ANC criticises SACP as tensions rise before the Conference of the Left

Tensions between Solly Mapaila's SACP and ANC under President Cyril Ramaphosa is widening ahead of the Conference of the Left due to be held on Friday.

The escalation of tensions between the ANC and its Tripartite Alliance partner, the South African Communist Party (SACP), was again laid bare when Fikile Mbalula addressed the media on Tuesday, criticising the SACP-led Conference of Left.

The ANC secretary-general heavily criticised the SACP for organising a conference with leftist parties and unions, and described the event, which will take place in Boksburg on Friday, as “the so-called Conference of the Left”.

The conference will feature political parties such as the EFF, Socialist Party of Azania, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Azanian People's Organisation, and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and its theme is “Building a Left Movement for Working-Class & Popular Power”.

Among the speakers would be SACP First Deputy General Secretary Madala Masuku, EFF’s Julius Malema, and MKP chairperson Nathi Nhleko.