Cape Town – General-secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Solly Mapaila has once again criticised ANC leaders for their coalition choices following the May 29 elections.
Speaking at the SACP’s 103rd anniversary event in Cape Town on Sunday, Mapaila expressed concern that the country was returning to a capitalist crisis.
He claimed the ANC’s alliances with capital instead of the working class reflected poorly on their commitment to the people.
“When the moment arises for them to side with the people, they decide to join hands with capital and want to justify it to the extent that there was some engagement with us, they want to include us in that particular process, no we are not a party to that. We felt this was a bad political choice. There could have been a different political choice and a different outcome,” Mapaila said.
Watch as Mapaila speaks (Courtesy of SABC)
Mapaila noted that the decision on whether the SACP will leave the Alliance will be determined by the party’s structures.
According to EWN, ANC NEC member Joe Maswanganyi, however, defended the ANC’s GNU approach, saying it was not a sellout and clarified that they were not aligned with the DA but were in a coalition with nine different parties.
“The GNU is not a sellout approach. We are not in alliance with the DA,” the report quoted Maswanganyi as saying.
Earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa also defended the GNU, saying it should not be reduced to a “typical” coalition government.
Ramaphosa was speaking during the NEC Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, marking the ANC’s first meeting since its election defeat on May 29.
He said that the GNU, formed with nine diverse parties, aimed to serve all South Africans’ interests despite differing views on economic and societal transformation.
ANC President, Cde Cyril Ramaphosa has opened the #ANCNECLekgotla with a political overview to set the tone and the framework within which the #ANCNELekgotla must approach its work. #LetsDoMoreTogether pic.twitter.com/Is0mPkeMeV
— African National Congress (@MYANC) August 4, 2024
“We entered into this GNU with nine other parties, some of whom are fundamentally opposed to our perspective on the transformation of our economy and society.
“That is the nature of GNU across the world. A GNU is different from a typical coalition nor is it a forum of allied or like-minded parties,” IOL quoted the president as saying.
As the GNU sought stability, Ramaphosa acknowledged both the risks and opportunities ahead.
The president said that the ANC National Executive Committee reaffirmed the GNU as the best path forward for a stable and effective government, The Citizen reported.
“We didn’t arrive at the decision to form a GNU easily; we did it knowing the risks and opportunities that come with it. We firmly believe this was the best way to form a government that is stable, effective, and able to advance the interests of South Africa’s people,” said Ramaphosa,” Ramaphosa said.
Despite concerns, he said he was confident that the GNU would advance South African interests.
“We accepted that the people of South Africa made it clear that they are impatient with political bickering and the endless blame game among politicians and political parties. The people of South Africa want us to put their needs, their interests, and aspirations first,” Ramaphosa said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
