By Johnathan Paoli
The South African Communist Party (SACP) has reaffirmed its commitment to contest the 2026 Local Government Elections independently, continuing a significant political shift away from its traditional backing of the Tripartite Alliance.
Central Committee member and SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo confirmed that his party recently submitted its representation to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to remain registered as a political party.
“The SACP adopted the resolution to contest elections after over 17 years of engagement failed to yield positive results in reconfiguring the Alliance to keep pace with the times and ensure the Alliance’s meaningful role in policy determination, direction, implementation, monitoring and evaluation,” Mashilo said.
This came in response to an IEC notice, issued late last month, to 192 political parties that risked deregistration due to their lack of representation in legislative bodies or failure to contest recent elections.
Mashilo said the party’s decision to contest elections aligns with resolutions adopted at its Fifteenth National Congress in July 2022, the Augmented Central Committee Plenary in March and April 2023, and the Fifth Special National Congress in December last year.
The party has argued that efforts to restructure its alliance with the ANC have been fruitless, leaving it no choice but to assert its political independence.
The move to contest elections independently is rooted in the SACP’s long-standing dissatisfaction with its role in the ANC-led alliance.
“A reconfigured Alliance must be characterised by extensive and consistent consensus-seeking democratic consultation on all major policy questions, as well as collective leadership and accountability,” Mashilo said.
He emphasised that the lack of inclusivity and respect for alliance processes had pushed the party to assert its autonomy.
The SACP maintains that its decision is driven by the ongoing crisis of working-class representation in South Africa’s economic, social, and political spheres.
The party sees the national democratic revolution as the shortest and most direct path toward a socialist transition, arguing that the working class cannot achieve full emancipation without a government that prioritises their needs.
“The national democratic revolution remains our strategy for struggle, transformation, and development, with the Freedom Charter as its basic minimum program,” Mashilo explained. “This socialist orientation is essential for the working class to achieve emancipation.”
The SACP’s decision to contest elections independently follows heightened tensions with the ANC, particularly after the governing party formed a Government of National Unity with the Democratic Alliance.
The move was widely criticised within the alliance, with General Secretary Solly Mapaila expressing dissatisfaction over the ANC’s collaboration with a party that has historically opposed socialist policies.
The party has also voiced concerns about the ANC’s failure to implement progressive economic policies and its handling of socio-economic issues such as unemployment, land reform, and public service delivery.
These frustrations have fueled the SACP’s determination to contest elections independently to ensure the working class has direct political representation.
The SACP has urged all its structures across the country to intensify preparations for the 2026 elections, mobilising grassroots support and strengthening its electoral strategy.
“All structures of the Communist Party at all levels across the country must continue with and deepen their work to implement the party’s resolutions, including the resolution to contest the local government elections in 2026,” Mashilo stated.
While the decision to break away from the ANC in elections is momentous, the SACP still supports a broad leftist coalition.
The party has indicated that it remains open to working with progressive forces that share its vision for a socialist South Africa.
However, it insists that any future alliances must be built on mutual respect, collective leadership, and shared policy objectives.
The SACP’s decision to go it alone in the 2026 elections could significantly alter the political landscape.
Traditionally, the ANC has relied on the SACP’s organisational strength and ideological influence to mobilise support, particularly among workers and left-leaning constituencies.
An independent SACP could challenge the ANC’s dominance in certain regions and force it to compete for votes among traditional alliance supporters.
Meanwhile, the IEC’s broader deregistration of inactive political parties underscores the increasing electoral competition in South Africa.
With a growing number of political movements seeking to challenge the ANC’s rule, the 2026 local elections are set to be highly contested.
As the SACP forges ahead with its electoral ambitions, Mashilo stressed that its success will depend on its ability to translate ideological commitment into tangible political support.
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