Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the ANC would wait for further details of the South African Communist Party's decision to contest elections alone before determining the implications for the tripartite alliance, which includes labor federation Cosatu. (Delwyn Bellasamy/MG)
Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the ANC would wait for further details of the South African Communist Party's (SACP) decision to contest the election alone before determining the impact on the tripartite alliance, which includes labor federation Cosatu.
Mr Mashatile told reporters on the sidelines of the SACP's fifth special national conference on Friday that the ANC had been briefed by its alliance partners and would respect his decision.
“They will brief us after the parliament. Once we have the details, we will discuss the implications for the alliance,” Mashatil said.
The ANC's alliance partners have historically supported the party during elections.
Speaking on behalf of the ANC at the SACP special meeting, Mr Mashatil said he remained committed to the alliance as well as efforts to strengthen the structure of the ANC.
“We are rebuilding the ANC as part of our renewal program. The SACP has also committed to supporting this process,” he said.
Responding to questions about strained relations, Mashatil admitted that the ANC's attempt to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) had drawn criticism from alliance partners as it was not consulted during the process.
“We are aware of the criticism that consultations were delayed during the GNU process. Since then, we have worked with our partners to address their concerns,” he said.
The SACP has expressed concern about corruption, rising inequality and what it sees as the ANC's failure to defend working class interests. They also feel that their opinions in the alliance are often ignored.
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila has been particularly outspoken in his criticism, describing the GNU as a “recolonization” of South Africa.
“D.A. [Democratic Alliance] It represents the beneficiaries of apartheid and the continuation of colonialism. We do not accept any form of recolonization,” Mapaila said. email and guardianHe added that the ANC should have prioritized its historic commitment to economic transformation and social justice rather than “sleeping with the enemy”.
But on Wednesday, Mapaila said the SACP was not seeking to sever ties with the ANC, stressing the importance of unity among progressive forces in addressing the country's problems.
“The ANC remains an important partner, but we also have an obligation to assert our independence when necessary,” he said.
Asked on Friday whether the SACP's decision reflected weaknesses in the ANC, Mr Mashatil said “irrelevant”.
“The SACP did not base its decision on perceived weaknesses in the ANC. Dual membership between the two parties remains and many SACP members are also ANC members,” he said. .
He said the ANC would meet with the SACP next year to discuss the details of the plan.
“That's why I was talking about the issue of reconstitution of the alliance being back on the agenda and how we can continue to work together,” he said.
“You know that some members of the SACP are also working with us in government. So we are not moving away from each other. On the contrary, we are moving closer. ”
