The announcement by SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande that he will not be contesting for another term has lifted the lid on a raging succession battle in the party, which is an ally of the governing ANC.
Sunday World has established that some of the structures of the party want an open and democratic process to appoint officials and the central committee of the party, which could see branches and regions openly discussing their preferred leaders.
The SACP has over the years managed to produce its leadership behind the scenes through consensus in its central committee, which saw leaders appointed on consensus, resulting in few changes in the top positions and minimal public spats.
However, some provinces of the organisation are pushing strongly for things to be done differently by allowing branches and regions to pronounce on their preferred leaders.
A powerful bloc that consists of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and the North West wants an overhaul of the top six structure of the organisation and for the party to be repositioned.
The SACP holds its 15th national congress in July, which will mark the end of Nzimande’s 23-year tenure.
Western Cape secretary Benson Ngqentsu, Eastern Cape secretary Xolile Nqatha and North West secretary Madoda Sambatha have been at the forefront of a campaign to ensure that Nzimande does not serve another term.
In September, Sunday World reported that Nzimande, who is also minister of higher education and training, faced a palace revolt when the party held a central committee meeting.
Some senior party leaders wanted Nzimande to step aside for his handling of his feud with the department’s suspended head, Gwebikundla Qonde.
The war of attrition between Nzimande and Qonde, who is also a member of the central committee, tore the party apart and became a proxy in a campaign to ensure that Nzimande does not remain at the helm.
Qonde, who hails from the Western Cape, has become the rallying point for senior leaders who are opposed to Nzimande’s continued leadership.
While all factions of the party seemed to agree on SACP first deputy secretary Solly Mapaila succeeding Nzimande, there was a strong push for the party’s chairperson, Senzeni Zokwana, to be dropped.
The party’s financial troubles – which have seen full-time workers not paid for six months – have also placed national treasurer Joyce Moloi-Moropa in the firing line.
At the party’s 2017 congress, Nzimande announced that he was not going to contest but made a U-turn that forced Mapaila to withdraw, although provinces such as the Western Cape wanted a new general secretary.
This time around, Nzimande’s detractors have also vowed to block any effort to bring him back into the party’s top leadership.
“These three (Ngqentsu, Nqatha and Sambatha) are part of anti-Blade block. They want to see his back,” a central committee member said.
Another member said: “We need a leadership that is capable of leading a class struggle. This conference is going to be a watershed moment. This conference will be groundbreaking on the trajectory of the organisation and leadership.”
The member said the process to choose leaders should be open and do away with the suppression of democracy and its abuse by those who want to be opportunistically deployed to the government.
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo said the last central committee meeting agreed on a formal consultation process on leadership matters, which will culminate in the nomination and election of a new central committee at the congress.
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