Don’t write off the SACP: a renewed left could unsettle the ANC

Intro: The South African Communist Party (SACP) may not be poised to win municipal contests, but its recent repositioning has potential to change the political balance within the liberation movement ahead of the November local elections.

Why the SACP still matters

According to The Citizen, the SACP’s close relationship with the African National Congress is a source of strength: its proximity to the ANC gives the party insight into the ruling party’s internal dynamics and makes it a more formidable contender than an outside opposition force.

Inside knowledge as an advantage

That familiarity, The Citizen writes, unsettles ANC leaders because the SACP is not merely an external critic but a former ally that understands the ANC’s strengths and contradictions.

Reclaiming a left identity

The Citizen says the SACP has, since 1994, been complicit in the ANC’s neoliberal turn. The party’s association with government, the article notes, left doubts about whether it still represents the working class.

But, again according to The Citizen, under Solly Mapaila as general secretary the party is attempting to reclaim its identity as a genuine left alternative. The Citizen suggests that with Mapaila steering the SACP back to its roots, the possibility of renewal exists.

Electoral strategy and limits

The Citizen argues the SACP is unlikely to win outright because of its limited size and resources, but it can still play a disruptive role.

“The SACP will not win an election, but it can disrupt the ANC’s dominance,”

The article frames the SACP’s realistic goal for November as less about capturing municipalities and more about reshaping power within the broader liberation movement: The Citizen says the SACP’s role is “less about capturing municipalities outright in November, and more about reshaping the balance of power within the broader liberation movement.”

Who the SACP might attract

The Citizen suggests the party could draw disillusioned ANC supporters who do not want to join other opposition parties, offering them a home inside the familiar congress family while distancing itself from the ANC’s scandals.

Symbolic impact of modest gains

The Citizen adds that even modest electoral gains by the SACP would carry symbolic weight: they would signal a rupture in the alliance and indicate that the working class is no longer captive to the ANC.

Challenges ahead

The Citizen warns the SACP faces scepticism because years of association with the ANC have blurred its image, and the party must persuade voters it can offer something distinct and translate rhetoric into credibility and votes.

In sum, The Citizen argues the SACP’s prospects should not be dismissed: the party may not win an election, but it could carve out space, disrupt ANC dominance and remind South Africans that the left still has a voice.