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The coming weekend marks the 7th anniversary of the cowardly murder of the late General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), Comrade Chris Hani.

This year’s commemoration comes at a time when the working class movement is fighting job losses and when the ANC-led Alliance is focusing on job creation and the eradication of poverty. As the SACP Central Committee meeting of the last weekend noted "We welcome the more positive signs of growth in the economy, with projected average growth of 3,5% for the next three years. This projected growth offers us an important window of opportunity. However, decisive action is required to ensure that this growth turns out to be more than just temporary, modest and cyclical. The challenges of chronic structural unemployment, poverty and inequality
require sustained and increased growth rates linked to development."

Indeed, Chris was a fighter against job losses and poverty. He fought for socialism and people’s power. For him socialism was not big words or concepts. In his own words, "Socialism is not about big concepts and heavy theory. Socialism is about decent shelter for those who are homeless. It is about water for those who have no safe drinking water. It is about health
care, it is about a life of dignity for the old. It is about overcoming the huge divide between urban and rural areas. It is about education for all our people. Socialism is about rolling back the tyranny of the market. As long as the economy is dominated by an un-elected, privileged few, the case for socialism will exist." Born in rural poverty, Chris Hani never forgot his roots. He was a leader who listened to the homeless, the jobless, the landless, to women no less than men.

As we fight against poverty and job losses, let us never forget the ideals for which Chris Hani lived and died. The party of Chris Hani says ­ We support the COSATU campaign against job losses and for job creation. The party of workers and the poor says - Job losses contribute to poverty, misery and deepening inequalities. The party of socialism says ­ Workers and the poor need a strong SACP and the SACP needs revolutionary workers to fight for socialism. Therefore workers and the poor must join and build the SACP.

To commemorate Hani’s life, the SACP will be holding 26 commemorative events over the next 2 weekends, all across our country. The main event will be held at Lulekani Stadium, Phalaborwa, Northern Province on 09 April 2000 starting at 10h00. This event will be addressed by the SACP General Secretary, Blade Nzimande and the premier of the Northern Province, Ngoako Ramathlodi.