Cosatu KZN secretary Edwin Mkhize says the federation will go back to drawing board following the SACP decision to contest elections.
THE South African Communist Party’s (SACP) decision to contest the next local government elections may have to do so without its alliance partners.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said it would need to consult its affiliated unions to establish who to support between the SACP and ANC during elections as it was a “sensitive” matter, while the South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) said it would stick to supporting and campaigning for the ANC.
The SACP held its 5th special national congress in Boksburg this week which ended yesterday and among the issues discussed was its relationship with the ANC following the formation of the DA-featured Government of National Unity (GNU).
The party announced that it would be contesting the local government elections in 2026.
Cotasu provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize blamed the SACP’s decision, which might divide members of its affiliated unions, on the ANC’s attitude of belittling its alliance partners while acting like a big brother.
“It is difficult that our members now have to choose between parties of the Revolutionary Mass Democratic Movement because of the strategic mistake of the leadership of the ANC,” he said.
Mkhize said the ANC had undermined and isolated its alliance partners - SACP, Cosatu and Sanco, in the social transformation policy decision.
“The alliance members has been very much undermined and subjected to some kind of subordinate of the ANC.
“During the liberation struggle, we were all one, we all agreed, but the sudden change and the posture of the leadership during democratic dispensation, the consolidation of the neoliberal agenda and the capitalist agenda, which continue to advance colonialism to oppress our people, under our own leadership now in government, is what makes us debating what we are debating today,” he said.
“It is not acceptable that if we are leaders of the alliance, we are being undermined on the basis that those leaders of the ANC when we are equal counterparts with them, look at us as their juniors and make us feel inferior when we want to advance policies of our movement (ANC).
“Our members are saying it cannot be, let us engage on this issue.
“It is unfortunate that we are where we are, not because of our own making but because of the making of the leadership of the ANC,” he said.
Mkhize said although Cosatu has a standing resolution of supporting the ANC, it had been mindful of the development within the SACP.
“My understanding is that since the SACP has taken this decision, no one in Cosatu can just pronounce alone what’s going to be posture and direction of Cosatu.
“Cosatu will go to its constituency meeting to debate as to what posture Cosatu is going to take.
“Remember that this decision is new, you cannot expect Cosatu to jump and say this is what it going to do as it is a mandatory organisation, that listens to the voices of its members, structures, and affiliates.
“Now that the SACP, as an independent organisation, has pronounced itself, Cosatu needs to go back to the drawing board and engage in its constitutional meetings and come up with a very clear direction,” he said.
However, Sanco provincial secretary Sizwe Cele said the SACP’s decision did not affect Sanco and “it does not have to consult us in taking its decisions, which we are not part of”.
“We are sticking to our own conference decision, which we took last year, saying we are supporting the ANC in the elections, and even now this is our position,” he said.
Cele said the decision to support the ANC, could only be changed by the next national conference.
He said Sanco was happy with the composition of the GNU since all the parties were to participate.
“Sanco was consulted by the ANC at the national level all the time and in every step that they took in forming the GNU, and Sanco was part of those decisions,” said Cele.
He said the DA was “everything we are opposed to” since it was also against the alliance.
“But there was nothing we could do, it is one of the parties that agreed to form the government when the MKP and EFF had their own issues.
“The likes of Floyd Shivambu said they wanted to destroy the ANC and bring it down to 40%. Therefore the ANC could not go to where it would be destroyed.
“We have to work with the DA,” he said.
ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the GNU, which “was not our ideal scenario” had to be accepted so that it could continue holding state power.
“Although we invited everyone, not everyone came.
“We remain open to continue to engage with all parties in parliament,” he said.
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said although the ANC was working tirelessly to rebuild and recover from its dismal election results, it was not oblivious to the fact that the SACP decision would hurt its constituency base.
“The party (SACP) and ANC share the constituency but we will be engaging the SACP in a bilateral that is going to take place in January,” said Bhengu - Motsiri.