African National Congress (ANC) branches in Limpopo are up in arms over the South African Communist Party’s (SACP) decision to contest by-elections in the province. They argue that the move is misplaced and should instead target provinces where the governing party is under real electoral pressure.
The issue exploded at the ANC Limpopo Provincial Conference held at the Pietersburg Cricket Club in Polokwane, where tensions between ANC delegates and SACP members boiled over. Delegates booed some SACP representatives off stage on Friday. ANC national leaders had to step in to calm the situation.
‘What did we do wrong as the ANC in Limpopo?’
Newly elected ANC Limpopo Chairperson Phophi Ramathuba did not mince her words during a media briefing on the sidelines of the conference on Saturday. She said ANC branches on the ground are confused and demanding answers.
Ramathuba is a member of both the ANC and SACP.
“What they are asking is, ‘what did we do wrong as the ANC in the province?’” Ramathuba said.
“The SACP took a resolution that they would contest the next local government elections, and now they are contesting by-elections. I could not answer the question.”
‘Frustration at branch level’
She said ANC members had repeatedly raised the issue during by-elections across the province, questioning why Limpopo has become the SACP’s main battleground.
“When we had by-elections, ANC members asked me that question,” she said. She added that the frustration is coming directly from branches, not just during leadership debates.
‘Deeper unease within the ANC’
Ramathuba said the conduct of delegates at the conference reflected deeper unease within the organisation.
“When you hear delegates behaving in the manner which they did yesterday, sometimes you try to ask yourself what is worrying them,” she said. “They are worried, why should it be in Limpopo that there is no GNU.”
‘Limpopo is not like Gauteng and KZN’
She drew a clear distinction between Limpopo and provinces like Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, where she said the ANC is facing tougher political battles.
“In Limpopo we are still led by the ANC, we are still driving the National Democratic Revolution, to which at a later stage the Communist Party will take us towards socialism,” she said.
‘ANC NEC must urgently deal with the issue’
Ramathuba argued that ANC branches believe the SACP should be focusing its energy where the ANC is under pressure, rather than in a province where it remains dominant.
“Why are you not focusing on those provinces where we have a huge challenge?” she asked.
She believes the matter cannot be left unresolved and the ANC National Executive Committee must urgently deal with it. She warned that the growing friction could further strain the alliance ahead of future elections.
