SACP Leader Solly Mapaila with President Jacob Zuma at Advocate Skakane Book Launch
By Thobeka Makume
South African Communist Party (SACP) General Secretary Solly Mapaila has firmly distanced his party from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, dismissing rumours of a possible alliance. Speaking during a special episode of the SACP’s *Red Mic* podcast on 15 March 2025, Mapaila addressed party members and clarified his recent interaction with former President Jacob Zuma at a book launch, saying there is “nothing further from the truth” regarding claims of an SACP-MK Party partnership.
Mapaila Addresses Rumours After Book Launch Encounter
Mapaila’s comments come after he attended the launch of *Odyssey of Liberation: Memoir of a Rebel Advocate*, a book by Advocate Meshack Skakane SC, on 14 March 2025. The event, attended by political figures across the spectrum, including Zuma, sparked speculation when photos of Mapaila and Zuma together surfaced online. Mapaila explained that the pictures were taken in a group setting, but some had cropped out others, such as Skakane and Professor Sipho Seepe, to create a false impression of a private meeting.
“I met President Zuma, who was invited to speak at the event, and we exchanged some pleasantries,” Mapaila said during the podcast. “We even took pictures, as you know, when we were taking pictures with a group of people there.” He stressed that this was a routine interaction, not a signal of political alignment, adding, “There’s nothing further from the truth” about an alliance with the MK Party.
The SACP leader noted that he has faced similar rumours before, referencing an interview with a left-wing publication just days earlier where he debunked the same claims. “I meet many political role players on the road, including from opposition parties. We greet and exchange pleasantries – that’s normal,” he said, urging members not to let such encounters be twisted in the “poisoned atmosphere” of political labelling.
SACP Stands Firm on Electoral Independence
Mapaila’s clarification comes amid broader discussions about the SACP’s future, including its decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently. This resolution, reaffirmed at the party’s Fifth Special National Congress in 2024, reflects frustration with the stalled reconfiguration of the Tripartite Alliance with the African National Congress (ANC) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
“We are not leaving the alliance, but we remain independent,” Mapaila told party structures during the *Red Mic* episode. He cited a 1993 SACP document, *The Role of the SACP in the Transition to Democracy and Socialism*, which warned that the party might need to assume a “more autonomous character” if the liberation movement is “hijacked by a liberal project” or fragmented by disunity. Mapaila argued that current divisions and neoliberal tendencies within the ANC have forced the SACP to take this step.
Recent reports from *Business Day* (13 March 2025) highlight tensions within the alliance, with ANC leaders reportedly resisting the SACP’s push for greater influence. Mapaila acknowledged this, saying, “We have been met with arrogance, insults, and labelling by top leaders of our movement,” but vowed to continue engaging, with a bilateral meeting scheduled for Monday, 17 March 2025.
IEC Registration and Local Election Plans
Mapaila also addressed misleading headlines from 14 March 2025, which suggested the SACP faced deregistration by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). He clarified that the party remains registered and committed to contesting elections, having updated its logo and leadership details with the IEC last year. “We met Mr Saul of the IEC, and I clarified our firm intention to contest the next local government elections,” he said, dismissing claims of a registration crisis as “sorted out.”
The SACP plans to contest not only the 2026 elections but also potential by-elections, with Mapaila urging structures to prepare actively. “We are entering this campaign without money, but through grassroots activism and mass rootedness,” he said, calling for increased fundraising and member contributions.
Red Caravan Initiative to Tackle Community Crises
Beyond elections, Mapaila unveiled plans for the *Red Caravan*, a grassroots mobilisation programme to address social and economic crises in rural and urban communities. Starting in the Eastern Cape, where he highlighted “unacceptable rates of rape and sextortion,” the initiative will see SACP leaders spend a week in villages, living among residents and developing self-reliant solutions.
“We’ll set up tents if needed, stay with the people, and discuss how to change things,” Mapaila said. “Poverty has trapped our people – we’ll bring fresh ideas.” The programme aims to combat neoliberal policies like water privatisation, which he fiercely opposed, stating, “We will never accept any government privatising water in this country – not when the Communist Party still exists.”
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