SACP Linda Jabane District partners with ANC for pivotal 2026 elections
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
The South African Communist Party (SACP) Linda Jabane District in Johannesburg, Gauteng, has decided to approach the 2026 local government elections differently from their national counterparts.
The party held its 11th district congress in Johannesburg on 4 July where they elected new leadership.
While the SACP nationally has resolved to contest the elections independently, the Linda Jabane District has decided to work alongside the ANC.
According to re-elected District Secretary Afrika Masoa, the party's constitution and the centrality of the party's world outlook guides the district's decision.
Masoa said that the district's resolution is in line with the National Congress resolution on State and Popular Power, which demands that all structures, including the national office, engage with alliance partners, progressive forces, and the broad working-class on the implementation of the resolution.
"The posture taken by the district in engaging all its alliance partners, progressive forces, and working-class is defending and reconfiguring the alliance and advancing the National Democratic Revolution, which is what the National State and Popular Power resolution demands," said Masoa.
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The SACP Linda Jabane District has already begun engaging with the ANC in the district on the resolution.
Masoa said the party views ANC as a key ally and a vehicle for advancing its socialist struggle.
"The Party is going to have a one-on-one with the ANC in the district on this resolution as within other alliances it's only the ANC contesting the election as also mandated by the resolution itself," said Masoa.
The SACP's national decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently has caused tension in the alliance with the ANC.
However, the Linda Jabane District's decision to work alongside the ANC may help to ease some of these tensions.
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has been leading efforts to convince the SACP not to contest the elections independently. Mbalula said both sides needed to "find each other" and work together.
"We are ready to engage with our alliance partners, and we are going to find each other," said Mbalula. "We have to convince the SACP that we are an alliance and we should find each other".
The ANC greater Johannesburg region coordinator, Sasabona Manganye, congratulated the district for electing its leadership, welcoming their stance on working with the ANC during the upcoming elections.
'We welcome the District Congress commitment to the implementation of their National Congresses resolutions on State and Popular Power in a manner that renews and reconfigures the Alliance and further deepen, advance and defend the National Democratic Revolution.
'This is a demonstration of the SACP's Linda Jabane District seriousness in ensuring that the proletariats are united and are able to reclaim the lost ground in our reconfigured ANC-led alliance approach in the next local government elections,' Manganye said.
SACP national spokesperson Mbulelo Ndlazana said the party had not changed its mind from contesting the next year's elections independently from the ANC.
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