Our Viewpoint | The tripartite alliance

At the dawn of democracy and in the decade that followed, the alliance between the ANC, SACP and Cosatu served a clear and important role. It brought together liberation movements under a broad ideological umbrella at a time when unity was essential to stabilise a fragile transition. But even then, it was never seamless.

Cracks and tensions were present from the start, as the ANC sought to hold an increasingly strained centre. Today, that arrangement sits awkwardly and is politically incongruent with the realities of a modern South Africa — one that is pluralistic, contested and diverse, and no longer defined by a singular struggle. The alliance was built on compromise.

More precisely, it was built on a conflicted paradox: partners were required to compromise to maintain unity, often at the expense of their own mandates and constituencies. Nowhere was this more evident than in labour. Cosatu’s proximity to the ruling party weakened its ability to act as an independent and forceful voice for workers.

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Legitimate grievances raised on the floor were too often diluted in outcomes. For the SACP, the alliance meant that its socialist outlook remained neutered as the government increasingly embraced neo-liberal global frameworks. Having seats in Cabinet effectively silenced SACP leaders whose rhetoric was more bark than bite.

The alliance reality was a trade-off — influence and positions in exchange for muted dissent. In the end, it was the ANC that held the centre, and the balance tilted accordingly. That balance has now shifted.

The ANC is under growing electoral pressure and is unlikely to sustain outright dominance. The emergence of coalition politics, and the formation of a government of national unity, has turned the alliance dynamic on its head. At the same time, alliance partners — particularly the SACP — are recalibrating.

There is a clear tactical shift towards contesting elections independently, with an eye on future strategic alignment within broader coalition negotiations after the November local government elections. Whether the ANC likes it or not, the power of labour, coupled with a resurgence of a Marxist-influenced posture, may ultimately help the party hold the centre in coalition negotiations that will follow November’s local government elections. Midway to the next general election, the ANC can no longer have its cake and eat it.

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