SACP removes Gwede Mantashe from central committee amid escalating ANC tensions
The South African Communist Party (SACP) has removed ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe from its central committee, a move that highlights escalating strains within the Tripartite Alliance.
The decision comes as the SACP prepares to contest the 2026 local government elections independently, a step that has unsettled its long-standing ally, the African National Congress (ANC).
Mantashe, a former SACP chairperson, was dismissed amid mounting disagreements over electoral strategies and ideological direction.
The ANC has warned its members against supporting rival parties, with Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula cautioning that dual membership could trigger disciplinary action against leaders such as Mantashe, Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande.
SACP spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana defended the move, accusing the ANC of undermining its partners. “The process of elections and deployment involves the alliance, not just the ANC,” he said, insisting that dual membership remains central to their partnership.
The rift comes against the backdrop of the ANC’s government of national unity, which includes the Democratic Alliance, a party the SACP views as hostile to socialist principles. Analysts warn that the alliance’s fractures could reshape South Africa’s political landscape ahead of 2026.