A deadline of ten days will be given to members of the ANC who are members of the SACP to clarify which party they will campaign for in the upcoming local government elections as both coalitions will contest the elections.
The secretary general of the ANC, Mr Fikile Mbalula, said that members who choose not to respond to his letter will get themselves into trouble. He said this while talking to the media, yesterday. Mbalula said he will write a letter to all ANC members on Thursday, where he will ask them to clarify which party they will go with.
“The members of the ANC must respond within ten days. If there are those who choose not to respond to the letter, choose to campaign for the SACP, they will have a problem. The principles of the ANC are clear that you cannot campaign for a party that fought with the ANC in the elections.”
There are a number of SACP leaders who hold government positions including the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Higher Education, Mr. Buti Manamela, and the Premier of Limpopo, Dr. Phophi Ramathuba.
Mbalula said that ANC members will not be forced to resign from being members of the SACP.
“It is not that we are fighting the SACP, what we are doing is protecting the ANC. We have no problem with people who are members of the SACP, but you cannot campaign for both parties. You must choose one party to campaign for. Others have already chosen. People who are members of the SACP will not be expelled.”
Mbalula said they have no evidence that the SACP’s participation in the elections could cause the ANC to do poorly in the elections. He said that the participation of the SACP in the elections will not be the same as the emergence of the party led by the former president of the country, Mr. Jacob Zuma, the MKP.
“This is not the same as Zuma’s. Zuma’s was like a wildfire, which broke out unexpectedly. The SACP told us that he would contest the elections. They have made a decision, there is nothing we can do about it. We will meet them in the elections.”
Mbalula said they have started the process of appointing those who will represent the ANC in the upcoming elections.
“The councilors are doing their job well and we hope that they will be re-elected. Furthermore, we hope that this year, we will find councilors who will work harder than the ones we currently have.”
He said that the process of appointing the future mayors will be completed in June.
Mbalula said that they will do something unusual this year as they are planning that those who will be promoted to the position of mayor, will take over as soon as possible.