Cosatu Issues Urgent Warning as ANC-SACP Election Rift Threatens Tripartite Alliance Survival

Cosatu calls for unity as the ANC issues a 10-day ultimatum to SACP members to declare allegiance ahead of the 2026 independent election bid.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 6:09 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Independent Online (IOL)

Rising Hostilities Threaten Decades of Unity

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has formally sounded the alarm over the deteriorating relationship between its Tripartite Alliance partners, the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP). The friction reached a boiling point this week following the SACP’s reaffirmed intention to contest the 2026 local government elections independently. Cosatu warned that if the "political maturity" required to resolve these tensions is not found, the alliance—a cornerstone of South African politics since 1994—could face total collapse.

The "Dual Membership" Crisis

The conflict escalated into an organizational crisis when the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) issued a 10-day ultimatum to members with dual SACP membership. Under the directive, high-ranking leaders such as Gwede Mantashe and David Masondo must declare whether they will campaign for the ANC or the SACP’s independent ticket. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula clarified that any member campaigning against the ANC would face immediate disciplinary action, effectively barring SACP-aligned members from ANC candidate lists and election structures.

SACP Rejects "Abuse" and GNU Direction

SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila has flatly rejected the ANC's ultimatum, characterizing the demand for a loyalty declaration as "abuse." Mapaila maintains that contesting elections in its own right does not make the SACP an enemy of the ANC. However, his rhetoric has become increasingly critical of the current Government of National Unity (GNU), which includes the DA and FF Plus. Mapaila argues the GNU ignores the interests of the working class, a sentiment that has fueled the party’s drive to seek its own mandate from voters.