JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The South African Communist Party’s (SACP) historic decision to launch an independent election contest is introducing a complex new dynamic to the country’s political landscape, potentially fracturing the long-standing ANC-led Tripartite Alliance. The communist party recently reaffirmed its position to contest the upcoming elections independently, officially filing over 4,000 candidates. The move […]
JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The South African Communist Party’s (SACP) historic decision to launch an independent election contest is introducing a complex new dynamic to the country’s political landscape, potentially fracturing the long-standing ANC-led Tripartite Alliance.
The communist party recently reaffirmed its position to contest the upcoming elections independently, officially filing over 4,000 candidates. The move has placed Federation COSATU in a difficult position, with the labor federation acknowledging that an electoral battle between its alliance partners is highly problematic. COSATU has announced that a meeting is planned in two weeks to formally discuss the SACP’s independent candidacy.
Political analyst Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast described the SACP’s independent election contest as a “breath of fresh air” in the history of the Tripartite Alliance. He contextualized the move by pointing to the 1922 Rand Strike, where the communist party initially sided with white workers before eventually being subsumed under the ANC’s leadership and accepting the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). According to Prof. Breakfast, both the SACP and COSATU have long argued that they are bullied by the ANC making unilateral decisions without their knowledge, prompting this strategic shift.
Despite the ideological divergence, Prof. Breakfast warned that the SACP and the ANC are ultimately “fishing from the same boat” by targeting the working class in townships and rural areas. He cautioned that the SACP’s independent run could erode the ANC’s core voter base, potentially making the ruling party the biggest loser at the polls.
Furthermore, the analyst expressed skepticism regarding the SACP’s strategy to monopolize the youth vote. He noted that younger, predominantly unemployed voters no longer cast ballots based on historical romanticism or past glorification. Instead, they demand tangible benefits and have previously punished the ANC for failing to honor service delivery commitments.
To win over the working class, the SACP plans to leverage critical issues such as de-industrialization, tender corruption, and revelations from the Madanga Commission of Inquiry. Prof. Breakfast praised the SACP’s inclusion of non-member community activists on their candidate list as a highly strategic move. Drawing parallels to the philosophies of Paulo Freire and Steve Biko, he noted that engaging directly with the community is far more effective than imposing political dogma. However, he advised the party to balance urban industrialization with rural development to prevent the blowback effects of rapid urbanization and expanding shack settlements.
While the SACP spokesperson insists that the party is not formally leaving the Tripartite Alliance, Prof. Breakfast strongly disagreed. He argued that contesting against the ANC collapses the ideological pact of the NDR and the entire class collaboration. Pointing to existing trust issues, the exclusion of SACP members from ANC strategy meetings, and recent political recalls in the Western Cape, Prof. Breakfast stated that the alliance has effectively reached “the end of the road.”
Regarding electoral margins, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the analyst noted that the ANC has already lost significant ground due to the ushering in of new political formations and internal breakaway factions. He doubted the ruling party will see an upward electoral trajectory, questioning why voters would return to the ANC after it fell short of improving lives when its support dropped to 40%.
Addressing the SACP’s strong stance against the tender system and privatization, Prof. Breakfast noted the party’s belief in a strong, state-led delivery model. However, he pointed out that achieving this requires addressing structural hurdles, such as Section 27 of the Municipal Structures Act of 2000, which permits municipal outsourcing. He agreed with the SACP’s critique that privatization has created scopes for corruption, political killings, and severe local government service failures, including widespread water shortages, concluding that the party’s critiques of the current municipal delivery model are largely on point.
