By Simon Nare
The ANC continues to express its frustration with its ally, the SA Communist Party (SACP), which has resolved to contest next year’s Local Government Elections independently.
In his closing remarks at the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Monday, party president Cyril Ramaphosa said although the party recognised the SACP as an independent political organisation that has the right to contest elections, the resolution was bound to cause divisions and confusion within the tripartite alliance.
Ramaphosa said that while the ANC disagreed with SACP, it had no intention of interfering with the decision.
“We believe that this decision has fundamental implications for the strategy and programme of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) and the alliance that has led the struggle for liberation in our country since the 1920s,” Ramaphosa told NEC members, who included former president Thabo Mbeki.
“While the alliance between the SACP and the ANC has spanned the better part of a century, this is not about the past. It is not about nostalgia. As the ANC we are seriously concerned that this decision taken by the SACP to participate in elections in their own name and right will weaken significantly the forces for national democratic change.”
The party’s president said the NEC discussed the matter and resolved to continue engaging with the SACP on how it planned to contest the elections.
He added that the NEC had decided that the party should go to its structures and explain the impact of the SACP’s resolution.
“We are determined to ensure that these developments do not divide our movement or cause instability,” said Ramaphosa.
“We reiterate that SACP members who hold ANC membership are full members of our movement, with the same rights and duties as any other ANC member as contained in our constitution.”
ANC leaders have warned that the party could be compelled to invoke its constitution when addressing the SACP’s decision to contest elections.
On Sunday, SACP’s General Secretary, Solly Mapaila, said plans were on track for the party to contest the 2026 municipal elections independently.
He said that this followed years of broken promises and unilateral decisions by the ANC.
“The time for working-class representation in the state has come. The reason people are poor is because their land was taken away, and no one is bringing their land back. We cannot accept that – and if you accept that, please review your communism,” Mapaila said.
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