THE Congress of SA Trade Unions has repeated its call to help rebuild the SA Communist Party so that it can perform its organisational tasks.

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi yesterday said that the federation valued the SACP and was concerned about its health and contribution to the workers' struggle.

"Cosatu agreed to work with the SACP to redefine a clear strategy to rebuild the capacity of the SACP to equal the task of leading the working class at this critical stage of the revolution," Vavi said at the end of the federation's central executive meeting.

There had been concerns about the absence of SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande to lead party programmes full-time since he was appointed minister of higher education.

His deputy, Jeremy Cronin, also serves in government as deputy minister of transport.

Vavi defended Cosatu's perceived interference and its objections to an inactive SACP. "We have no doubt that our allies and comrades in the SACP will never value an ally who always uncritically nods its head at everything that our ally decides," he said.

Vavi said Cosatu and the SACP would convene a socialist commission to clarify how the road to socialism should be mapped out.