‘The ANC is not a branch of the SACP’: Mbalula tells Mapaila to stop attacking his party

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula on Saturday hit back at the continued criticism of his party by South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Solly Mapaila.

He said Mapaila’s “insults” will not change the ANC’s ideology.

Mbalula, seemingly oblivious to the irony, released a tirade on X, calling on Mapaila to stop “grandstanding on public platforms”.

It comes after the SACP leader on Friday slammed the ANC during an interview with political analyst Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh. Mapaila said it was a “gross error” for the ANC to form a government of national unity (GNU) with the DA.

Mbalula says SACP should raise concerns with ANC

Mbalula told Mapaila he should instead raise his concerns with the ANC.

“The ANC is not a branch of the SACP, neither is the SACP the branch of the ANC. We must treat each other with respect as allies,” he said.

“If Cde Solly believes the ANC has shifted or is fast becoming something else, shouldn’t he raise such with the ANC?”

He also questioned why the SACP leader was attacking the ANC “in the midst of so many opponents”.

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Mbalula accused Mapaila of not understanding the GNU, saying he is “missing the point”.

“The ANC is neither a capitalist or a socialist party, our relationship with capital is unity and struggle of the opposite. We are a multi-ideological party. At best, you can say we are social democrats. The burden to advance the struggle for socialism is on the South African Communist Party.”

Watch: SACP’s Mapaila talks about the distress the ANC has caused him

Solly Mapaila slams ANC

In the interview, Mapaila said the ANC working with the DA was giving him sleepless nights.

He said he was disappointed by the political choice the ANC made, adding it was a “serious mistake”.

The SACP leader believes that the ANC had better options before forming a coalition with the DA.

“The DA doesn’t represent an iota of the interests of the majority of our people,” he said. “It is a party of white interest.”

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He accused the DA of wanting “the black person to remain subservient to the white person”.

Mapaila said he thinks the ANC will be “judged harshly by history… for the betrayal of our people”.

This is not the first time the SACP leader has voiced his displeasure over the DA being part of the GNU.

‘Better to be irritated by the EFF’

In July, while speaking at a National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) event in Ekurhuleni, Mapaila said the SACP had made it clear to the ANC that it was against the inclusion of “neo-liberal forces” like the DA.

He said the ANC should have formed a coalition with the EFF, because the two parties have similar ideologies.

“It will be better to be irritated by the EFF in Cabinet then to be irritated by the neo-liberal forces who want to take control of the revolution.”

ALSO READ: ‘Better to be irritated by EFF than neo-liberal forces’ – SACP’s Mapaila slams the GNU