Thabiso Goba5 August 2025 | 4:24

ANC says respects but disagrees with SACP's decision to contest elections alone

In his closing address of the party's NEC meeting, ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that the SAPC's decision to contest elections alone would weaken all progressive parties.

ANC says respects but disagrees with SACP's decision to contest elections alone

The ANC NEC's top six members at the party's NEC meeting held at the Lakewood Conference Centre, Ormonde from 1 to 4 August 2025. Picture: @MYANC/X

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) said it respects but disagrees with the decision of its alliance partner, the South African Communist Party (SACP), to contest elections alone.

Last year, the SACP congress resolved to independently contest the upcoming local government elections and no longer under the ANC banner.

The strained relationship was part of the agenda at the ANC’s four-day national executive committee meeting, which wrapped up on Monday at the Germiston Civic Centre.

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With the ANC's dwindling support in past elections, it needs all the votes it can get to retain all the municipalities it currently controls.

In his closing address, ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that the SAPC's decision to contest elections alone would weaken all progressive parties.

"As the ANC, we have no wish nor do we have any intention to interfere with the decision the SACP has taken, however, as we have indicated to the SACP, our ally, we disagree with the decision."

Ramaphosa said that people with dual memberships between the organisation were still welcome in the ANC.

However, in June, the ANC's first deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, kicked out SACP members who were sitting in on the party’s election strategy meeting in Mpumalanga.