Durban - The SACP intends to contest at next year’s polls, says chairperson of the SACP in the North West Smuts Matshe.
Matshe was addressing supporters at the provincial general council meeting in Stilfontein, Matlosana Local Municipality, on Sunday.
Part of the discussions centred on the draft SACP document to contest the 2024 national general election, although there has been no national consensus and decision on this approach.
“Our 14th national congress was quite clear that we are a political party and we have interests in the state as well,” Matshe said.
“While other sides of the Struggle are important, we want to play an active role in matters of the state and we agreed we are going to contest the election.
He said the SACP’s participation was necessary in order to uproot the alleged corruption in the governing party, “so that criminals and thugs don’t hijack our revolution and give it a different flavour, and we want to broaden opportunities for a social order in our country”.
The SACP in the province acknowledged that the decision could divide alliance partners.
In December, the SACP and Cosatu, the ANC’s tripartite alliance partners, appealed to then-re-elected ANC leader President Cyril Ramaphosa to swiftly act to unite all before the polls.
SACP national spokesperson Dr Alex Mashilo said in December: “The newly elected ANC leadership, led by president Cyril Ramaphosa, faces the challenge of continuing to lead the renewal and unity of the ANC towards success. The SACP wishes the entire collective well.
“As the president said in the political report, delivered to the conference on December 16, the renewal and unity of the ANC will be incomplete without the reconfiguration of the alliance and the renewal of ties with the masses and their growing support.”
Mashilo said millions were living under concerning high levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality, which had created a crisis involving the inability of affected households to support themselves.