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THE South African Communist Party (SACP) will run candidates in next year’s local government elections, it was announced today.
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila told a special congress of the party in Boksburg that a decision had been taken to break the long-standing alliance with the African National Congress (ANC) for those elections.
The decision follows a bilateral meeting with the ANC on November 24, where the SACP outlined its dissatisfaction with the current government of national unity.
Mr Mapaila said: “After the special national congress, the political bureau and central committee will delve into tactical details for 2026.
“We want to contest elections to win them and drive a radical social transformation agenda that serves the majority, not the interests of the few.”
Mr Mapaila told congress delegates that the ANC has failed to treat its alliance partners with respect and equality.
“They see us as kitchen girls and garden boys,” he said.
The SACP has also become increasingly concerned about the policy direction being taken by the ANC, including its recent collaboration with the right-wing Democratic Alliance (DA) in government.
Mr Mapaila said the SACP believed the partnership with the DA betrayed the foundational values of the tripartite alliance between the SACP, ANC and the Confederation of South African Trade Unions that was the driving force behind the defeat of South Africa’s racist apartheid regime.
He said: “The poor working-class communities are aggrieved about access to means of production and sharing in the wealth of the country.”
Despite the SACP decision, bilateral talks between the party and the ANC will continue, with a review set for January 2025.
“There’s no turning back for us to contest the 2026 local government elections,” Mr Mapaila told Eyewitness News.
He said the SACP aims to address socioeconomic disparities, focusing on the marginalised majority. “Our campaign will prioritise the interests of workers, women and youth, steering away from capitalist-driven agendas.”
