CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — As the SACP Cape Town local elections campaign enters its final stretch, the South African Communist Party is making a historic push to break the Democratic Alliance’s two-decade stronghold in the city. Despite having no previous governing footprint in the municipal council, the party is strategically targeting working-class communities to secure vital pockets of support ahead of the November 5 vote.
With only days remaining before the main ballot, the battle for the city council is intensifying. The electoral landscape is highly fragmented, with approximately 55 political parties and numerous independent candidates vying for voter support. Following the special voting sessions on November 4, the focus has shifted to final campaign pitches across the city’s diverse communities.
For the SACP, the strategy is highly targeted. Acknowledging that they cannot take on the entire city at once, party leadership is focusing on areas where they already possess a strong grassroots presence.
Anthony Dietrich, the SACP’s Western Cape provincial chairperson, noted that the local electoral base is experiencing significant fluidity. According to Dietrich, traditional parties are growing increasingly concerned about the erosion of their historical support bases as new political entrants like the SACP gain traction.
“Analytically, we are aware that the electoral base is shifting,” Dietrich explained. “We are strategically consistent in the sense that we are raising the voice of the working class. What has been eroded within the City of Cape Town is that voice; it has been muted.”
To capitalize on this shifting dynamic, the SACP has heavily focused its canvassing efforts on Khayelitsha, one of the fastest-growing townships in the country and a historical stronghold for the African National Congress (ANC). Dietrich highlighted that the Communist Party has historically been the backbone of campaign efforts in the area. However, he noted a distinct change in voter sentiment, suggesting that the ANC can no longer rely on its traditional approach in these upcoming elections.
The party reports that its localized strategy is yielding measurable results. Over the past two months, the SACP has conducted more than 20,000 canvassing engagements across various wards in the targeted areas. Dietrich stated that these interactions indicate a growing support base, claiming that up to 80% of the electorate they engaged with have expressed an intention to support the SACP.
While the party remains realistic about its chances of winning outright control of the entire city council, Dietrich described these targeted inroads as a crucial “entry point” or bridge into the broader governance of Cape Town.
The intense local campaigning in the Western Cape mirrors a broader national surge in political activity as parties make their final pitches. Across the country, rival factions are also mobilizing their bases, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who recently held a major rally addressed by party leader Julius Malema.
As the November 5 election day approaches, the SACP’s calculated push into Cape Town’s working-class hubs will be a key metric in determining whether the city’s long-standing political dynamics are truly ready for a shift.
