MK, EFF, SACP form bloc to drive municipal agendas, with conditional support for ANC

Detailed summary

Parties including the MK party, EFF and SACP have united as the Council of the Left, representing 20% of the municipal vote. While members continue individual coalition talks, the…

Parties including the MK party, EFF and SACP have united as the Council of the Left, representing 20% of the municipal vote. While members continue individual coalition talks, the bloc says it will back the ANC only if it cuts ties with the DA and Freedom Front Plus in national government.

As political parties negotiate municipal coalitions, one group of parties, representing 20% of the vote share collectively, has mobilised to create a bloc that will co-operate with one another in municipal governments.

The Council of the Left, including the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), South African Communist Party (SACP), African Congress for Transformation (ACT), and the Afrika Mayibuye Movement, among other political parties and grassroots organisations, announced during a press conference at Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg on Thursday, 12 November, that they will drive a joint programme in councils where they are represented.

Among those present were MK party national negotiator Dali Mpofu, EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini, ACT founder and former Free State premier Ace Magashule and SACP leader Solly Mapaila.

Their programme includes a drive to end privatisation of national assets, rebuild municipalities that prioritise land, decent housing, jobs, affordable electricity and clean water, and call for the removal from the government of national unity of “reactionary forces”, including the Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus.

The parties were briefing the media while the ANC national executive committee was meeting at the same venue to discuss the party’s coalition strategy.

Speaking on behalf of the council, Mpofu confirmed that this decision would not affect current coalition negotiations.

“Individual organisations are going to be holding their [own] negotiations, but we’re in touch because we are the same. We’re in touch and we hope that next time, probably by the next elections, we’ll be in a position to negotiate as a bloc because of…

Mp…

Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Maverick. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.