The South African Communist Party (SACP) should remain within the ANC-led alliance and help rebuild it, African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said on Monday.

“The SACP leaving the alliance will not help it or the ANC…there will be no winner out of that. The SACP should emerge from that conference with the aim to strengthen the alliance,” Kodwa said.

The SACP, whose leaders have in recent times criticised President Jacob Zuma’s leadership, is holding it’s 14th congress to elect new leaders. The party is expected to decide whether it would leave the alliance and contest future elections alone or keep endorsing the African National Congress that is marred by  internal battles and factionalism.

The SACP has followed suit and banned Zuma from addressing its events, including the congress, held in Ekurhuleni. The other alliance partner, Congress of South African Trade Unions, also banned Zuma from speaking at its events following a chaotic Workers Day rally in the Free State, where Zuma was heckled by workers and could not deliver his key note address.

The SACP congress ends on Saturday.