[DEBATE] : The Party Rocks!

[Dominic Tweedie]

17 May 2009


SACP STATEMENT ON THE VODACOM DEAL


The SACP would like to join COSATU in expressing outrage at the most
scandalous act of the selling off of Telkom shares in Vodacom to
Vodafone.

The SACP supports the move taken by COSATU to apply for an urgent
interdict to stop this deal. We further wish to pledge our full
support to the call made by COSATU for a full boycott of VODACOM
should the listing go ahead. to this end we will mobilize all our
members and generally the workers and the poor of our country to
change their subscription from Vodacom to other networks. It is in the
interest of salvaging our state owned enterprises from the capitalist
greed that our people must stand in their numbers and oppose this
deal. Gone are the days when narrow transactions would be undertaken
in the interest of the parasitic bourgeoisie. We have entered an era
where it must be people first.

We welcome the move by ICASA to hold public hearings on the deal. We
however find it strange that when ICASA has in the past taken
positions against government, nobody ever raised an eyebrow. However,
when the regulator takes a principled stance against private capital
it is being accused of succumbing to political pressure. This is
double standards of the worst kind.

We are also more worried as the SACP at the manner in which this deal
and the proceeds thereof are seemingly geared to finance COPE.

In addition to the ICASA hearing we are calling on the incoming
administration (especially the Minister of Communication) to
investigate to investigate the circumstances under which this deal was
concluded and who the real beneficiaries are. This deal goes against
the spirit of the call made by our President in his inaugural address
where he calls for more public participation.

Issued by the SACP

Malesela Maleka

SACP Spokesperson – 082 226 1802