NUM says no concrete decision on plans to support SACP at 2026 municipal polls

JOHANNESBURG - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it hadn't taken a concrete decision on plans to support the South African Communist Party (SACP) at next year’s local government elections, as a rift between the African National Congress (ANC) and its alliance partner widens.
 
This is among decisions meant to be taken on the final day of the NUM's 18th national congress in Boksburg on Thursday, where the union elected new leadership.
 
But those talks have since been deferred to a special congress set to take place within a month.
 
About two months ago, NUM held a national political council where plans to support the SACP's electoral bid was touted.
 
The communist party has for some time now threatened to pit itself up against its alliance partner, the ANC, at the general and local government elections in a move that could further rock the boat in an already volatile tripartite alliance.
 
In its congress documents, the union again shared its frustrations about the ANC's decision to go to bed with the opposition in the Government of National Unity (GNU).
 
Despite claims that the union had drawn a line in the sand, NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu said that congress members would have the final say on how the COSATU-affiliate would vote at the municipal elections.
 
"The comrades have taken a decision that we are going to reconcile a special congress next month, to deal with issues of resolutions and commissions. That is where that resolution of whether to support the SACP or not is going to be discussed."
 
The SACP is expected to use the upcoming by-election in ward 13 in the Polokwane municipality in Limpopo as a litmus test when it fields its own candidate.