PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The South African Communist Party (SACP) has leveled serious allegations against the African National Congress (ANC), claiming that dual-membership cadres are facing systematic harassment ahead of the upcoming local government elections. Speaking at the party’s recent manifesto launch, SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila condemned the mounting pressure on allied cadres to abandon their SACP affiliations, warning that the historic tripartite alliance is fracturing under the weight of these political ultimatums.
Mapaila emphasized that the SACP will not tolerate the intimidation of its members simply for maintaining their ANC membership. He drew a sharp contrast regarding political tolerance, pointing out that the ANC readily accommodates right-wing opposition parties, such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus, within the Government of National Unity on a daily basis, yet aggressively polices its own communist partners.
This ideological clash has already triggered concrete punitive measures against prominent SACP figures. Madoda Sambatha, the newly elected SACP Provincial Secretary for the North West, and Dr. Chuene Malebana, the SACP Provincial Secretary for Limpopo, were recently stripped of their chairpersonships on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and the Health Portfolio Committee, respectively. Adding to the defiance, Dr. Malebana has openly refused to comply with an ANC directive demanding his resignation from the Limpopo provincial legislature.
The internal strife was visibly apparent during the SACP’s manifesto rollout, which saw the notable absence of several high-profile central committee members. Missing from the event were Stan Mathabatha, David Masondo, Polly Boshielo, and Blade Nzimande—all of whom currently hold ministerial or deputy ministerial positions in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration. Addressing the empty seats, Mapaila assured attendees that the majority of the central committee were in attendance and confirmed that Nzimande had subsequently submitted a formal apology for his absence.
Underscoring the depth of the current political fracture, a delegate representing the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) delivered a stark assessment of the alliance’s deteriorating dynamics. Highlighting the ideological splintering within the movement, the delegate remarked, “We have also learned that there can be red communist and yellow communist,” capturing the growing apprehension among traditional allies as the electoral battle intensifies.
