In the face of a dwindling socialist voice within the alliance and the governing party leaning towards neoliberalism, the SACP wants to consolidate itself into a popular left front movement based on working-class support.
The second-oldest political formation in Africa – which marks 100 years since its establishment this year – views a working-class movement as a path to the realisation of a socialist state.
The party, which is in a tripartite governing alliance with the ANC and Cosatu, will hold its elective conference in July where it will deliberate on how it will mobilise communities to rally behind the plan.
“We have already released discussion documents,” SACP spokesperson Dr Alex Mashilo told Sunday World.
“The challenge for the next SACP congress is to deliberate on building and expanding a wider working-class movement.
“In future, this popular left front movement can be a platform to contest elections.”
He lamented the fact that the state has followed economic policies that have failed to address high levels of inequality and joblessness in South Africa, saying many people were living in abject poverty and barely surviving.
“The challenge for the party is to strengthen its capacity and analysis of society. We want an alternative new economic policy position. It’s through the left popular front movement that this can be achieved,” said Mashilo.
In a discussion document titled “The South African struggle for socialism, strategic perspectives and tasks”, the party noted that: “The ANC remains seriously factionalised, moral and political decay has been far-reaching.
“Its future electoral prospects are uncertain with a strong possibility of it achieving less than 50% [of the vote] in 2024.”
The party said the key to the success of a left popular front was the recruitment of youthful militants who have found a political home in the EFF.
“Given the considerable volatility and uncertainty of our situation, a future left front movement might become an effective electoral formation (as in Kerala, India, for instance).
“However, the objective of consolidating left popular mobilisation with the possibility of consolidating a left popular front should not be understood as simply an electoral agenda,” the discussion document further explains.
In 2017, in the Metsimaholo local municipality in Free State, the SACP tested the waters by fielding their own candidates in by-elections and won a mayoral seat.
In the upcoming 15th congress, long-serving secretary- general Blade Nzimande is expected to step down from the position he has held for 23 years.
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