By Fumene George Tsibani:
The South African Communist Party’s (SACP) decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently has sparked intense debate. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has strongly criticized this move, labeling it a “monumental disaster” that threatens the unity of the liberation movement.
Mbalula argues that the SACP’s decision is ideologically flawed and politically dangerous, as it will fracture the historic tripartite alliance between the ANC, SACP, and COSATU. The SACP has lost not just the PIN number but also the PUK number. It must look for the black box not from Global North but rather from Global South.
The Global South has our revolutionary friends who have both the PUK number and Black Box for our incomplete NDR and its two stage theory. The South African Communist Party’s (SACP) current predicament can be likened to a blocked SIM card, where the Personal Unlocking Key (PUK) number serves as a metaphorical key to unlocking its potential.
In the realm of telecommunications, a PUK number is a unique 8-digit code linked to one’s SIM card, used to unlock it when the wrong PIN has been entered multiple times. Similarly, the SACP requires a metaphorical “unlocking” to regain its political relevance.
Disconnection
The PUK number can be seen as a symbolic representation of the SACP’s intellectual and ideological foundation, rooted in Marxist-Leninism. It represents the party’s roots and its connection to the visionary individuals who shaped its early years. The loss of this foundation has resulted in the SACP’s current disconnection from its grassroots base and its failure to articulate a clear vision for the country’s future.
The Black Box, on the other hand, can be thought of as the central processing unit or the “brain” of the system, embodying the party’s founding principles and ideological heritage. It represents the SACP’s ability to analyze and understand the complex socio-economic landscape of South Africa, and to develop effective strategies to address the country’s challenges.
As Antonio Gramsci, the renowned Italian Marxist theorist, once noted, “The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born.”This poignant observation resonates deeply with the SACP’s current struggles. The party’s inability to adapt to changing circumstances and its failure to develop new strategies to address the country’s challenges have resulted in its current crisis.
Self introspection
To regain relevance, the SACP must embark on a journey of introspection and renewal. This requires reclaiming its ideological heritage, re-engaging with its grassroots base, and rediscovering its purpose and direction. As the esteemed Marxist scholar, Louis Althusser, emphasized, “Ideology is not just a reflection of the real world; it is also a force which shapes the world.”
In this context, the SACP must be cautious not to fall prey to external influences, particularly the “regime change political landscape” orchestrated by Global North elites. Instead, the party must focus on revitalizing its internal structures, reconnecting with its core values, and reasserting its independence.
It can be deduced that the SACP’s resurgence will depend on its ability to adapt, evolve, and reclaim its rightful place in South African politics. As the celebrated economist, Samir Amin, noted, “The struggle for socialism is a long-term process that requires patience, persistence, and creativity.”
The SACP must rekindle this spirit of struggle, this burning desire for justice and equality, to rise once more as a formidable force in South African politics. Yet, this does not provide the SACP with context for elections outside the alliance partners. It is literally left with a few months to unite workers and the federation behind the incomplete NDR and its two-stage theory.
SACP deployees
As I ponder the trajectory of the South African Communist Party (SACP), I am reminded of the profound wisdom that true revolutionaries must eschew superficial solutions and instead champion transformative change.
The SACP’s recent predilection for “caravan campaigns” – ostensibly, garden projects designed to provide fleeting respite for the impoverished, rather than meaningful, systemic reform – strikes me as a paradigmatic example of this phenomenon.
Regrettably, the SACP’s deployees, scattered throughout the echelons of state and ministerial positions, have failed to distinguish themselves from their counterparts in other parties, including Action SA, BOSA, EFF, IFP, PA, GOOD, and UDM. This convergence of interests and ideologies has led me to posit that the SACP has, in effect, acquiesced to joining the DA-led “swart gevaar” and “fashionable black political parties” in their quest for regime change.
The statistical record since the dawn of democracy in South Africa is replete with evidence that minority groups have historically declined to support the ANC, instead exploiting the party’s commitment to non-racialism and non-sexism. Against this backdrop, the SACP’s decision to participate in the “caravan campaign” – a metaphorical sojourn amongst the impoverished, rather than a genuine effort to uplift them through meaningful infrastructure development – serves only to underscore the party’s growing irrelevance.
Regime change
In stark contrast, the Asian Tigers’ exemplary implementation of mega-integrated rural and urban infrastructure investment programmes (IR&UIIP) offers a compelling model for transformative development. The SACP’s failure to champion similar initiatives in South Africa is a damning indictment of its lack of vision and leadership.
As the 2026 local government elections approach, I fear that the SACP’s complicity in the regime change agenda will ultimately prove its undoing. The electorate, weary of the party’s lack of substance and principle, will likely consign the SACP to the dustbin of history.
The impending 2026 local government elections in South Africa present a poignant paradox. A vote for the South African Communist Party (SACP) would, in effect, constitute a vote for regime change and recolonisation, courtesy of the Democratic Alliance-led (DA) multiparty democracy. This incongruous reality is facilitated by the Global North’s funding of various “black fashionable political parties,” which serve to maintain the status quo.
