Delegates listen intently as SACP General Secretary Blade Nzimande an address at the 14th National SACP Conference at the Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg. The conference began it's first day in full session with blistering criticism of the ANC and state capture. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia
It would be unwise for the South African Communist Party (SACP) to leave the alliance and contest elections alone, a top analyst believes.
This follows a push by some delegates at its national congress for the party to contest elections in the future.
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said the SACP should not de-link from the ANC, but should stay in the tripartite alliance and assist the ruling party to return to its former glory.
Those in favour of contesting the polls separately argued that the party should do so and then form a coalition with the ANC.
“That way we would still be bringing the votes that we contested to the ANC. The ANC must not forget that some of its voters had left and if we contest state power separately, we would be able to bring their votes back to the coalition,” said a Limpopo delegate, who spoke anonymously.
However, those who wanted the status quo to remain said the SACP was in a better position to help the ANC to get out of its current crisis caused by state capture, factionalism and infighting.
Mathekga agreed with this view. He said the party had been a voice of reason and provided the much-needed intellectual output within the alliance.
He said the ruling party needed the SACP now more than ever before.
“The ANC does not fully understand state capture and its implications, but the SACP fully understands this phenomenon and it should help the ANC to expedite this issue and resolve it,” Mathekga said.
“Without the SACP, the ANC is just a party of slogans without depth,” Mathekga added.
SACP leaders – including re-elected general secretary Blade Nzimande and his former deputy, Jeremy Cronin – were in favour of the Communist Party staying in the alliance.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who addressed the conference earlier this week, warned SACP delegates against hurrying to pass a resolution to divorce the ANC.
He said they should think carefully about taking the party to the seat of government in the Union Buildings.
– ericn@citizen.co.za
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