The South African Communist Party (SACP) says the electorate has sent a loud and clear message to the ANC-led alliance whose decline would accelerate "unless serious soul searching and corrective action is undertaken". A preliminary assessment of the local government elections by the SACP's political bureau‚ released on Thursday‚ said that core constituencies and historical supporters had sent a powerful message. "The message is quite clear: Don't take us for granted‚" said the party. "Don’t assume that your struggle credentials will forever act as an excuse for arrogance and predatory behaviour in the present. Don't marginalise us while being preoccupied with your own internal factional battles‚ your list processes‚ your personality and money driven rivalries."Don't impose unpopular and discredited candidates on us‚ based on factional calculations about next year's ANC elective conference."The assessment was based on‚ amongst other things‚ field reports from party structures that had campaigned over months for an ANC victory.Party spokesman Alex Mashilo said in a statement that the ANC-led alliance had to "demonstrate in both word and especially in deed that we have heard the message‚ loud and clear".While the ANC had won 54% of the overall vote‚ more than double that of the nearest opposition party‚ now was the time for serious soul searching and corrective action."But if the ANC still remains the electoral choice of a majority of the South African electorate‚ the steady decline in support over recent elections‚ and now a precipitous decline indicate that‚ unless serious soul searching and corrective action is undertaken‚ the decline will continue and likely accelerate‚" said the statement.All leadership‚ including ANC provincial leaders‚ had to shoulder responsibility‚ rather than point fingers at each other‚ said the SACP."Likewise‚ at the national level‚ it is important that an honest assessment is undertaken. To what extent have national errors affected local electoral behaviour? Is it true that only a black urban intelligentsia is concerned about Nkandla‚" asked the party?..