CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) has firmly declared its backing for the South African Communist Party (SACP) ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE). This decisive political stance, announced by the union’s newly elected national leadership, underscores a renewed commitment to a progressive socialist agenda and marks a clear departure from the African National Congress (ANC), which NEHAWU argues has strayed from the foundational goals of the national democratic revolution.
The mandate was established last month during NEHAWU’s 13th national congress. The gathering, which featured more than 600 delegates representing a membership base of nearly 290,000 workers, formally elected new national office bearers and solidified the union’s political trajectory. Leadership emphasized that the current political climate demands a definitive stand in defense of pro-working-class and socialist ideologies.
A central factor in this realignment is NEHAWU’s assessment of the newly formed Government of National Unity (GNU). The congress determined that the GNU highlights a shifting balance of political power and a persistent decline in public trust. This erosion of confidence, the union argues, is the direct result of decades of neoliberal economic frameworks that have consistently failed to address South Africa’s triple crisis of poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
Highlighting the long-term impact of these policies, the union noted that nearly thirty years after the implementation of the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) framework, the nation still battles severe joblessness, expanding inequality, crumbling public services, and rising social unrest. NEHAWU concluded that these are not accidental outcomes, but the inevitable results of an economic system that places corporate profit above human welfare.
NEHAWU spokesperson Saphetha outlined the union’s actionable priorities moving forward. He affirmed that the organization will aggressively oppose any resistance to the National Health Insurance (NHI) rollout. Furthermore, NEHAWU remains committed to overhauling the post-school education and training sector, championing free and quality public education, and pushing back against austerity measures within the public service.
Reinforcing the ideological roots of this decision, leadership stated, “Ours is socialism, and that socialism is led by the vanguard party of the working class, which is the South African Communist Party.” This principle, they explained, grounds their revolutionary approach both domestically and globally. While the union has backed the SACP since 1994, leaders acknowledged an anticipated disjunction within the broader political alliance, asserting that NEHAWU will invariably align with the left when such fractures occur.
The union maintained that true development, decent work, and quality public services can only be delivered by a capable developmental state centered on the needs of the poor and the working class. Regarding its broader labor movement dynamics, NEHAWU clarified that it engages with the political alliance through its COSATU affiliation. However, the union stressed that it does not require ANC approval to declare its political position, as the national congress is the supreme decision-making authority of the organization.
While NEHAWU anticipates continuing discussions within COSATU—and acknowledges that the federation may ultimately reach its own consensus on electoral matters—the union’s resolution remains unshakable. Even with varying perspectives among other COSATU affiliates, NEHAWU stands resolute, actively implementing its decision to mobilize its members on the ground in unwavering support of the SACP for the 2026 local elections.