Ramaphosa pleads with SACP to remain in alliance amid chants of 'we want state power
ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned the SA Communist Party not to be hasty in deciding whether to contest elections alone and possibly break away from the tripartite alliance.
Addressing the SACP’s national congress‚ Ramaphosa said now was not the time for the SACP to part ways with the ANC.
“This is not a moment when friends part. Before you take the decision to pursue state power‚ pause for a moment‚” he said‚ sending delegates into a frenzy.
Ramaphosa‚ delivering the ANC’s message of support after the SACP banned President Jacob Zuma from attending‚ said the party should not take the decision to go it alone out of anger.
He added that while the idea looked appealing at the moment‚ the reality may turn out to be vastly different.
“It has a ring to it. It has a wonderful ring to it that one day when we go to the Union Buildings‚ there will be red flags to show that the SACP is in power.
“As a revolutionary movement‚ we must never take decisions tempted by anger. We must‚ as a revolutionary movement‚ do what our forbearers have always done; they always have been calculating leaders‚” he said.
“You may even decide yourself that we will be in a coalition but you will find that when we get there‚ the cupboard will be empty.”
The spectre of a possible SACP breakaway from the ANC-led alliance and a future election battle looms large over the party’s congress.
Mpumalanga province and the Young Communist League have made it clear that they want the SACP to contest future elections on its own‚ showing great frustration with current internal ANC dynamics.
SACP deputy national chairperson Thulas Nxesi had trouble keeping Mpumalanga delegates quiet after Ramaphosa’s address.
They sang “We want state power“‚ reiterating their position.
- TimesLIVE