Frank Maponya

Frank Maponya

The SACP in Limpopo has challenged the party's central executive committee (CEC) to conduct proper investigations before arriving at crucial decisions that have the potential to tear the party apart.

This follows an "unpopular" decision by the CEC at the weekend to disband the provincial executive committee on allegations that it was dysfunctional. The provincial structure came out with guns blazing and accused the CEC of waging a witch-hunt against its members.

They said the CEC had colluded with the the Young Communist League to dissolve the provincial leadership structure.

SACP provincial secretary Justice Pitso said the decision to disband the provincial structure was based on a report presented to the central committee by a task team that was established earlier this year. The task team was established to look into the alleged disunity between the SACP and the YCL in the province, and the "unsanctioned" political school of the SACP in the province.

The school related to the decision two years ago to invite President Thabo Mbeki to address party members, which allegedly did not go down well with the YCL.

"We strongly believe that in this case the central committee was misled by the task team," said Pitso, who is also MEC for roads and transport in the province.

Pitso said the task team process was flawed "and at best a witch-hunt from the beginning as it was informed by two main things".

"Firstly it was made after the invitation of Mbeki to our school two years ago. Later, the YCL's national congress in December 2006 recommended the disbandment of the SACP in Limpopo in protest to Mbeki's invitation."

SACP national spokesman Malesela Maleka could not be reached for comment.