The ANC's national officials have warned the SACP it could suffer the same fate as former president Jacob Zuma should it choose to contest the next local government elections, its national working committee heard on Monday.
Insiders privy to Monday’s meeting said it considered whether it should recommend for its national executive committee (NEC) to enact its constitution against its oldest ally.
The ANC has been making attempts to persuade the SACP to reverse its decision to contest elections. The SACP took the decision during its special congress in December.
The decision was seen as a protest against the ANC for having failed to adhere to an alliance resolution for a reconfiguration which would see ANC allies enjoying the same powers.
The SACP has in the past raised concerns over its waning influence on policy direction.
Two insiders privy to the meeting said the NWC discussed whether it should treat the SACP as an opposition party. They said some in the NWC were of the view the ANC should cut ties with the SACP.
“There will be an alliance meeting but before that we are going to have another bilateral meeting with the SACP. There is inherent risk if the SACP contests elections. The SACP must know the implications of that decision, and that was made clear in the meeting,” one insider said.
Another party leader said the NWC also discussed whether the party would enact its constitution against the SACP, adding that ANC national officials had made clear the implications of the SACP’s decision in its bilateral meeting this week.
The ANC constitution states that standing in an election for local, provincial or national government, or acting as the election agent or canvasser for a person standing in such an election for any political party, and in opposition to a candidate endorsed by the ANC NEC or provincial executive committees, constitutes an act of misconduct for which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.
“In reality it means we must remove the SACP from the ANC. The SACP’s actions are no different from what Zuma has done,” the ANC leader said.
In reality it means we must remove the SACP from the ANC. The SACP’s actions are no different from what [former president Jacob] Zuma has done
— ANC leader
“It’s going to boil down to that because we can’t have people saying they have dual membership while they are contesting against the ANC.
“It was stressed to them to think this through. Since they claim this is their conference resolution, in reality this is what their conference resolution means.”
The insiders said the NWC also discussed whether the SACP’s decision to contest elections would have implications for those in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s executive.
“If you are in the executive and you campaign against the ANC it means you must be fired because you are campaigning against the ANC. These are the considerations for the SACP, and officials asked the SACP to make that reflection and come back to us,” they said.
Reports emerged that ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane chased away SACP members during an election strategy meeting in Mpumalanga.
Speaking to the media last week, Mokonyane said they appreciated the SACP decision, adding her actions had become normal practice in ANC strategy meetings.
Mokonyane said the ANC will not allow itself to be “Zuma-fied, where you sit with people who are going to contest and target the same constituency as you, planning with you on how to make sure there is higher voter turnout, your candidate is the best candidate and most importantly, we win the coming elections. There is nothing untoward and we will continue doing it,” she said.
The insiders said the NWC supported Mokonyane’s actions affirming Luthuli House’s decision to ban the SACP from attending its elections meetings.
Zuma was expelled from the ANC after he founded the MK Party in 2023, which aided in the ANC losing its majority in the 2024 general elections.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.