South African Communist Party (SACP) General Secretary Solly Mapaila has defended the party’s decision to dump the ANC and contest elections independently, saying they sought to protect the revolution rather than act as observers when the Democratic Alliance (DA) has more influence in government than the communist party.

He says the SACP wants to “tackle capital directly”, improve the lives of South Africans and strengthen the ANC-led alliance rather than weaken it, as critics claim.

Mapaila spoke at the Avalon Cemetery in Soweto, Johannesburg, on Monday, January 6, during the 30th Commemoration of the death of the party’s former General Secretary Joe Slovo.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi were among the audience.

In December 2023, the SACP’s special national congress resolved to contest future elections directly rather than as part of the alliance with the ANC, the Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU), and the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO).

During the May 2024 general elections, the ANC failed to win an outright majority for the first time since the advent of democracy in 1994 – garnering 40% of the votes. The outcome was seen as evidence of a declining and weakening ANC.

Former President Thabo Mbeki and several ANC leaders, including secretary general Fikile Mbalula and National Executive Committee (NEC) member Joe Maswanganyi, have cautioned against the move, saying it would weaken the governing party.

However, an unfazed Mapaila said the SACP would proceed with the decision to contest power directly for the sake of the revolution —starting with the 2026 Local Government Elections— while remaining part of the alliance.

“It is in this regard that the Communist Party decided to participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections in 2026. This task, comrades, is not an intention to weaken any force of the alliance. On the contrary, our intention is to strengthen the alliance. Yes, in order to strengthen the alliance, we cannot be outside observers when the situation is getting bad, and very bad for our people. So, we are entering this space; we are not the enemies of the African National Congress. The dual membership continues; we are not ending the alliance; what we are simply saying is that the political landscape necessitates that in order to defend the National Democratic Revolution, to regain the strength as a revolution, confront capital, and bring back the economy into the hands of the people. The Communist Party has to strengthen our alliance through standing on our own,” said Mapaila to a resounding response and ululations from a section of the crowd.

Since 1999, the SACP has resolved at various times to contest the elections directly but has never implemented the resolutions in successive national and local government elections.

In July 2017, during its 14th national congress, the party again decided to contest elections independently. This decision led to the party participating in the November 2017 by-elections in the Metsimaholo Local Municipality in the Free State province. The SACP secured three proportional representation seats in that election.

Mapaila said the political dynamics have changed in the country, and the party would no longer throw its electoral eggs in the ANC basket. He said this was part of the party’s drive to reconfigure the alliance after its sacrifices turned to nothing.

“We have been patient enough, Cde President, on this matter; we think we can strengthen and reconfigure the alliance practically. Today, you know, Cde President, in terms of Executive Authority, the DA has more influence in government than the Communist Party. They have direct representation in [the] Cabinet. We don’t have one. So, that’s the difference. We have got comrades who are members of the Communist Party who are in Cabinet through the direction of the African National Congress. None of them takes responsibility and accountability from us. Not a single one. So we have given our whole to the movement. What more can we sacrifice? When we realise that this sacrifice is disadvantaging our people, we have to find a new mechanism in which we can change the living conditions of our people. We are not interested in many other things,” Mapaila added.

The SACP boss said the party was not obsessed about positions but wanted to ensure the government tackled capital “wholeheartedly”.

Mapaila praised Ramaphosa for signing the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act. However, he took issue with Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s reluctance to implement the law fully.

Gwarube, a DA member, and her party previously opposed the BELA Act but later claimed its implementation was a win-win situation. Mapaila said the SACP would monitor Gwarube to ensure she did the right thing.

“Now that you have signed it, she [Gwarube] must lead in the implementation of this and not stymie this thing through regulation,” he added.

Mapaila also accused the Ramaphosa government of “colluding” with coalition partners who sought to reverse the ANC’s gains. He singled out Gwarube and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

Mapaila said Hlabisa’s recent decision to stop the government’s job-creation programme and retrench dozens of people was designed to undermine the ANC’s service delivery record.

“We also believe, Cde President, that Cogta must stop this decision to retrench workers, particularly taking away 225 000 community work programmes. This would have a devastating impact on our communities, the majority of whom have no income. We are saying this would be a callous betrayal of the ANC’s own manifesto, supported by the allies in the recent 2024 May elections, because that manifesto spoke about creating 2.4 million work opportunities through public employment programmes. But the people in government whom we are colluding with are seeking to reverse all of these interventions,” maintained Mapaila.

The DA and IFP are among the 10 parties that formed the Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Ramaphosa, after the May 2024 elections. Mapaila insisted that his party supported the National Health Insurance (NHI). He accused Big Capital of trying to frustrate Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s attempt to roll it out.