SACP says it has not endorsed Ramaphosa for ANC leader

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has dismissed media reports that it had endorsed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as the next leader of the ANC.

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A statement released by the party on Thursday said it had not endorsed any individual’s name for the governing party’s hotly contested leadership race set to come to a head at its 54th national elective conference in December.

“The South African Communist Party [SACP] has noted with concern various media reports suggesting that the party has openly endorsed the deputy president of the African National Congress [ANC] Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa for ANC president.

“The SACP has not endorsed any individual leader’s name for the leadership of the ANC. The media would have reported accurately in this regard should they have taken steps to contact the SACP or even read the party’s last Augmented Central Committee statement released on December 16, 2016,” the party said.

Ramaphosa and outgoing African Union chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma have been touted as the frontrunners to succeed Jacob Zuma when his term ends as ANC president.

The SACP said in its last augmented central committee statement released on December 16‚ it openly presented its position on the ANC’s succession debate in no uncertain terms.

“Rather than simply focusing on names of those who should be elected as ANC President‚ other office bearers and National Executive Committee members‚ there has to be a consideration of the criteria for effective leadership‚” the party said at the time.

The Communists along with the Congress of SA trade unions (Cosatu) are the ANC’s tripartite alliance partners.

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In November, the trade union federation formally endorsed Ramaphosa for the top job following pressure from some of its affiliate unions to speak out and take a stance on the ANC’s succession debate.

The SACP also said it would contribute to the debate on the ANC’s next leader by considering “the principles and leadership qualities required to take not only the ANC but also our shared national democratic revolution forward and lead our Alliance successfully”.

It reiterated its position that it would nevertheless leave the election of ANC leadership to its members within the framework of the party’s rules and processes.