Sanco KZN Provincial Secretary, Sizwe Cele, announces the decision to cut ties with the ANC, citing leadership failures and lack of consultation. Picture: Khaya Ngwenya/Independent Newspapers
The South African Civic Organisation (Sanco) in KwaZulu-Natal has officially cut ties with the African National Congress (ANC) in the province, citing the party’s failure to consult with its alliance partners on key decisions.
This move follows months of frustration with the ANC's leadership, both at the provincial and national levels.
Sanco describes the alliance as "dysfunctional" and says it no longer has a meaningful role in decision-making processes.
However, Sanco has emphasised that this decision only affects its relationship with the ANC in KZN, not the broader alliance.
In an interview on Newzroom Afrika, Sizwe Cele, Sanco's provincial secretary in KZN, explained that the decision came after repeated attempts to engage with the ANC.
"We have been trying since last year to get the ANC to come to the table and discuss key issues with us, but they have consistently failed to engage. This failure to consult, especially on key service delivery issues, has led to a situation where we have no choice but to formally cut ties," Cele said.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) and Cosatu, both part of the tripartite alliance with the ANC, have also expressed similar frustrations, though they have not yet taken the drastic step of cutting ties.
Cele noted that Sanco had attempted to hold joint meetings with the ANC, but the party’s leadership had either ignored their calls or failed to attend meetings.
The lack of consultation, Cele pointed out, has had serious consequences, including the poor election results in the recent provincial elections, where the ANC received just 17% of the vote in KZN.
A key point of contention for Sanco is the failure of the ANC to discuss important issues like job creation, water provision, and other basic service delivery matters.
Cele stressed that these were "bread and butter issues" for communities, and without proper consultation, the ANC is neglecting its responsibilities to its alliance partners and the people it governs.
In response to these concerns, Mafika Mndebele, spokesperson for the ANC in KZN, rejected the claims made by Sanco, accusing the organisation of blackmail and personal political manoeuvering.
“It is threatening that we are here today, responding to over a year of provocation from Sanco,” Mndebele said.
He claimed that the ANC had always been open to discussions and pointed out that the alliance had made progress in developing a program of action.
"The problem began after the provincial list conference, where Sanco's provincial secretary demanded to be placed at the top of the list, despite not securing enough votes. When the ANC refused, the response from Sanco was to threaten us with a public attack."
Mndebele also accused Sanco of focusing too much on personal ambitions, claiming that the leadership of the organisation was more interested in gaining personal positions, such as cabinet posts or director roles, rather than working for the collective good of the alliance.
"The real issue here is that Sanco is trying to blackmail the ANC into giving them personal positions," he said.
Mndebele also addressed the concerns about the ANC's failure to meet with Sanco, explaining that the party had reached out to Sanco at various points.
However, Sanco was accused of not attending important meetings, including a national meeting convened by the ANC after the general elections.
Mndebele suggested that the real issue was not a failure of the ANC to engage but rather Sanco's internal struggles with its leadership.
The ANC spokesperson acknowledged that the province had faced challenges, but emphasised that the focus should be on finding solutions to those challenges, rather than engaging in internal conflicts.
"We are always open to discussion, but Sanco must come to the table with a program of action, not just personal demands," Mndebele said.
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