SACP Wins 271 Seats in 2026 Local Elections, Demands Tripartite Alliance Reconfiguration
- The SACP broke 32 years of voting alongside the ANC by fielding standalone candidates in the 2026 Local Government Elections
- The party secured 271 council seats and 2.38% of the national vote, outperforming several established parties
- SACP leadership says the electoral breakthrough changes the terms of engagement with the ANC and Cosatu going forward
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Source: Facebook
The South African Communist Party (SACP) has maintained its stance that the Tripartite Alliance with the ANC and Cosatu requires a complete structural overhaul, asserting that political relations cannot return to legacy arrangements after the party fielded independent candidates in local government elections.
In the 2026 Local Government Elections, the SACP won 271 seats nationwide, securing 2.38% of the total vote. The outcome marked a turning point after 32 years and 14 successive polling cycles of backing the ANC exclusively. The party recorded significant results in Nelson Mandela Bay with four seats, alongside voter support in Limpopo and North West, while securing lower numbers in Gauteng.
The SACP's seat total surpassed those of the Patriotic Alliance (192 seats), Rise Mzansi (nine seats), and Build One South Africa (seven seats). The ANC remained the largest political party with 3,248 seats, leading in 128 local councils.
Dr Alex Mashilo rejects automatic coalitions
According to IOL, Dr Alex Mashilo clarified that holding direct council seats eliminates any possibility of automatic coalition pacts. He explained that past alliance arrangements suppressed SACP perspectives in public institutions, posing an existential risk by relying on ANC leadership to speak for the party. Regional party branches are conducting community consultations to guide voting decisions in local councils.
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SACP rules out automatic support in hung councils
General Secretary Solly Mapaila rejected comments by ANC official Nomvula Mokonyane regarding expected local backing, emphasising that working-class priorities will govern all municipal partnerships. Mapaila confirmed an upcoming conference organised under the Council of the Left and reiterated opposition to the ANC's national coalition with the Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus.
View a post by the SACP about the election on Facebook:
ActionSA opens coalition talks with ANC, EFF
In a related article, Briefly News reported on ActionSA’s coalition negotiations with the ANC and EFF after the 2026 Local Government Elections, including the party’s conditions for possible talks with the DA.
ActionSA holds a pivotal position in Gauteng’s metro seat counts, but an agreement between the DA and ANC could sharply reduce its influence.
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Source: Briefly News
