By Simon Nare
The SACP in Mpumalanga has hit back at ANC Youth League leader Collen Malatji for attacking its general secretary Solly Mapaila over the party’s decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently.
The party said Mapaila’s statement was not his own personal views and he was communicating the resolution of the SACP which was taken during its recent special congress.
It said it was disingenuous for Malatji to isolate Mapaila from the party, and just like some other senior leaders in the ANC who had made similar statements, he lacked political understanding of the congress movement and the organisational processes.
“At first, he must understand that reducing the collective decision to an individual is malicious and can only be done by counter-revolutionary forces or populist demagogues.
“The general secretary is responsible for the communication, interpretation and implementation of the congress resolutions. To isolate the general secretary and make people believe that the party is a one-man show is nothing but cheap political propaganda that lacks substance,” the province said in a statement.
Malatji, who was speaking at the Peter Mokaba Lecture as part of the build-up to the January 8 celebrations, reportedly warned the SACP that it would not garner enough support if it contested and singled out Mapaila.
The youth league leader said Mapaila and “his friends” should leave the tripartite alliance and form their own party to contest elections.
“Solly Mapaila and friends must never think that they can depose the ANC. You can’t be a populist when the ANC is under attack. When the ANC is under attack, we must all unite and close ranks and defend the ANC against the enemy.
“We are not going to be told that our president of our ANC is a sellout when all of us combined — Cosatu, SACP and Sanco — we are sitting at 40% because we all campaigned together,” he was reported as saying.
The Mpumalanga SACP said the decision to contest the elections was taken way before the special congress and it was Mapaila’s responsibility to communicate party decisions.
It said it was utterly disgusted by Malatji’s remarks.
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