South African Communist Party general secretary Solly Mapaila
The South African Communist Party (SACP) will still back the ANC in the 2026 local government elections, in spite of dissatisfaction with its alliance partner’s governance and policies.
The party is preparing for its special national conference next month in Ekurhuleni, at which the alliance between the two organisations and labour federation Cosatu will be scrutinised.
In an interview with the Mail & Guardian this week, SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila confirmed that, while the organisation remains committed to the tripartite alliance, it has deep concerns over the ANC’s drift from liberation ideals and its adoption of what it calls neoliberal policies that favour corporate interests at the expense of the working class.
But he said the SACP would not leave the alliance, citing the concept of dual membership, which enables individuals to belong to both organisations, as a challenge.
Almost 95% of the SACP’s members also belong to the ANC. This has allowed members of the SACP, such as Blade Nzimande and Thulas Nxesi, to be appointed as ANC ministers in government.
The SACP has criticised the ANC’s involvement in the government of national unity (GNU) with parties including the Democratic Alliance (DA), which Mapaila described as a counter-revolutionary force. He argued that the ANC’s collaboration with the DA and other groups had undermined its revolutionary agenda.
Mapaila also has reservations about Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which he labelled as a “counter-revolutionary offensive or a fifth column”, accusing the former president of damaging the ANC’s credibility.
Zuma’s involvement in MK, which led to his expulsion from the ANC for contravening its constitution, was singled out as contributing to the ANC’s poor performance in the 29 May general elections and the loss of its 30-year parliamentary majority.
The general secretary took aim at the austerity measures adopted under the unity government, accusing the ANC of eroding public trust by adopting policies that deepen inequality and weaken public services.
“The GNU is a pact that serves capital, not the people,” he said, warning that what he called the ANC’s decision to prioritise corporate interests over transformative policies risked alienating its support base.
Economic inequality remains a major concern for the SACP.
Mapaila highlighted the inadequacy of the ANC’s land reform programme, describing it as a betrayal of the Freedom Charter.
“Land is the foundation of wealth and dignity. By failing to return it to its rightful owners, we remain complicit in neo-colonialism,” he said.
He argued that current policies disproportionately benefit an elite few, calling for a broader redistribution to address structural inequities.
In addition, Mapaila criticised the government’s black economic empowerment policies, saying the ANC had allowed them to enrich a small elite rather than benefit the broader population. He called for a shift to broad-based empowerment to achieve meaningful economic transformation.
He accused businesses of funding political parties to safeguard entrenched economic interests, citing donations from the wealthy Oppenheimer family to parties such as the DA and Inkatha Freedom Party.
“This is gangster politics, where the same few families and corporations bankroll every party to maintain their control over the economy,” he said.
“They should just fund any other party of their choice because it’s their money, but it’s not practically their money; it’s money from the exploitation of South Africa’s working class and mineral wealth that they acquired during the period of colonialism and even under apartheid.”
Despite his criticisms, Mapaila expressed hope for the renewal of South Africa’s revolutionary agenda and urged a return to the principles of the Freedom Charter, including state-led economic development, land redistribution and the establishment of a developmental state.
“We can’t give up. The ideals of communism and the revolution remain alive. The question is whether we have the courage to fight for them,” he said.
Mapaila said there was growing frustration within the SACP regarding the ANC’s dominance in the alliance and the sidelining of his party in policy decisions. This frustration, he said, has raised questions about the future of the alliance.
“Our members are angry. They see the ANC embracing policies that undermine the people’s revolution. The question we face is whether continuing this alliance is the right thing for the working class and the poor,” he said.
He warned that the ANC risked losing public support if it continued to ignore dissatisfaction with its governance.
“The people are watching and they are voting with their feet. If we do not course-correct, we risk losing everything we fought for.”
As the SACP heads into its special conference, the future of the alliance with the ANC remains uncertain. Mapaila hinted that the party might take decisive action if the ANC does not address its concerns.
“The revolution must serve the people, not the elite. If the ANC cannot uphold this mandate, then we must be ready to chart our own path,” he said.
The conference is expected to be a turning point, with the SACP’s continued support for the ANC becoming increasingly contingent on the ruling party’s commitment to addressing inequality, revisiting its neoliberal policies and pursuing meaningful land reform.