The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Alfred Nzo region is on a collision course with its alliance partner, the ANC.
With just two months before the local government elections, the party has announced it intended contesting several municipal seats.
The SACP in Alfred Nzo region even put an advert in local community papers last week, informing members of the public about its plans to field candidates in all four local municipalities as well as the district council.
SACP provincial secretary Xolile Nqatha confirmed seeing the advert. He said the provincial leadership had since demanded a full report on the matter.
When the cold war between the ANC and SACP first came to the fore in March, the alliance secretary visited the area to try and convince local leaders to reach an amicable settlement.
Nationally the SACP has a clear resolution to back the ANC in the election, a resolution SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande made clear at the ANC’s election manifesto launch in Port Elizabeth on April 16.
Nut in Alfred Nzo, the SACP accuses ANC regional leaders of sidelining them in the nomination process.
The Dispatch reported at the time that SACP regional chairman Phikolomzi Siramza, an ANC councillor, was angry when he was told he could not serve on the regional list committee (RLC) since the ANC had banned all incumbent councillors from list committees.
Siramza said the ANC had no right to choose who from the SACP should represent the party on the RLC.
ANC Alfred Nzo regional secretary Vukile Mahlelembana said since the disagreement over whether Siramza could serve on the RLC or not, the SACP in the region had continued to convene parallel list meetings.
“I have made a copy of the advert which was published in a Mbizana local paper last Friday and have shown the advert to other SACP provincial leaders.
“It is clear that the SACP in our region is not backing down and will field its independent candidates despite being advised otherwise by its provincial leaders,” said Mahlelembana.
The areas listed in the advert are Alfred Nzo district municipality, Mbizana, Mzimvubu, Ntabankulu and Matatiele local municipalities.
“I have seen the advert and I was assured by comrades in the area that it has nothing to do with the SACP. I requested a full report if comrades do know the people involved,” said Nqatha.
The Dispatch has also seen a copy of the advert, which advises its readers to contact a Z Mqokolwana.
Mahlelembana said Mqokolwana was a serving ANC councillor in Mbizana local council, who had not been nominated to serve a second term as a councillor after the August election.
“ Mqokolwana is deployed by the ANC in the Mbizana council, but he chooses to be involved in such things.
“It is clear that the SACP in our region is not backing down,” said Mahlelembana.
Mqokolwana had not answered or responded to text messages by the time of going to press.
Defiant Alfred Nzo SACP to challenge ANC
With just two months before the local government elections, the party has announced it intended contesting several municipal seats.
The SACP in Alfred Nzo region even put an advert in local community papers last week, informing members of the public about its plans to field candidates in all four local municipalities as well as the district council.
SACP provincial secretary Xolile Nqatha confirmed seeing the advert. He said the provincial leadership had since demanded a full report on the matter.
When the cold war between the ANC and SACP first came to the fore in March, the alliance secretary visited the area to try and convince local leaders to reach an amicable settlement.
Nationally the SACP has a clear resolution to back the ANC in the election, a resolution SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande made clear at the ANC’s election manifesto launch in Port Elizabeth on April 16.
Nut in Alfred Nzo, the SACP accuses ANC regional leaders of sidelining them in the nomination process.
The Dispatch reported at the time that SACP regional chairman Phikolomzi Siramza, an ANC councillor, was angry when he was told he could not serve on the regional list committee (RLC) since the ANC had banned all incumbent councillors from list committees.
Siramza said the ANC had no right to choose who from the SACP should represent the party on the RLC.
ANC Alfred Nzo regional secretary Vukile Mahlelembana said since the disagreement over whether Siramza could serve on the RLC or not, the SACP in the region had continued to convene parallel list meetings.
“I have made a copy of the advert which was published in a Mbizana local paper last Friday and have shown the advert to other SACP provincial leaders.
“It is clear that the SACP in our region is not backing down and will field its independent candidates despite being advised otherwise by its provincial leaders,” said Mahlelembana.
The areas listed in the advert are Alfred Nzo district municipality, Mbizana, Mzimvubu, Ntabankulu and Matatiele local municipalities.
“I have seen the advert and I was assured by comrades in the area that it has nothing to do with the SACP. I requested a full report if comrades do know the people involved,” said Nqatha.
The Dispatch has also seen a copy of the advert, which advises its readers to contact a Z Mqokolwana.
Mahlelembana said Mqokolwana was a serving ANC councillor in Mbizana local council, who had not been nominated to serve a second term as a councillor after the August election.
“ Mqokolwana is deployed by the ANC in the Mbizana council, but he chooses to be involved in such things.
“It is clear that the SACP in our region is not backing down,” said Mahlelembana.
Mqokolwana had not answered or responded to text messages by the time of going to press.
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