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The South African Communist Party (SACP) wishes Comrade Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a stalwart of our struggle, a happy 80th birthday, 26 September 2016. On behalf of its more than quarter one million members and as a continuously growing working class political party, the SACP wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Comrade Winnie Madikizela-Mandela for the entire period of her life that she dedicated in serving our struggle for national liberation and social emancipation, including the struggle to end all forms and manifestation of patriarchal domination and manipulation.

The SACP wishes to take this opportunity to call for the reinvigoration of the vitally important efforts to build a progressive women’s movement. Women are on the receiving end of the triple brunt of capitalist inequality, unemployment and poverty, as well as of the worst forms of economic exploitation, including casualisation, labour brokering, fronting, and phenomena such as that of the so-called blessers who socially exploit young women based on sex. The importance a progressive women’s movement can play in fighting this misery of exploitation and patriarchal domination and manipulation cannot be over-emphasised.

All of society, men and women fighting side by side must strengthen democratic efforts towards the realisation of the principle of non-sexism in every sphere of human activity.
As the SACP, we believe that delivery on these tasks will be one of the best birthday presents as we celebrate the 80th birthday of Comrade Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and look forward to many more to come! 

        
Issued by the SACP