SACP position on ANC succession

12 January 2017

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has noted with concern various media reports suggesting that the Party has openly endorsed the Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC) Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa for ANC President. The SACP has not endorsed any individual leader’s name for the leadership of the ANC. The media would have reported accurately in this regard should they have taken steps to contact the SACP or even read the Party's last Augmented Central Committee statement released on 16 December 2016. The SACP openly presented its position on ANC succession in no uncertain terms thus:

“Rather than simply focusing on names of those who should be elected as ANC President, other office bearers and National Executive Committee members, there has to be a consideration of the criteria for effective leadership. A key consideration would be the capacity of a leader and leadership collective to avoid being factionalist and unite the ANC, the Alliance and the historical support base of our liberation struggle... The Augmented Central Committee expressed its concern that for a 105-year old liberation movement it is unacceptable that the ANC does not have a clear policy on leadership succession, and urges that it develops such a policy and implements it as soon as possible.”

The SACP will contribute to the debate on the principles and leadership qualities required to take not only the ANC but also our shared national democratic revolution forward and lead our Alliance successfully. The Communist Party reiterates its policy position that it will nevertheless leave the election of ANC leadership to ANC members within the framework of ANC rules and processes. 

Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, National Spokesperson, SACP, 12 January 2017