The SACP Free Sate provincial press statement on local government elections

10 August 2016

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Free State Province congratulates its ally, the African National Congress (ANC) for receiving a renewed mandate from the electorate to carry forward democratic transformation at the local sphere of government.  The SACP salutes and thanks the voters for the support they gave to the ANC, symbolising the affirmation of their belief in the historical mission of the ANC to achieve complete liberation of the Black people in general and Africans in particular.

The victory of the ANC came as a result of the collective efforts and contribution of all alliance components and their volunteers, including the SACP’s Chris Hani Red Brigade. The SACP wishes to thank all the comrades for the hard work that they expended.

The SACP notes with concern the decline in the electoral support of the ANC in the province including in the Mangaung metropolitan municipality despite securing more than the minimum requirement of 50 percent plus 1 allowing it to form municipal governments in many areas without a coalition.   The SACP is worried that despite being the leading party in the Metsimaholo Municipal council, the ANC did not obtain a simple majority of 50% plus 1 in this municipality and needs coalition partners. The overall decline in ANC electoral support in the province generally requires collective soul-searching by the ANC and the entire liberation alliance.

The SACP calls on the ANC as the leading component of our liberation alliance to take a lead in undertaking an honest self-introspection and corrective action including measures favourable to our communities including the urgent reinstatement of municipal employees that the SACP has always consistently called for, and their return to work.

Issued by Bheki Stofile, SACP Free State Provincial Secretary, 10 August 2016