Facing a stark electoral decline and internal erosion, the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has issued a urgent call for reconciliation with the South African Communist Party (SACP) to prevent further losses in upcoming local elections.
The warnings were delivered by senior ANC figures during the party’s KwaZulu-Natal Provincial General Council this past Saturday, where the agenda was dominated by a review of its poor performance in the 2023 provincial elections. The ANC, once the dominant force in the province, fell to third place.
Dixon Masimula, the convenor of the ANC National Executive Committee members deployed to KZN, stated the party risks regressing further in the looming local government elections. He cited a critical need to mend the alliance with the SACP, which has threatened to contest the 2025 polls independently.
“With branches in some areas of the province having already been dissipated owing to members jumping ship, it was imperative for the ANC to mend relations with the SACP,” Masimula said.
He revealed that high-level talks between the ANC and SACP leadership have already taken place. “We believe very strongly that ourselves together with the SACP, notwithstanding what could be the contemporary areas of divergence, it does not necessarily suggest that we are enemies,” Masimula added, indicating a report on the discussions is expected soon.
The internal crisis is attributed to members defecting to fast-rising parties, notably the MK party led by former President Jacob Zuma. Masimula outlined a process of rebuilding through branch task teams to reset the party’s grassroots relevance in deserted areas.
Following the 2023 defeat, the ANC’s national leadership disbanded the provincial executive and installed a Provincial Task Team (PTT) to steer the structure. A member of that caretaker leadership urged against despair, invoking the party’s history.
“The challenges we’ve faced, political, economic, and social, are formidable. But our history teaches us that the ANC has always thrived when united, disciplined, and steadfastly committed to the people,” the PTT member said.
Echoing the focus on renewal a former provincial secretary and current PTT member identified socio-economic failures as core reasons for the electoral shift. “It’s unemployment, rising poverty, inequalities, poor service delivery. I think if we can focus more on those things and come with concrete programs… we will reclaim the lost ground,” he stated.
The council also served as a platform to review existing policies and conference resolutions to assess their continued relevance for the party’s constituency.
The ANC’s public appeal to the SACP underscores the severe political pressure it faces in a province now considered a key battleground, where a fragmented alliance could significantly benefit its growing rivals.