ANC administration chief Fikile Mbalula has declared that the decision of the SACP to contest elections independently is a massive blow to politics of the left in the country.
Mbalula, addressing media at the ANC head office in Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon, said the SACP going it alone would create a void of the left voice within the ANC.
But not only that, charged Mbalula, who has been at pains begging the SACP not to contest the local government elections.
The decision by the communists effectively means the death of the left in South Africa, for the left only lives within the ANC.
Mbalula said there was no political party in South Africa rooted in politics of the left because that only existed within the ANC through SACP influence.
SACP is creating a void
But now that the SACP is gone, as per the 2024 national special congress resolution to contest elections outside the ANC, complained Mbalula, it was rest in peace to left politics of substance.
“What SACP is doing is creating a vacuum of the left in the ANC. They are leaving it to whom? They are now creating a crisis for the left inside the ANC and are then saying communists in the ANC must choose between the SACP and the ANC,” said a visibly defeated Mbalula.
“Who is going to occupy that space? And if they believe that the ANC is so weak today that they must stand off the pedestal of contesting for state power, working with others — I do not know with whom, but not the ANC. Because there is no left in this country, it is on paper.”
Mbalula announced that the ANC national executive committee last weekend resolved that the SACP must be engaged with a view to change their decision to be an electoral opponent of their long-time alliance partner.
But he acknowledged that there was a general sense that the horse had bolted, with SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila not mincing his words in a speech elsewhere over the same weekend.
Disappointing outcome in by-election
Mbalula cautioned of “far-reaching implications” if the SACP goes ahead to go toe-to-toe with the ANC at the local government polls next year.
The decision of the SACP can only be changed in a fully-fledged national congress, something that is not in the works for anytime soon.
The SACP is already contesting the ANC, as was the case in the by-election in the home ward of EFF leader Julius Malema in Seshego, Polokwane, recently.
The EFF won that contest with the ANC in second place, while the SACP managed a disappointing 70 votes.
Mbalula warned the SACP to be careful of what it was wishing for, saying it has never been strong in the game of numbers.
“Why would communists isolate themselves so much from the liberation movement and essentially abandon the cause?” They should be contesting inside and fighting to win their ideas here in the ANC.
“The SACP has never been about numbers. And it might as well not get the numbers they want from contesting elections.
“The Communist Party has never chased numbers, and that is why we are not shocked when they get 70 [votes] in the ward by-elections.
“These are the people who have always been here teaching us the most advanced layer of leadership in the ANC.”
Jacob Zuma is not left
Mbalula said South Africans must weep with the SACP ditching the ANC, for the move meant the end of hope for leftist politics in the country.
For those hoping that the likes of the MK Party can fill that gap, he charged, there could be nothing further to the left than the ANC splinter left by veteran Jacob Zuma.
“People call themselves left; they are not left. You call Zuma left? Zuma is not left. A man who leaves the country and endorses a right-wing government that oppresses people — Morocco, you call that left? That is not left.
“The people of Western Sahara are colonised by Morocco and oppressed. Zuma, coming from the liberation movement, goes there and says everything is fine. Zuma has been selling out while within the ANC.
“How can you suffer from such damaged consciousness within a short space of time? What is it that Morocco is giving these people? Izawuvela ngenye imini [all will come to light one day].
“And you come and say that is left; there is no left here. The real left here is the ANC, and the SACP says we are leaving that to contest state power.”
