The South African Communist Party (SACP) has confirmed that it has no intention of deregistering as a political party despite a notice from the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to cancel its registration. (Photo by Laird Forbes/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
The leadership of the South African Communist Party (SACP) is once again grappling with the question of how it relates to its alliance partner, the ANC, in changing the political environment.
These debates are taking place at its special congress that is being held this week.
The ANC, labour federation Cosatu and the SACP have been in a formal alliance since the 1990s, continuing the relationship between the ANC, the SACP and the progressive trade union movement that developed during the struggle years.
The alliance has seen the ANC’s partners back it at the polls, in return for the political accommodation of their leadership and for a say in influencing economic, social welfare and other key policies.
The influence of Cosatu and the SACP over the ANC has waned since 1996, when Thabo Mbeki became party president and the so-called 96 Class Project took control of the governing party.
It was this dynamic — among other issues — that forced the SACP and Cosatu into the arms of Jacob Zuma, whom they backed against Mbeki at the ANC conference in Polokwane in 2007.
The promised power and influence never materialised, with Zuma favouring his friends and his kitchen cabinet rather than the alliance, and both parties went on to join the calls for his recall.
The advent of Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC presidency in 2017 improved relations, but the party’s decision to enter a government of national unity with the Democratic Alliance
and the Freedom Front Plus after losing its majority on 29 May appears to have pushed the SACP to the brink of going it alone.
The SACP has threatened to do so before, registering with the Electoral Commission of South Africa, but this intent to contest the 2026 local government elections is real.
The SACP is asking important questions of itself but, like the other parties busy with political activities this week — and those threatening to walk out of the government of national unity — it should also be asking itself what material benefit its decisions will bring to those it will be asking to vote for the party come the 2026 local government elections.
It is this issue — and not theatrics and manoeuvring for proximity to power — that should be topping the SACP’s agenda this week.