SACP’s Solo Bid: A Political Gamble or a Cry for Relevance
By: Noko Mabofa Maleka | Insight Jozi News The South African Communist Party (SACP) has made it clear: it intends to contest the 2026 municipal elections independently, breaking away from its historic alliance with the African National Congress (ANC). In a recent conversation with SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila, I put to him the question many political observers have been quietly asking: Isn’t it too late for the Communist Party to carve its own electoral path? After all, the SACP’s influence is deeply woven into the ANC’s political DNA. Many of its members not only carry ANC membership cards but also occupy influential positions in government, business, and ministerial offices—achievements made possible through their long-standing alignment with the governing party. Mapaila’s answer was resolute. He argued that the SACP can no longer meaningfully advance its communist vision from within the ANC, signalling a decisive ideological break. But while the SACP frames this mov...
