Johannesburg - South African Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande took a swipe at the Mail & Guardian newspaper over its report on Friday about the party regretting its decision to back President Jacob Zuma over former president Thabo Mbeki.
According to the newspaper, there were deep divisions within the SACP about how it should align itself with the ANC, and whether it should contest national elections in its own name.
Nzimande accused the newspaper of “gutter journalism”.
“The M&G reports that we [SACP] are sorry to have supported Zuma and are planning to dump him as the SACP…this is devious gutter journalism,” he told thousands gathered at the Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter.
“I agree with comrade [Fikile] Mbalula that we should not lower our guards as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, we must expose all these forces that seeks to bring down our movement,” said Nzimande.
The SACP would discuss whether it should continue cooperating with the newspaper’s journalists, he said.
“This is the same newspaper that told people to go out and vote last year, but to not vote for the ANC…the Mail & Guardian is trying to divide the ANC and the SACP.”
The tripartite alliance - the ANC, SACP and Cosatu - is scheduled to hold an alliance summit over the weekend.
ANA