The ANC and its tripartite alliance partners are at loggerheads over comments made by the SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila on Monday.
Mapaila criticised the ANC’s decision to include the DA and the Freedom Front Plus in its government of national unity (GNU).
Speaking at the Nehawu national political school on Monday, Mapaila tore into the ANC, saying it had got into bed with neoliberal and colonial parties in the form of the DA and FF Plus.
But these remarks did not sit well with the ANC. In an interview with TimesLIVE Premium on Tuesday, the party said the remarks by Mapaila are not only unfortunate but also not a true reflection of events.
ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane said Mapaila knows the relevant platforms within the tripartite alliance to raise his concerns.
Mapaila told Nehawu members the ANC was now led by a dominant faction which was neoliberal and pro-austerity. He said this explained why the governing party opted to include the DA and the Freedom Front Plus in the GNU.
Mapaila accused the ANC of ignoring its inputs into the popular GNU statement of intent.
Mokonyane dismissed Mapaila’s comments, saying they were not a true reflection of the discussions that took place within the alliance.
Not only was the SACP consulted, she said, they were taken along throughout the entire process until President Cyril Ramaphosa formed his government.
“As a matter of fact, his assertions are far from the truth including how he puts what he says was his role. It is so incorrect and far from the facts. We arrived at a solution that circumstances have forced us to be at,” said Mokonyane.
It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation, but in keeping with how we should work and respect the autonomy of every organisation, an appropriate platform ... will be used to engage
— Nomvula Mokonyane, ANC deputy secretary-general
She bemoaned Mapaila for using the Nehawu event as a platform to air his frustrations with the ANC.She said ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula — who was also in attendance — should not have had to deal with such issues.
If there was a misunderstanding, the SACP should have raised its concerns within the alliance, she said.
Mokonyane said the ANC was under the impression it had adequately consulted its alliance partners throughout the process.
“The alliance went further to consult on the composition of the GNU and its final product including alliance partners making presentations on who they wanted from their respective organisations until the announcement by comrade president,” said Mokonyane.
“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation, but in keeping with how we should work and respect the autonomy of every organisation, an appropriate platform to further our allies — as it is the case with our structures — will be used to engage. No-one was included and no-one was excluded in the process.”
Asked to comment on the assertion that the dominant faction in the ANC was neoliberal, Mokonyane said she would not want to go toe-to-toe with Mapaila on the politics of what he deemed as progressive.
Mapaila had said the dominant neoliberal faction in the ANC had defeated the progressive left which was arguing for a minority coalition with the EFF to the exclusion of a colonial DA and Freedom Front Plus.
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