By Simon Nare
The South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) announced plans on Monday to host the upcoming Conference of the Left, citing ideological alignment and ongoing engagements ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
The aim of the conference is to bring together a diverse range of trade unions, progressive non-governmental organisations, and other civil society organisations, as well as left-wing parties and individuals.
Both parties, however, declined to provide details of a bilateral meeting held over the weekend.
The meeting comes amid mounting tensions within the tripartite alliance, as the SACP has confirmed it will contest local government elections independently from the ANC, its traditional alliance partner.
The SACP has expressed longstanding dissatisfaction with the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the reconfiguration of the alliance.
In a statement following the meeting, the SACP said the discussions focused on bilateral issues outlined in its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting.
“The bilateral meeting reflected on the present political and economic situation, both domestically and internationally. Central to the meeting was the discussion of the upcoming Conference of the Left, organised through the auspices of the SACP and coordinated by a standing committee comprising all participating organisations, with the EFF as a key member,” the SACP said.
Inside Politics has learnt that the discussions also touched on relations within the tripartite alliance.
A senior SACP member told Inside Politics that the alliance was not under threat but declined to reveal the specific details of the talks, noting only that the party has long expressed readiness to engage on matters affecting left-leaning organisations.
The SACP delegation was led by General Secretary Solly Mapaila, while the EFF was represented by party leader Julius Malema.
“As the two organisations, we agreed to establish a working task team composed of comrades from both parties to finalise details of our cooperation in the medium term and to craft the key items of the Conference of the Left agenda,” the SACP added.
The SACP stressed that the meeting with the EFF was not connected to its decision to contest for state power against the ANC.
The party described the meeting as “a shared overarching critique of the global capitalist system, with its domestic manifestations in both historical and contemporary contexts,” and affirmed ongoing cooperation rooted in anti-capitalist values and national transformation objectives.
The SACP also reiterated its commitment to building a popular left front to advance the working-class struggle against capitalist oppression and to lay the foundations for socialism.
“The common effort between the SACP and the EFF reflects our commitment as determined by our structures. We continue to call on all progressives to work together as we move towards the Conference of the Left,” the statement concluded.
INSIDE POLITICS