The African National Congress (ANC) says the South African Communist Party’s (SACP) decision to contest the 2026 Local Government Elections independently has sparked a serious debate on dual membership within its ranks.

Currently, the ANC constitution allows members to belong to both the ANC and the SACP.

Following the SACP’s resolution, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says it would be difficult for them to continue to share their election strategy with election opponents.

Mbalula says it is not a question of whether the ANC expels members, it’s maintaining that the resolution itself is bringing into question the membership duality of the ANC.

“It is not the question of threatening people or saying to people, because you have dual membership, ‘GO’. It’s a decision that in its implication means that if you stand as a ward councillor in a ward you stand opposite to the ANC. It brings into question duality. You are a party, and you are contesting the same ward we are contesting. So, who brought about the question of duality in the context of this decision, it is the party, because we can no longer share the same things we used to, election strategy and planning together to fight for the consolidation of the NDR (National Democratic Revolution),” says Mbalula.

[WATCH] On the matters related to the tripartite alliance. pic.twitter.com/w4aB1ZBfVR

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) September 1, 2025

Mbalula further described the SACP’s decision to contest elections independently as the most disastrous decision for the alliance.

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