who have been content to merely interpret the world (although that, too, is a major challenge). We also want to change the world, especially this part of the world."