It was incorrect to refer to the Jacob Zuma presidency as nine wasted years.
Instead, outgoing SACP general secretary, Blade Nzimande noted that there was a lot of good done during that time. He says that during that time, the Zuma administration had rolled out antiretrovirals and increased life expectancy in South Africa.
Nzimande says that the presidency had spent about a trillion rand in a five-year period, which had cushioned the country from the global meltdown.
“The SACP and Cosatu’s five priorities at the time, which had included education, health, and rural development, had been embraced during Zuma’s tenure” said Nzimande.
Meanwhile, political analyst, Angelo Fick says that the SACP had failed to embody its socialist ideals.
He says that this is evident in the increased rate of poverty in the country. The SACP forms part of the tripartite alliance with Cosatu and the ANC.
But the party has taken a back seat when guiding the ANC on policies aimed at growing the country.
The SACP is holding its 15th national conference in Boksburg.
