Ramaphosa ‘concerned’ as SACP eyes 2026 polls, but Mapaila is fed up of ANC’s empty promises

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says the party is still struggling to understand the decision by the South African Communist Party (SACP) to contest the upcoming 2026 local government elections independently, and is concerned about the SACP's decision not to back the ANC at the polls.

“The National Executive Committee took time to have an in-depth discussion on the decision of the South African Communist Party to contest the forthcoming elections independent of the ANC,” he said.

Ramaphosa made the comments following the party’s four-day National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Germiston Civic Centre on Monday.

“We recognise that the South African Communist Party is an independent political organisation that has the right to contest elections as it sees fit,” he said.

He added that the ANC has no desire or intention to interfere with the SACP’s decision, but “as we have indicated to the South African Communist Party, our ally, we disagree with the decision”.

“We believe that this decision has fundamental implications for the strategy and programme of the National Democratic Revolution and the alliance that has led the struggle for liberation in our country since the 1920s,” he said.

“While the alliance between the SACP and the ANC has spanned the better part of a century, this is not about the past. It is not about nostalgia,” Ramaphosa said.

He said the ANC is “seriously concerned” that the SACP contesting the elections in its own name will “significantly weaken the forces for national democratic change”.

Ramaphosa’s comments follow remarks by SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila, who said plans are on track for the party to contest the 2029 general elections independently. 

He said they have been having “meaningless meetings” with the ANC, claiming the party has failed to implement alliance decisions.

Speaking at the SACP’s 104th birthday celebration at KwaDlangezwa Community Hall outside eMpangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday, Mapaila said the party’s 2022 congress had resolved that it should contest elections.

“The problem here is that we meet and agree on something, but we don’t see the implementation of what we agreed upon as the alliance. I’m sick and tired of attending meaningless meetings,” he said.

He accused the ANC of arrogance and recounted how, after Jacob Zuma became ANC and state president in 2009, the SACP had requested control of the arts and culture department to help promote indigenous languages. 

However, Mapaila said SACP ministers in ANC-led departments could not act independently and had limited impact.

He said the failure to promote indigenous languages was evident in how people are often addressed in English, even if they do not understand it.

Mapaila also criticised the ANC’s failure to return land to the people, calling this the core reason for poverty among black South Africans.

“The time for working-class representation in the state has come. The reason people are poor is because their land was taken away, and no one is bringing their land back. We cannot accept that - and if you accept that, please review your communism,” Mapaila said.

He added that while the SACP would never leave the tripartite alliance, it was unfair to blame him personally for the decision to contest elections, saying it was a resolution passed at the party’s congress, even though he had personally opposed it.

Meanwhile, the SACP’s ally, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), said its upcoming congress would determine whether it will continue supporting the ANC or back the SACP.

Ramaphosa said the ANC would continue to engage the SACP on how they will approach the 2026 local government elections.

“We will go out from this meeting to explain our position to our structures at every level of our organisation so that comrades, members of the ANC, are empowered to explain the challenge this poses to our transformation agenda,” he said.

He added that the ANC is determined to ensure these developments do not divide the movement or cause instability.

“We reiterate that the SACP members who hold ANC membership are full members of our movement, with the same rights and duties as any other ANC member - rights and responsibilities that are clearly stated in our constitution.”

Ramaphosa said the ANC would continue to work to fully understand the SACP’s decision and seek opportunities for cooperation ahead of the 2026 polls.

Mapaila has repeatedly voiced strong disappointment over the ANC’s coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Government of National Unity (GNU).

He previously said that this decision was the reason the Communist Party chose to contest the upcoming local elections independently.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

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