African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has made an impassioned plea to the South African Communist Party (SACP) to reconsider its decision to contest the 2026 elections independently. Addressing the SACP’s 30th anniversary celebration at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto on Monday, Ramaphosa likened the two parties to twins, emphasizing that their separation would be akin to a loss of state power. He warned that such a division would only serve to weaken the ANC further, referring to the damage caused by past breakaway factions.
Ramaphosa reflected on the history of splinter groups within the ANC, noting that the party’s fragmentation over the decades has only hurt its strength and influence. From the late 1950s to the turn of the millennium, various breakaway parties, including COPE, the EFF, and the MK Party, have contributed to the weakening of the ANC’s unity. His comments were made in the context of the ANC’s poor showing in the May 29, 2024, national and provincial elections, where for the first time since the end of apartheid, the party dipped below 50% of the vote.
In his speech, Ramaphosa addressed the SACP’s recent announcement, made in December 2024, that it intends to run separately in the 2026 local elections. The SACP has expressed dissatisfaction with the ANC’s alliance with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Government of National Unity (GNU). This disagreement has prompted the SACP to seek a path independent of the ANC, a decision Ramaphosa urged them to reconsider. He emphasized that splitting from the alliance would not only diminish the power of the ANC, but also undermine the broader goals of the national democratic movement (NDR).
Ramaphosa urged the SACP to consider the implications of walking separately from the ANC, warning that such a move would diffuse state power and result in its loss to other political forces. “If we are serious about winning state power on our own, we must walk together,” he said, stressing the importance of unity within the alliance. He suggested that dividing their forces would only play into the hands of opponents, further diluting the influence of the mass democratic movement.
The ANC president also underscored the deep historical ties between the ANC and the SACP, calling for both parties to strengthen their relationship to ensure that power remains within their hands. He stressed that the SACP has been a key ally and a pillar of strength for the ANC, just as the ANC has been crucial to the SACP’s political influence. Ramaphosa likened the two parties to twins, asserting that any separation would be detrimental to the progress of the national democratic revolution.
As the country prepares for the upcoming elections and the January 8 celebrations, Ramaphosa called for unity, urging all factions within the alliance to come together to face the challenges ahead. His remarks reflect a growing concern within the ANC about its declining political fortunes, and his efforts to stabilize the party’s base ahead of what promises to be a contentious electoral period. With the president set to deliver his statement at the ANC’s January 8 rally in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, it remains to be seen whether the SACP will heed his call or continue on its path toward independence in the 2026 elections.
