SACP will not retaliate as ANC removes SACP-linked deployees in Mpumalanga

MPUMALANGA – The South African Communist Party (SACP) in Mpumalanga says it will not punish members who choose to campaign for the African National Congress (ANC), even as the ANC moves to remove or reshuffle SACP-linked leaders holding key municipal positions ahead of the 4 November 2026 local government elections.

Several SACP members deployed to positions in municipalities across the province have already been removed or reshuffled, with more expected to follow.

The ANC in Mpumalanga has made it clear that members who campaign against the organisation will be regarded as opponents.

ANC Deputy Chairperson in Mpumalanga Speedy Mashilo said the ANC is a constitutional organisation and is acting within its constitution.

“We are a constitutional organisation, any person who campaigns against the ANC is an opponent. That is what our constitution says, and it is not a secret,” Mashilo said.

“Anyone against us should be regarded as an opponent.”

He said the ANC was not conducting a blanket purge of SACP members.

“But of course, there are SACP members who are in our list, who we can’t just get rid of as SACP members. They remain our comrades,” he said.

Mashilo cited SACP Provincial Chairperson Bonakele Majuba, who is also MEC for Finance, and Provincial Secretary Lucky Mbuyane as examples.

“There could be one or two issues here and there, but from where we see it, there is no effort or position to remove comrades as such, unless those comrades are opponents to the ANC. We can’t just target him for no apparent reason,” he said.

Mashilo’s remarks echo a national directive from ANC First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane.

In April this year, Mokonyane was explicit about the consequences for dual members who campaign for the SACP while deployed by the ANC.

“If you are in the executive, at local government, or serving in any position of influence, including deployment, we will take steps, including the removal from those particular positions, with immediate effect, removal means recall, because you will be doing activities that are not consistent with the ANC,” Mokonyane said.

At the heart of the fallout is the SACP’s decision to contest the 4 November 2026 local government elections on its own.

The decision was taken at its 5th Special National Congress in Boksburg in December 2024.

The SACP cited, among other reasons, ideological differences, the ANC’s decision to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) with the DA after the 2024 elections, the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) veering off track, the service delivery crisis and high unemployment.

While the SACP says it still wants to engage and persuade the ANC, the ANC has moved from talks to implementation.

The removals are already evident in several municipalities across the province.

A month ago, Tylor Pookgoadi was removed from his position as MMC for Corporate Services in Nkangala District Municipality.

Pookgoadi’s removal followed that of Alderman Marumo Sekgwele, former MMC for Infrastructure Development Services in Steve Tshwete Local Municipality. Sekgwele told this publication that he was instructed to vacate office on 13 April after publicly announcing his support for the SACP.

But Sekgwele and Pookgoadi are not the only casualties.

“Comrades Mapaseka Molaba who was the MMC for Community Services and Safety and Dorcus Rakishi in Lekwa Municipality were reshuffled. As if this was not enough, Cde Virginia Mzimba who was the MMC for Finance in Bushbuckridge Municipality was also reshuffled,” Mbuyane said.

The reshuffling is apparently set to continue in Nkangala District Municipality, with Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) Chairperson Pule Moseri in the firing line.

Nkangala ANC Secretary Sello Matshoga told the publication that Moseri was instructed to resign but refused.

“The ANC is now planning to remove him through a motion of no confidence in council,” he said.

Matshoga further explained that the SACP members were removed for contravening ANC policy, aims and objectives.

“Rule 25 states that any person who campaigns against the ANC must be subjected to a disciplinary process. You cannot campaign against the ANC and remain in its structures. But because of dual membership, we have not done so,” he said.

“As an organisation, we have resolved that since we are now contesting the elections alone, those who were afforded the opportunity and deployed to positions of power should vacate those positions. They were deployed not as SACP members, but as ANC members. We will therefore recall them and appoint individuals who are fully committed to the ANC. That is what we have done.”

Mbuyane, who is also Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, said the SACP would not respond with counter-purges or declarations.

“The SACP is not going to sign any declaration from the ANC. And we are also not making ANC members sign declarations with us. But those who are leaders and members of the SACP must campaign for the SACP,” he said.

Mbuyane added that the party would not punish its members who choose to campaign for the ANC.

“Simply because our contestation of elections is not the end of the alliance. We are not ending this alliance.”

He stressed that the alliance is revolutionary, not merely electoral.

“It is not an electoral alliance. After elections, we shall need the alliance to continue. In actual fact, we are reconfiguring the alliance through the ballot,” he said.

“We cannot reduce the alliance to elections. The SACP is not an electoral organisation. We entered elections because of some of the things done by the ANC, including the issue of the GNU, those are the things that made us contest elections.”