The South African Communist Party (SACP) in Limpopo has dismissed concerns raised by a recent article circulated by the party’s National Chairperson, Blade Nzimande. According to the province, the article has caused confusion among members and supporters because it creates an impression that there is growing disagreement about the party’s plan to contest the 2026 Local Government Elections.
SACP Limpopo said members should remain guided by Congress resolutions that affirm the party’s decision to participate in the 2026 elections under its own name. The province reminded members that this position was endorsed by the December 2024 Special National Congress and upheld through several meetings of the Augmented Central Committee.
Provincial leaders said party structures had repeatedly agreed that the focus must remain on preparations for the elections and on the implementation of party programmes. They warned that any attempt to reopen settled debates outside the correct organisational process contradicts party discipline.
The province said party tradition is clear that Congress resolutions can only be reviewed through documents that will be released in 2027 ahead of the next National Congress. Any effort to reverse or distort these resolutions before that date is considered organisational misconduct.
Provincial Secretary Chuene Malebana said they take serious exception to public statements that appear to undermine resolutions that were adopted in the 2022 National Congress and confirmed in later meetings chaired by the National Chairperson.
Malebana said SACP Limpopo has expressed confidence in the General Secretary Solly Mapaila and the Central Committee. The province said its leadership continues to guide the party and the broader working class movement during a period marked by rising unemployment and economic pressure on poor communities.
Malebana said they remain firmly committed to the resolutions of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth National Congresses, which directed the party to contest state power through local elections. The province said it has already implemented this mandate by contesting several by-elections, which it considers important preparation for the 2026 Local Government Elections. These contests have increased party visibility and strengthened organisational structures at the community level.
Malebana said the province said it recognises that the struggle to build popular democracy requires sustained mobilisation. It said the party will continue supporting efforts to build a Popular Left Front and a Movement of the Workers and Poor. According to the province, these programmes are essential for advancing socialist goals and ensuring that the working class can influence local governance.
SACP Limpopo said its structures will fully participate in all by-elections and the 2026 Local Government Elections as resolved by the Provincial Executive Committee in September 2025. The province said that the experience gained so far will be important in preparing for the election campaign.
Malebana said the province outlined the key elements of the party’s electoral strategy. It said the SACP intends to contest the 2026 elections independently in order to advance working-class representation in local government. This marks a shift from the tradition of supporting the African National Congress within the tripartite alliance. The province said this decision arises from long-standing dissatisfaction with the failure to address issues raised by the SACP within the alliance.
He said the SACP will campaign on a platform that challenges what it calls the neoliberal policy environment that has affected municipal services. The party plans to oppose privatisation and outsourcing in water supply, waste management and other basic services. According to the province, the SACP wants a model that supports access to services for poor households, including possible cross-subsidisation.
Malebana said the province said mobilisation will form a central part of the party’s approach to the elections. Campaigns such as the Red October programme and the People’s Red Caravan will continue drawing attention to economic hardship and inequality faced by working-class communities.
“Living conditions for the working class have worsened. It pointed to rising crime and corruption, which it said have been highlighted in the Madlanga Commission and in Parliament. The province said working-class communities must unite to confront these challenges and that the SACP remains committed to its mission of organising for social and economic transformation,” said Malebana.
Malebana said the province stands firmly behind the Central Committee and the General Secretary. He said the province remains focused on preparing for the 2026 elections and advancing working-class interests.
