‘The party has walked away’: Mantashe on SACP’s exclusion from ANC manifesto launch

The ANC has, for the first time, left the SACP out of its official programme at its manifesto launch after a fallout over its decision to contest elections independently of the tripartite alliance.

The SACP was excluded from the usual messages of support delivered by the alliance partners at each ANC event. Only Cosatu and Sanco were recognised.

This could be described as the clearest indication that the decades-old relationship between the ANC and the SACP has officially collapsed.

It comes after the SACP under the leadership of Solly Mapaila decided to contest the elections on its own. Historically, the SACP, along with the rest of the alliance, joined the ANC’s campaign trail. For the first time, the SACP will now be heading to the elections as an opposition party.

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, who runs ANC events, said the SACP was excluded from the programme and the overall event as they decided to walk away from the alliance.

Scenes at the ANC Manifesto Launch in Riverside, Diepsloot, Johannesburg. Video: Antonio Muchave pic.twitter.com/H7Yd7ipsew

“We are going to receive messages of support from Sanco and Cosatu. Many of you are old members of the ANC, you are asking the question, ‘where is the party (SACP)?’ The party has walked away. It is contesting independently, they made the choice,” said Mantashe.

“But there are good communists like me who remain in the ANC because we were taught by a very important person called Moses Kotane. He taught us the basic right. But then we will get Cosatu and Sanco.”

Though the SACP was absent as a party, some of its leaders attended the event. Some of them, including the likes of Buti Manamela, Phophi Ramathuba and others, have seemingly chosen the ANC over the SACP as they were absent at the SACP’s manifesto launch last Sunday.

The ANC’s highest decision-making structure, the national executive committee (NEC), this year took a stance against the SACP, resolving to invoke its constitution against its members who campaign for the SACP during the local government elections.

A special ANC NEC meeting resolved to invoke section 25.17.13 and 25.14.14 of its constitution against members with dual membership. The relevant sections state that a member is in contravention if they join or support an opposition party or campaign for it.

The resolution means that those choosing to campaign for the SACP instead of the ANC will face a disciplinary hearing and ultimately expulsion.

This is the same clause that was used in terminating the membership of former president Jacob Zuma.

“What happens is that members of the SACP must make a decision whether they want to campaign for the ANC or they want to campaign for the SACP. If they choose the SACP, then that means they are in conflict with the ANC,” said a senior ANC NEC member at the time.