The ANC has declined an invitation to attend the SA Communist Party’s (SACP) Conference of the Left later this week, according to people familiar with the matter, as the sharp deterioration in relations between the alliance partners ahead of the November local government elections continues. The governing party was formally invited and offered a brief speaking slot to deliver a message of support but chose not to participate. Business Day understands some ANC national executive committee members voiced their concerns at the weekend’s meeting that the party’s participation would be viewed as an endorsement of an opposition party. The snub marks one of the clearest signs yet of the widening rift after the SACP announced it would contest the local elections independently for the first time while insisting it remained part of the tripartite alliance.The party has also sharply criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC leadership over the decision to form the government of national unity, which includes the DA, after the 2024 elections, arguing the party aligned itself with the wrong coalition partner.The three-day conference from May 29 is expected to be attended by more than 300 people, including the MK Party and the EFF, trade unions, think tanks and left wing activists. The South African Federation of Trade Unions said it would not attend, accusing the SACP of defending government policies that entrench austerity.Business Day