South African Communist Party to run in 2026 local elections independently of ANC

The South African Communist Party (SACP) will run candidates in local government elections in 2026, it was announced Thursday.

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 Nov. 24, where the SACP outlined its dissatisfaction with the current government of national unity.

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.”

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.

Though it will run its own candidates, the SACP is not breaking away from the Tripartite Alliance, consisting of the ANC, the SACP, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). The union federation has not yet indicated where it stands on the question of the 2026 elections.

“We are not leaving the relationship, but we are freeing ourselves from the abuse; We will now engage independently as an organization,” Mapaila 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.

Mapaila said the SACP believed the partnership with the DA betrayed the foundational values of the Tripartite Alliance, which 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. However, “there’s no turning back for us to contest the 2026 local government elections,” Mapaila told Eyewitness News.

He said the SACP aims to address socioeconomic disparities, focusing on the marginalized majority. “Our campaign will prioritize the interests of workers, women, and youth, steering away from capitalist-driven agendas.”

Morning Star