The South African Communist Party’s (SACP) General-Secretary Solly Mapaila says the focus of the Red October campaign is the rising cost of living, that’s also affecting mental health.
Mapaila was addressing SACP delegates during the party’s campaign launch at Phuthaditjhaba, QwaQwa in the Free State.
The launch of the South African Communist Party’s Red October campaign began with a visit to one of the local gravesides in Phuthaditjhaba.
National and provincial leaders visited and laid wreaths at the gravesite of Thabo Mofutsanyane, a former SACP General-Secretary.
Addressing those in attendence, Mapaila said the country cannot have a government, who is co-habiting with a system that brutalizes its inhabitants.
Mapaila also stressed the importance to affirm the struggle against capitalism as the primary struggle towards concrete real freedom.
“This issue on the crisis of living is causing a secondary problem in our society which is a mental health crisis. So, this campaign is actually addressing two crises, the crisis of inflation as well as a societal crisis of mental health. The rate of suicide, the general crisis of mental health particularly among young people and the poor is rising at an alarming rate that requires society to tackle this challenge. But the source of this is a rapacious so capitalist system that doesn’t care about the wellbeing of the society, except to continue to brutalize us.”
The Young Communist League (YCL) aligned themselves with this year’s Red October campaign theme of putting people first against the rising living costs.
YCL’s National Secretary Mzwandile Thakhudi says while they identify with the struggles, their aim is to create a powerful socialist movement for the workers and the poor.
“We do believe that in a socialist order, we will not have a situation of youth under development, youth poverty, youth unemployment. So, part of our issues today, mainly align ourselves with the theme, that we got to put the people first against the rising cost of living.”
The ANC’s NEC member, Febe Potgieter gave her message of support.
“Building of non-racial South Africa and SACP has been in the fore front to make sure our structures are non-racial. Issues such as land and water are part of that.”
Also in attendance was COSATU General-Secretary Solly Phetoe, explaining that it wasn’t an exaggeration when they stated that the working class is under siege.
He said it’s high time for the government to listen to the views of the alliance.
“It is not an exaggeration that the working class is under siege. As workers and working class, we’re under siege. We have seen with the international point price when it has increased, due to the cost of the war in Ukraine, the price increases in South Africa including the petrol price. As workers in this country comrades, we’re facing serious challenges.”
Phetoe say the ANC government must intensify their fight against corruption, with no inconsistencies while doing it.
