Mbalula dismisses suggestions impasse with SACP signals end of alliance

African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has dismissed suggestions that its current impasse with the South African Communist Party (SACP) over electioneering signals the beginning of the end of the alliance.

Mbalula believes the independent electoral campaigns will, however, give rise to opportunists within the ANC who will look to jump on the SACP bandwagon if they don’t appear on the ANC’s candidate lists for the upcoming local government polls.

After separate briefings on Thursday, the two parties still appear to be at loggerheads, with the SACP saying it won’t heed the ANC's ultimatum to declare its loyalty ahead of the election season.

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'SACP will not accede to ultimatums from another organisation'

On Friday, Mbalula said the party will be meeting with all its structures to set the guidelines for the upcoming polls.

SACP members will no longer be welcome in its election meetings as had been the case in the past.

But Mbalula insisted that there’s no bad blood, and the ANC accepts the SACP’s decision to contest elections independently.

“We are not divorcing. We are not even in separation. We are just exploring what could happen.”

Despite the SACP saying it won’t bow to a loyalty ultimatum from the ANC, Mbalula has given dual party members 10 days to declare which side they will be on when it comes to campaigning for the parties.

“We don’t believe that it will get to a position where anyone must be expelled.”

Mbalula said he’s expecting a clean election contest without the parties badmouthing each other to gain votes.