The ructions within the South African Communist Party (SACP) continued as the disbanded province executive committee (PEC) in KwaZulu-Natal digs in, fiercely insisting that it is still in office.
The disbanded PEC led by former Provincial Secretary Themba Mthembu insists that it is still in office, despite that the Central Committee (CC) late last month installed an interim task team led by Sikhumbuzo Mdlalose to “rebuild” itself ahead of the election.
The KwaZulu-Natal PEC was disbanded after it voiced its opposition to the communist party’s decision to independently contest the 2026 local government elections away from the ANC, its traditional ally.
On Monday this week (01 December 2025), Mthembu wrote a long letter to the CC telling it that the province feels targeted by the national leadership.
“It is now clear that the Central Committee is not prepared to engage on our memorandum but only prepared to continue with targeting Moses Mabhida Province (KZN), and this confirms all that we had highlighted in our Memorandum to the Central Committee.
“The recent suspension of some of our District Secretaries is a clear indication of a determination of the National leadership to deal with Moses Mabhida Province other than engaging on resolving issues raised by the Province,” Mthembu said in the letter.
He added that they do not recognise the decision to disband them and threatened legal action if their concerns are not addressed.
“We also want to make a clarification that we did not appeal the ‘’so called PB Decision to suspend Moses Mabhida PEC” as we do not recognise such a decision- Our letter to the Central Committee was only meant to remind the Central Committee on its Constitutional obligation on matters of this magnitude- we cannot appeal a decision that is outside of the Party procedures and policies.
“We only view the alleged disbandment of the Moses Mabhida PEC as nothing but an attempt to disrupt and compromise all our preparations towards the Provincial Congress that we have long resolved to convene earlier that the expected period. In light of the now called affirmation by the Augmented Central Committee, of the PB (Politburo) decision to disband Moses Mabhida PEC, we request the Central Committee to respond as to why we should not seek for a legal recourse in this matter and we expect such a response by no later than Thursday, 4th December 2025 and should we do not receive this response we will have no other alternative but to seek assistance from the third party.”
The national spokesperson of the SACP, Mbulelo Mbadlana, had not commented on the matter at the time this report was compiled.
