The SACP’s decision not to withdraw members from government raises questions about principle versus pragmatism.
The conservatives in our country like to complain about the alleged “communists” running our country – but the reality is that true, committed Communists (with a capital C) are increasingly difficult to find.
It used to be that one could go through the ranks of the SA Communist Party to find people like Chris Hani, Joe Slovo or even Ronnie Kasrils who – whether you believe them misled or not – would be prepared to die for their principles.
Well, at least, they would have been prepared to vacate the tripartite alliance with the ANC and Cosatu had they felt they were being sold out to capitalists.
Today? The Reds are more like pinks, so much has their Marxist idealism been watered down.
At least that’s one way of looking at the news that the SACP says it will not instruct its members to resign from their government positions.
This, despite the fact its ANC partner has told its allies to choose which side to take following the SACP decision to go it alone in future elections.
Could this be because the commissars are comfortable in their various positions, with pension funds, medical aid and fancy cars?
Or maybe the ideology is now: To each according to his greed…
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