SACP ignores ANC pleas, presses on

The deepening rupture between the two was laid bare at the commemoration of Joe Slovo’s death

- Mandisa Nyathi

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has publicly defied efforts by the ANC to reverse its decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently, with the deepening rupture within the tripartite alliance that was laid bare at this week’s commemoration of Joe Slovo’s death.

SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila used the platform of the 31st anniversary on Tuesday to confirm that the party would proceed with preparations to go it alone, announcing that a manifesto conference would be held in March to finalise its local government election programme.

He said this in the presence of ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and despite sustained pressure from ANC leadership structures urging the SACP to abandon its plan to contest elections outside the tripartite alliance framework which also includes labour federation Cosatu.

Mapaila said the manifesto conference would bring together communities, trade unions, informal traders, youth, women, faith-based activists and other working-class formations to determine a “people’s manifesto” for municipalities, drawing applause from SACP supporters gathered at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto.

“Where we contest and where we govern, our approach will be clear: insourcing of workers rather than labour broking; participatory budgeting; land release for housing, agriculture and cooperatives; public employment programmes linked to social needs; support for cooperatives and township enterprises; firm action against corruption; and socially just responses to energy insecurity,” Mapaila said in his speech.

“Our commitment to the alliance remains firm. We recognise the historic unity forged in struggle between the SACP, ANC and Cosatu. But unity must be principled. We defend the alliance best when we defend the working class and advance socialist-oriented transformation.”