SACP in ‘risky’ Free State by-election move

By entering the Metsimaholo by-election separately instead of under the ANC banner, the SA Communist Party (SACP) is taking a huge gamble that could either grow the party or destroy the ANC-led alliance, a political analyst says.

Ralph Mathekga said although the SACP’s decision was a “huge risk” that would weaken and even spell the end of the tripartite alliance, the SACP was better off on its own than going down with the ANC.

“The SACP can rebuild their party as a working-class-aligned party,” Mathekga said.

The 96-year-old party decided on a historic experiment by contesting the by-election as a separate entity at Metsimaholo in the Free State.

The opportunity emerged when the coalition of the DA, EFF, Freedom Front Plus and Metsimaholo Civic Association broke down.

In the by-election, to be held on November 29, the SACP is not only facing these other parties, but also opposing the ANC.

As is the culture with any election, the party would have no choice but to run a campaign that undermined the ANC and vilified its candidate in the by-election.

The SACP’s decision to field its own candidate is meant to test the waters as its eyes are on whether it should go it alone during the national election in 2019.

Another analyst, Steven Friedman, said it was normal in democracies for parties in an alliance to contest elections separately.

So, the SACP’s move was a first step towards a normal alliance.

“It is the option favoured by the young SACP members so it may well become its approach in future. Whether it is a wise move depends on how well it does,” Friedman said.

The SACP does not need to win the Metsimaholo by-election, but it would have to do well enough to show the ANC that it has enough support to threaten its majority.

“Whether it can achieve this I have no idea. There is no information available to say what will happen,” Friedman said. – ericn@citizen.co.za

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