The Council of the Left has warned the African National Congress (ANC) to abandon alliances with right-wing parties if it wants support in hung municipalities.
The bloc said it would only cooperate with the ANC if the governing party accepted a minimum programme aimed at placing working-class communities first.
Its ultimatum raises the stakes as the ANC weighs agreements with the Democratic Alliance (DA), ActionSA, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the South African Communist Party (SACP) across the country.
“We consider the ANC part of the historically progressive forces,” said Afrika Mayibuye deputy president Thato wa Magogodi.
However, he said that recognition does not guarantee the ANC support.
READ MORE: ANC activists fear West Rand could go ‘right wing’ in coalition talks
“Our condition is very clear,” said Magogodi.
“The ANC must be willing to agree with us on our minimum programme.”
The bloc wants municipalities under its influence to become “centres of people’s power”, where communities receive reliable electricity, water, housing and basic amenities.
It also wants municipal administrations to reverse apartheid spatial planning instead of protecting historically privileged communities.
No guaranteed mayoralties
The Council also rejected agreements that allocate mayoral positions before parties settle programmes and power-sharing arrangements.
It said no party enters coalition negotiations with an automatic entitlement to the mayoralty.
“The existence of a coalition does not mean any party is automatically entitled to the mayoral position,” said Jackie Seroke, deputy president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC).
“The issues must be properly negotiated. Power must be shared within those coalitions.”
READ MORE: Power struggle begins as coalition negotiations intensify across 126 hung municipalities
The left bloc enters the negotiations knowing its members can collectively influence several hung councils.
The SACP alone holds enough seats to help the ANC secure governing majorities in at least 18 municipalities across seven provinces.
However, SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila has already warned the ANC against treating the communist party’s support as automatic.
“There is no automatic support for any single party,” Mapaila said after the elections.
The Council said fragmentation had weakened progressive organisations and allowed well-funded opponents to exploit their divisions.
“We are uncomfortable with this fragmentation,” said Magogodi.
“We have taken a giant step by saying, ‘Let us get out of our cocoons.’”
Left targets political money
The Council also attacked the influence of private money on political parties and coalition outcomes.
It claimed powerful financial interests were using their donations to shape political decisions and expand right-wing control of municipalities.
“For us in the Council of the Left, this buying of political influence by capital is unacceptable,” Seroke said.
The bloc singled out the DA’s financial support.
READ MORE: SACP emerges as coalition kingmaker in 18 municipalities
The ANC has meanwhile centralised its coalition talks under secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Regional and provincial structures may hold exploratory discussions, but they cannot conclude agreements without written national approval.
The ANC says the system will prevent local leaders from cutting contradictory deals and repeating the instability that characterised several councils after 2021.
READ MORE: Mbalula tightens his grip on ANC coalition talks
The Council’s ultimatum now gives the ANC’s national leadership a sharper political problem.
Working with the left could preserve its liberation-movement identity but produce difficult negotiations among competing parties.
Choosing the DA could create more predictable administrations while deepening the ANC’s rupture with its traditional allies.
- The Council of the Left has warned the African National Congress (ANC) to abandon alliances with right-wing parties if it wants support in hung municipalities.
- The Council demands that the ANC accept a minimum programme focused on prioritizing working-class communities before agreeing to cooperate.
- The bloc rejects coalition agreements that allocate mayoral positions before finalizing programmes and power-sharing arrangements.
- The South African Communist Party (SACP), part of the Council, can help the ANC secure majorities in at least 18 municipalities but warns against assuming automatic support.
- The ANC has centralized its coalition talks under secretary-general Fikile Mbalula to prevent contradictory local agreements and political instability.
The Council of the Left has warned the African National Congress (ANC) to abandon alliances with right-wing parties if it wants support in hung municipalities.
The bloc said it would only cooperate with the ANC if the governing party accepted a minimum programme aimed at placing working-class communities first.
Its ultimatum raises the stakes as the ANC weighs agreements with the Democratic Alliance (DA), ActionSA, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the South African Communist Party (SACP) across the country.
“We consider the ANC part of the historically progressive forces," said Afrika Mayibuye deputy president Thato wa Magogodi.
However, he said that recognition does not guarantee the ANC support.
READ MORE: ANC activists fear West Rand could go ‘right wing’ in coalition talks
“Our condition is very clear,” said Magogodi.
“The ANC must be willing to agree with us on our minimum programme.”
The bloc wants municipalities under its influence to become “centres of people’s power”, where communities receive reliable electricity, water, housing and basic amenities.
It also wants municipal administrations to reverse apartheid spatial planning instead of protecting historically privileged communities.
The Council also rejected agreements that allocate mayoral positions before parties settle programmes and power-sharing arrangements.
It said no party enters coalition negotiations with an automatic entitlement to the mayoralty.
“The existence of a coalition does not mean any party is automatically entitled to the mayoral position,” said Jackie Seroke, deputy president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC).
“The issues must be properly negotiated. Power must be shared within those coalitions.”
READ MORE: Power struggle begins as coalition negotiations intensify across 126 hung municipalities
The left bloc enters the negotiations knowing its members can collectively influence several hung councils.
The SACP alone holds enough seats to help the ANC secure governing majorities in at least 18 municipalities across seven provinces.
However, SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila has already warned the ANC against treating the communist party’s support as automatic.
“There is no automatic support for any single party,” Mapaila said after the elections.
The Council said fragmentation had weakened progressive organisations and allowed well-funded opponents to exploit their divisions.
“We are uncomfortable with this fragmentation,” said Magogodi.
“We have taken a giant step by saying, ‘Let us get out of our cocoons.’”
The Council also attacked the influence of private money on political parties and coalition outcomes.
It claimed powerful financial interests were using their donations to shape political decisions and expand right-wing control of municipalities.
“For us in the Council of the Left, this buying of political influence by capital is unacceptable,” Seroke said.
The bloc singled out the DA’s financial support.
READ MORE: SACP emerges as coalition kingmaker in 18 municipalities
The ANC has meanwhile centralised its coalition talks under secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Regional and provincial structures may hold exploratory discussions, but they cannot conclude agreements without written national approval.
The ANC says the system will prevent local leaders from cutting contradictory deals and repeating the instability that characterised several councils after 2021.
READ MORE: Mbalula tightens his grip on ANC coalition talks
The Council’s ultimatum now gives the ANC’s national leadership a sharper political problem.
Working with the left could preserve its liberation-movement identity but produce difficult negotiations among competing parties.
Choosing the DA could create more predictable administrations while deepening the ANC’s rupture with its traditional allies.
