THE GREAT SACP GAMBLE: PRINCIPLE OR PAYCHECK?

The potential divorce between the ANC and the SACP has created a moment of truth for the powerful figures who walk in both worlds.

For decades, many leaders have enjoyed the best of both sides: the ideological purity of the Communist Party and the high-ranking government perks of the ANC. Now, as a final split looms, these individuals must choose their path.

The list of those caught in the middle is long and distinguished. In the national government, influential figures like Blade Nzimande, Gwede Mantashe, David Masondo, Chupu Mathabatha, Polly Boshielo, Buti Manamela and others, have spent years balancing their communist roots with their roles as ministers and senior ANC officials.

 In Limpopo, the crossover is even more concentrated. Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba serves as both the ANC Provincial Chairperson and the SACP Deputy Chairperson. Other key provincial figures, including Pule Shayi, Goodman Mtileni, and Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, hold significant weight in both organizations.

The looming question is whether these “dual-hatted” leaders are willing to trade their blue lights and ministerial offices for the “hard slog” of independent socialist activism. For many observers, this move will act as a final test of their commitment to the struggle for socialism.

Staying with the ANC allows them to retain executive power and control over the state’s communication and organizing machinery. Leaving for the SACP would mean starting from scratch as an electoral rival.

The ANC has already signalled that it will not tolerate divided loyalties during an election. The Special NEC recently deliberated on how to handle the SACP’s decision to run independently, with many expecting the party to eventually bar its members from supporting a rival organization. This would force leaders to resign from one party or the other.

As the alliance reaches this definitive crossroad, the choices made by these prominent members will reveal the true nature of their political identity. For those who choose to stay in the ANC, the critics will see a preference for the “comforts” of office.

For those who follow the SACP into the electoral wilderness, it will be viewed as a rare act of ideological commitment. The days of having it both ways are rapidly coming to an end.