Despite SACP saying they will solely contest the local elections without the African National Congress (ANC), the ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said they will not unplug the SACP members who are serving as ministers and others working in government from their positions, because it would be apolitical.
This come after a frustrated SACP announced last week that they would be contesting the upcoming 2026 local government elections without the ANC.
The SACP raised its concerns and dissatisfaction about the Government of National Unity (GNU) that included the Democratic Alliance (DA).
According to the SACP, the DA did not represent the constituency of the ANC nor did it represent the black majority.
The communist party’s general secretary Solly Mapaila said the decision to contest the elections was taken last year because they wanted to support the ANC in the May 29 national and provincial elections.
This is not the first time the communist party is contesting the elections. In 2017, the SACP contested the election in Metsimaholo in the Free State.
However, the contest turned out to be a flop because it could not win a single ward of the 21 wards that were contested.
The ANC retained all the 16 wards that they were already controlling while the DA also retained its five wards that they were in charge of.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ANC National Working Committee (NWC) and Gauteng PEC in Boksburg on Monday, Mbalula said they were not going to remove anyone.
"As much as members of the ANC are members of the SACP, they are here on their own, so we are not going to remove anyone because of their membership of the SACP.
"We are not going to do that. It will be an apolitical unprincipled position," he said.
Mbalula reiterated that they would assess the implications on their relationship because contesting against them was not a good thing.
"When you are contesting elections, what it means is that you contest elections with ANC being your ally and leading, so what it means is that you are going to contribute to the opposition. So we need to examine the reasons," he said.
Mbalula maintained that the matter will be discussed and finalised in January because of its back-to-back engagements.
"We will do everything possible to undermine a decision that will undermine the decision that will have dire consequences for the alliance," he said.
The SACP is expected to host its special national congress this week in Boksburg.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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