SACP in Eastern Cape wants meeting with ANC after chief whip's removal

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape has called for an urgent alliance meeting with the ANC in the province after the removal of Mzolile Mrara as the ANC’s chief whip in the Bhisho Legislature.

Mrara‚ who is the SACP provincial chairman‚ was on Tuesday redeployed and swapped with education portfolio committee chairman Fudile Gade.

In a statement released after the announcement of his removal‚ SACP provincial spokesman Siyabonga Mdodi said that while the SACP recognised that he was as appointed as the ANC chief whip while serving as an ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) and provincial working committee (PWC) member‚ Mrara remained a provincial leader of the SACP.

Mrara is no longer an ANC PEC member after the chaotic elective provincial conference last year.

“We would have expected a meaningful consultative process that involves all alliance components not least the SACP. The manner in which the matter has been handled is rather insensitive and does not contribute in building a strong alliance‚” Mdodi said.

He said Mrara’s removal without proper consultation was further evidence that the SACP should contest elections independently.

“We wish to reiterate the view we expressed in our last PEC meeting‚ that we must all as alliance partners treat each other as equal partners with mutual respect‚ and that would require the leader of the alliance to assess the impact of its decisions on its allied formations‚” he said.