The South African Communist Party (SACP) on Thursday strongly rejected recent directives from the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) requiring dual members to essentially choose sides ahead of the upcoming 2026 local government elections.

The SACP has decided to contest the elections as an independent party, which ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said was a conflict of interest.

The ANC told members with dual ANC-SACP membership to declare within 10 days, which party they will campaign for.

Describing the ANC’s directive as a serious anti-communist act, SACP general-secretary Solly Mapaila warned that the ultimatum threatened to fundamentally alter the character of the long-standing Tripartite Alliance.

He said that while the SACP had “never considered the ANC an enemy” and had historically supported them, the new ANC directives had transformed “a tactical disagreement” into an administrative ultimatum.

“This seeks to reduce a historic strategic relationship, forged in a bitter struggle for national liberation with shared blood, sacrifice and shared battles, into a one-sided demand for subordination and permanent support from an ally while never considering reciprocating the same support for a single moment or, literally, a single second of time measurement.

“Our decision to contest the 2026 local government elections directly under our own banner is not a retreat from the [Tripartite Alliance's] National Democratic Revolution (NDR), but a struggle over its class direction and future,” he said.

The party has ordered its members to disregard the ANC’s 10-day ultimatum, calling it an attempt to disenfranchise members and erode the basis of the alliance.

Mapaila said a genuine alliance could not be based on coercion by one partner.

“Our decision to contest the 2026 local government elections directly under our own banner shall continue. We will implement it without fear,” he said.

He explained that the decision was made in response to the “deteriorating state” of local government and the alleged marginalisation of working-class solutions in the ANC-led government

“Our independent contestation is not a retreat from the struggle for Alliance reconfiguration. It is part of that struggle. It is not a retreat from the NDR. It is a struggle over its class direction, its organisational content and its future,” Mapaila said.

The party has directed all provincial, district, and branch structures to urgently convene meetings to discuss this development and report through SACP channels on the situation in their areas.

Mapaila highlighted that the secretariat would deploy Central Committee members to districts.

“Every structure must compile, within the shortest possible time, a clear assessment of comrades who may be affected by the ANC directive and the type of support they require.

“Provincial and district leaderships must establish reporting lines so that any incident of pressure, exclusion, intimidation, or threatened disciplinary action is immediately communicated upward and collectively handled,” he said.