An SACP representative was booed at the ANC Limpopo conference as delegates registered their displeasure with the SACP’s decision to contest elections independently.
Delegates objected to the SACP delivering its message of support for their 11th provincial conference. They constantly booed and even took over the microphone to say they did not want to hear the message.
When the SACP’s Percy Ndlala took the podium, the delegates started booing loudly, howling and singing.
They argued against the SACP being part of their conference as it was now directly contesting against the ANC, effectively meaning it was now an opposition party.
One delegate went to the microphone and said, “We want to register a disclaimer that now you are allowing the SACP to come and give messages of support, but we as the ANC have got a problem, especially when we do door-to-door. We are suffering because these communists in the province are contesting the ANC.”
He continued: “Are they telling us that they are withdrawing from their stance and that they are not contesting the local government elections or not? Because we can’t listen to people who contest against the ANC. Contesting against the ANC means you are contesting power and we can’t allow them to address us.”
Under its general secretary Solly Mapaila, the SACP made a decision to contest elections on its own. Previously, the ANC and its partners, including the SACP, Cosatu and Sanco, have always campaigned under one umbrella. But this changed in 2025 when Mapaila pronounced that the SACP would no longer support the ANC in its campaign in the local government elections.
Although the ANC is hopeful that it will be able to convince its historical ally not to contest outside the alliance, Mapaila has been clear that this stance is unlikely to change.
Mapaila has stopped attending ANC events to deliver messages of support and has been sending representatives. He was also a no-show at the ANC’s national general council in December.
Delegates on Friday defied pleas by ANC Limpopo provincial secretary, Reuben Madadzhe, and his deputy Florence Radzilani, to stop singing and the conference descended into a popular song, “Tambo silamulele (Tambo save us)”.
Madadzhe told the delegates that the SACP was formally invited to deliver messages of support at the conference, but they would hear none of it.
“We are not going to allow a situation where the SACP is refused to speak at a conference of its ally, the ANC, irrespective of whatever conditions. Now I, comrade deputy chair [Radzilani who chairs the conference], want to request you to allow the SACP to deliver the message,” said Madadzhe.
ANC berates delegates
Luthuli House had to intervene through its second deputy secretary-general, Maropene Ramokgopa, who was at the conference to deliver the keynote address.
Ramokgopa told the delegates to respect the conference. She told the delegates that as the ANC’s leadership at national level, they knew the “pain” the delegates were speaking about.
“The pain you are displaying here, we understand it, comrades. Don’t ever believe that we don’t know it. However, we are a rules-based organisation. During the national general council (NGC), this matter was discussed and the resolution that was taken was that the national executive committee (NEC) must go and refine this particular matter,” said Ramokgopa.
She said if the conference of Limpopo did not agree with the decision by the NGC for the NEC to still engage the SACP, then that was the message she could deliver to the highest decision-making body, if they so wished.
The delegates loudly cheered in agreement with Ramokgopa’s proposal
Dladla eventually addressed the conference but was heckled throughout his speech.
TimesLIVE
Kgothatso Madisa
www.timeslive.co.za
