African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa has called on alliance partners, particularly the South African Communist Party (SACP), to strengthen their partnership in honour of the late party General Secretary, Joe Slovo.
Speaking at the 30th commemoration of Slovo’s death at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto on Monday, Ramaphosa’s remarks come as the SACP considers contesting future elections, including the 2026 local polls independently.
“Joe Slovo, comrades, was the embodiment of the revolutionary alliance. He understood the respective roles and responsibilities and objectives of each alliance component. Through the contribution of people like Joe Slovo, the SACP has been very central to refining the ANC’s ideological outlook,” Ramaphosa says.
He adds, “The SACP has been a strength behind the ANC and similarly the ANC has been a pillar of strength to the SACP. The two need each other, and getting one to walk separately is to weaken the national democratic movement.”
Steadfast
But SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila is standing by their decision to contest the 2026 local elections, saying their decision was not meant to weaken the ANC.
“We want working-class representation – that’s why we are contesting the 2026 elections. We are not weakening the alliance but we are about strengthening the alliance. We are not the enemy of the ANC and the dual membership continues because the political landscape dictates that we confront capital and advance the NDR as the SACP.”
SACP | In conversation with Solly Mapaila and Cyril Ramaphosa
