South African Communist Party

Statement on the bilateral meeting with the ANC

Wednesday, 15 April 2026:- The South African Communist Party (SACP) held a bilateral meeting with the African National Congress (ANC) at Luthuli House in Johannesburg following an invitation of the SACP to the meeting. The bilateral occurred after the ANC’s conclusion of its special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The ANC special NEC meeting was held on 10 April, a date coinciding with the 33^rd anniversary commemoration of the assassination of Comrade Chris Hani, a very unfortunate decision to hold a meeting on such an important day of commemoration of our late General Secretary and stalwart of our liberation struggle.

The bilateral discussed important issues affecting the Alliance and the national democratic revolution as a shared programme between the Alliance partners. As part of its input, the ANC tabulated matters emanating from its special NEC meeting, particularly those relating to elections processes in as far as they affect the relations of the Alliance partners, more particularly the SACP as an organisation that will also participate in the upcoming local government elections.

Among other issues, the meeting reflected on the ANC’s position to communicate its election approach and expectations to its members. The SACP respects the ANC’s independence to manage this process. In the context of a shared membership between the ANC and SACP, this discussion is important for members of the SACP who are also members of the ANC. The SACP will remain available for further engagements on this matter as we remain committed to the organisational formation of the Alliance, which critically includes dual membership. We view dual membership not as a punishable offence but as an asset for the progressive cause. It is through the idea and practice of dual membership that the revolutionary movement succeeded in building the most powerful political movement that defeated colonial and apartheid forces. Any action to undermine it serves only to reverse any potential for further progress on transformation.

As an important element of the discussion, the  ANC and the SACP reaffirmed their continued commitment to the Alliance, even as the SACP prepares to contest the upcoming local government elections in its own name for the first time in the democratic era. Considering existing standing committees between the ANC and SACP relating to management of alliance relations during the course of the elections, the bilateral agreed to continue to work out and refine the rules of engagement. However, as the SACP, we are concerned that the work of this task team has not been given sufficient attention from the side of the ANC. The SACP is committed to maintaining productive cooperation with Alliance partners in this area and any other important area of work.

The SACP remains steadfast in its position that no member of the Party will face any political retribution whatsoever for holding a membership of the ANC. The SACP remains committed to its resolution to contest the upcoming local government elections and sees no contradiction between its decision and sustaining the Alliance with its shared objectives. We welcome what we see as the ANC’s ultimate realisation of the unchanging nature of this decision of the SACP as reflected in the engagements in the bilateral meeting.

As we prepare for the local government elections, we continue to build organisational capabilities that will endure beyond the election season and position the Communist Party on a positive trajectory moving into the next century. The Party’s primary focus remains establishing a strong working-class base for sustained socialist struggles while utilising electoral opportunities to defend national democratic ideals and consolidate the transformation project.

--
---
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY,
FOUNDED IN 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA.