SACP says LGE preparations on track after IEC submission

The South African Communist Party (SACP) says preparations for the Local Government Elections are progressing well, confirming that it has submitted its candidate lists to the IEC.

The party will, for the first time, contest the polls across the country independently of its larger alliance partner, the African National Congress (ANC).

SACP General-Secretary Solly Mapaila says its campaign will engage communities, including faith-based and traditional organisations.

“The SACP is fielding 4 118 ward candidates across the country. In the same vein we are contesting proportional councillor seats countrywide. Our lists are the product of a long engagement process with communities that also informed our manifesto priorities. The list includes community candidates who are not SACP members. This confirms that we are not “going it alone” – we have community members outside our membership and other organisations that embrace and support our electoral contest as their own too.”

Video: SACP media briefing on LGE 2026 preparations – 30 August 2026

Mapaila says the move is not a withdrawal from the alliance with the ANC, adding that the party is simply exercising its democratic and organisational independence.

“We have community members outside our membership and other organizations who embrace and support our electoral contest as their own too. Among other candidates, among others, the candidates include community development activists and members of faith-based and religious organisations, traditional communities. Our sincere gratitude actually goes to all communities across the country, and the organisations that have welcomed and expressed support for our direct and independent electoral contest. Our electoral contest must be understood correctly: the SACP has not walked away from the alliance but firmly remains part of it while pursuing its reconfiguration. Like all alliance partners, we are exercising our political, ideological, and organisational independence.”

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