Ideology
As the venerable Louis Althusser once remarked, “Ideology represents the imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence.” In this context, the SACP’s actions belie a stark disconnect between their professed ideology and the harsh realities of their complicity in regime change.
Karl Marx’s astute observation that “the ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class” is particularly pertinent here. The SACP’s acquiescence to the DA’s agenda underscores the party’s effective capture by the dominant ideology.
Vladimir Lenin’s dictum that “there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen” serves as a stark reminder of the SACP’s failure to capitalise on crucial moments in history. Instead, the party has opted for a “caravan campaign,” replete with grants and tokenistic gestures, rather than meaningful, transformative action.
Narrow approach
Regrettably, the SACP Central Committee has eschewed potential international partnerships, choosing instead to pursue a narrow, grant-based approach. This approach is in stark contrast to the ambitious, mega-infrastructure programmes undertaken by nations like Russia, the People’s Republic of China, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
As Lenin so aptly put it, “Give us the child for eight years and it will be a Bolshevik forever.” The SACP’s failure to nurture a new generation of revolutionary thinkers and doers will have far-reaching consequences for South Africa’s future.
Notwithstanding the above, the South African Communist Party (SACP) has demonstrated a startling inability to contextualise its strategy and tactics within the African continent, the cradle of humankind. The party has lost sight of the importance of tailoring its approach to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the African landscape.
Furthermore, the SACP has failed to develop and implement new micro, meso, and macroeconomic models that align with the Africa agenda. Instead, the party has opted for a “caravan garden project,” a retrograde initiative reminiscent of pre-1994 projects aimed at providing nutrition, relief, and development. This approach is redolent of the work undertaken by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Operation Hunger.
Campaign or Operation Hunger?
Notably, during my tenure as a strategic leader, Operation Hunger collaborated with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Mvula Trust to drive Community-Based Water and Sanitation Programmes (CWSSP). These initiatives were instrumental in promoting sustainable development and improving the lives of marginalized communities.
In this era of rapid technological advancements, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR), 5G, 6G, and 7G networks, as well as Big Data Analytics (BDA), one would expect the SACP to champion mega-infrastructure projects like the One Belt and One Bridge (OBOR) initiative. Instead, the party seems content with promoting incremental, small-scale projects that fail to address the systemic challenges confronting our continent and communities.
We had anticipated that the SACP would prioritise regional bulk infrastructure programmes focusing on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) economic bloc. Specifically, we had expected initiatives aimed at developing electricity and water infrastructure, leading to the creation of an SADC electricity and water pool. For instance, this water pool would enable the sharing of water resources across national borders, fostering cooperation, economic growth, and sustainable development ( reference is made between South Africa and mountaneous Kingdom of Lesotho 1956 Water Treaty).
Regional development
The SADC water pool initiative would be a critical component of the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan, aimed at promoting economic integration and development within the region. By prioritising such initiatives, the SACP could demonstrate its commitment to driving meaningful change and development in Africa, rather than merely paying lip service to these ideals.
In conclusion, a vote for the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the 2026 local government elections is, in effect, a vote for regime change and recolonisation. The SACP’s complicity in the Global North matured regime change by President Donald Trump, subsumed under Democratic Alliance-led (DA) multiparty democracy and its acquiescence to the “swart gevaar” agenda are a stark reminder of the party’s growing irrelevance. In the words of Karl Marx, “The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class.”
The SACP’s capture by the dominant ideology is a poignant reminder of the party’s loss of vision and leadership.
As we move forward, it is essential that we prioritise meaningful, transformative change over superficial solutions. The SACP’s “caravan campaign” is a metaphorical sojourn amongst the impoverished, rather than a genuine effort to uplift them through meaningful infrastructure development.
In the immortal words of Frantz Fanon, “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.” The SACP’s betrayal of its revolutionary mission will be remembered for generations to come.
True cadreship
Let us draw to a close by reaffirming the significance of contextualisation in grasping the fundamental principles of South Africa’s National Democratic Revolution ( NDR). It is imperative that we consider the country’s distinctive heritage, cultural diversity, and socio-economic challenges in our pursuit of a more equitable society.
As we reflect on the role of the SACP and its cadres, let us bear in mind the indelible mark of true communist ideology. A cadre, as defined by the Communist Red Book, must demonstrate unwavering capability, unimpeachable accountability, and steadfast responsiveness to the complexities of the revolution.
In our quest for a brighter future, let us heed the wisdom of these words and strive to create a more just and prosperous society for all South Africans. May our collective efforts be guided by the principles of justice, equality, and compassion as we navigate the complexities of our beloved nation’s transformative journey. Prof. Fumene George Tsibani ( Water Governance and Programme Evaluation Expert, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Johannesburg). He is writing in his personal capacity. –@NewsSA_Online
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