The South African Communist Party (SACP) will pay a heavy price and risks eliminating itself if it contests the 2026 local government elections outside its alliance with the ANC. This is according to national chairpersonGwede Mantashewho warned this week. Last year, the SACP resolved to contest the upcoming local government elections independently of its alliance partner, arguing that the former liberation movement had sold out by working with theDemocratic Alliancein thegovernment of national unityformed after the May 2024 general elections.
The Communist Party also says the ANC has undermined it when it comes to taking major decisions within the alliance, which also includes labour federation Cosatu. In a wide-ranging interview with the Mail & Guardian as the ANC prepared for celebrations at Moruleng Stadium in North West this weekend to mark the 114th anniversary of its formationon January 8, 1912, Mantashe, who has dual membership of both parties, said ditching the alliance could result in theSACP’s complete removal from the public space. “A few weeks ago, I said they are committing suicide and they are going to pay a heavy price for it and I’m convinced about that,” he said.
“Many of them are young and we are old communists. When we advise them, they don’t listen and they think we are too old-fashioned to understand the issues.” On Monday, during the commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the death of anti-apartheid activistJoe Slovo, who was a prominent member of both parties, ANC presidentCyril Ramaphosaalso warned the SACP that its decision to contest elections independently could weaken the broader liberation alliance and distract voters from the national democratic agenda. “The ANC is on record: the decision by a party to go alone in elections will, we believe, be a historic mistake.
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It can distract our people from knowing who to vote for and power could be wrested from our hands,” Ramaphosa said. He added that the alliance has been central to the country’s liberation struggle and all partners were custodians of a revolutionary project in which South Africans had invested hope and expectation. “We should always look at what can strengthen the alliance with a view to advancing the National Democratic Revolution,” Ramaphosa said.
“It is our responsibility as leaders and members of all alliance formations to continue working together in pursuit of this common objective.” Following theANC’s 5th national general council(NGC) in December, some internal ANC sources said the SACP’s decision could potentially divide the party itself, as some cabinet ministers and MECs currently serve in government under the ANC banner. The ANC has previously said it would not remove SACP members from government but it has raised concerns about loyalty, with some arguing that dual membership should be done away with. In his closing remarks at the NGC, Ramaphosa called on SACP members to recuse themselves from ANC election strategy processes.
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