This past week, three Left-leaning political parties offered starkly different visions of South Africa’s future.
It appears that the idea of unity is interpreted quite differently by each of them. The gatherings of the EFF, MKP and the SACP gave us new insights on how these parties see the future of political collaboration in the country.
The SACP continues its ambiguous stance — threatening to break away from its alliance with the ANC yet remaining firmly entrenched within it. This duality feels like a troubled partner in a marriage threatening to leave while still sharing the marital home. The rhetoric is puzzling as they waver between affirming their alliance and acting independently while doing what they have done for years: threatening to go it alone.
Dual membership, often cited as an excuse, only adds to the confusion. A meaningful departure from the alliance would require clear direction and purpose, neither of which seems forthcoming. Quite frankly, there seems to be no principle involved as senior members of the SACP are beneficiaries of the very GNU they despise.
Why have they not called on their members to withdraw from what they deem to be a sell-out arrangement?
The MK Party also sends mixed signals. Their calls for black unity seem counterproductive when they actively recruit leaders from potential allies, particularly the EFF. Such actions appear more focused on weakening the EFF than fostering genuine collaboration. Unity among black political parties should aim for a common goal, not internal competition. The growing hostility between the EFF and MK only serves to fracture an already fragile opposition.
As the MK Party completes one year in the political arena, it has surprised many in terms of its electoral performance. Over the past three decades we have seen that such a quick rise to the top needs to be glued together by a strong sense of unity. The MK Party is going in the wrong direction in terms of poor internal democracy where everything in centred on the leader and other leaders are removed willy nilly from their positions, including people who were in parliament.
There have been far too many leadership changes in one year and there is no coherent explanation of why the party won't go to an elective conference. This has all the hallmarks of the disintegrated COPE that failed over similar leadership disputes and poor internal democracy.
If a party that advocates for black unity does not itself have internal coherence, what on earth are its chances of uniting multiple political parties?
If a party that advocates for black unity does not itself have internal coherence, what on earth are its chances of uniting multiple political parties?
On the other hand, the EFF has started articulating a more substantive vision. Julius Malema has argued that the label “progressive” should not be automatically bestowed upon black political parties; it must be earned through meaningful action.
Malema has accused the MK Party of using its call for black unity as a ploy to divide the EFF, an accusation denied by Dali Mpofu who is alleged to have masterminded the plan.
This approach is a departure from what the EFF always called for. Despite what they think of the ANC, they are working with them in Gauteng and recently offered them their votes to change the constitution. This approach meant that the EFF had always prioritised the black agenda despite superficial political differences.
One does not have to wonder too much about what has happened. There seem to be two bulls in the kraal of uniting the left poised to undermine each other. This alone is a threat to the unity project.
The differing interpretations of unity among these three parties make the Left’s project of collaboration increasingly unlikely. Political egos and strategic manoeuvring appear to be the real obstacles.
Yet it’s worth noting that these parties share significant overlaps on economic policies, including nationalisation and land reform. Their differences seem more rooted in personality clashes than ideological divide.
The fact that leaders could straddle the parties so seamlessly suggest strongly that the ideological differences should not be keeping them apart in any way, given the critical challenges faced by our society.
In politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies. The possibility of reconciliation remains, particularly with the 2029 elections on the horizon.
If Herman Mashaba, who once vowed never to collaborate with the ANC, could lead his party into alliances with them in two major metros, then perhaps Malema could one day shake hands with Jacob Zuma — or even Cyril Ramaphosa — if circumstances demand it.
These seemingly far-fetched scenarios could become reality if the progressive Left prioritises the goal of achieving a national democratic society over personal differences.
The real enemies of the revolution are not bothered — in fact they are extremely happy about these fractures in the Left as the unity of these forces has already been labelled a doomsday scenario for South Africa and was used as a rooi and swart gevaar electioneering ticket that seems to have succeeded so far on the back of black parties failing to unite for a common revolutionary goal.
In the meantime, we are left to wonder: who on the Left will blink first?
For opinion and analysis consideration, email Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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