SACP Gauteng Supports Lesufi’s Reshuffle

Despite growing disapproval and backlash from within the ANC itself

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in Gauteng has formally affirmed its support for the recent reconfiguration and consolidation of the Gauteng Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).

The party frames the strengthening of the GPU as a strategic necessity essential for defending and deepening the National Democratic Revolution (NDR).

“The strengthening of the GPU must be understood as an intervention located within the strategic tasks of defending revolutionary advance,” the SACP stated in a statement where it provided an assessment of the recent executive reshuffle in the province.

According to the SACP, the stability of the provincial executive is a prerequisite for progress. The party believes the NDR remains the principal historic programme for resolving the national and class contradictions inherited from South Africa's past.

However, this support stands in sharp contrast to the intense resistance emerging from other sectors of the Tripartite Alliance.

The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Gauteng has contrarily voiced its utter disgust at the appointments, particularly regarding the inclusion of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the executive.

“Premier Panyaza Lesufi has sidelined young people in favour of political compromises that undermine the movement,” the ANCYL argued in a statement following the announcement.

The South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the province has taken an even firmer stance against Lesufi.

They have publicly called for the Premier’s immediate resignation, describing the new executive structure as a betrayal of the ANC’s electoral mandate.

“The appointment of the EFF is an own goal and a betrayal of the voters who put their trust in the ANC,” the SANCO Gauteng leadership declared.

The ANC Veterans League, led by Snuki Zikalala, has also formally submitted a query of concern to the party leadership.

They are reportedly worried about the ideological alignment of the provincial government and its potential conflict with the national Government of National Unity.

The SACP has pushed back against these criticisms by highlighting the collective nature of the provincial government.

They noted that under current arrangements, political parties nominate their own preferred deployees and that the Premier does not exercise unrestricted personal discretion.

“Blaming an individual [Lesufi] for party-driven determinations is to distort institutional reality and deliberately personalise collective processes," the SACP statement continued in response to the backlash.

The SACP further argues that alliance unity is a strategic weapon forged through struggle rather than a matter of sentiment.

By resisting factional grandstanding, they believe the Alliance has prioritised the material interests of the people over subjective grievances.

“The Alliance must remain under the discipline of historical mission, ensuring that governance continuity serves the broader developmental mandate,” the Party added.

The national leadership of the ANC has been forced to acknowledge the growing divide between the provincial strategy and the concerns of the leagues.

During the Solomon Mahlangu Commemoration, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirmed that the matter would be handled at a higher level.

“The National Working Committee will reflect on the report from Gauteng. We have heard the concerns of the Veterans League and the Youth League,” Mbalula said.

Mbalula emphasised that there would be evaluate to determine how the provincial team navigated the necessary path to ensure governance stability, while maintaining that no individual or provincial structure is above the broader strategic objectives of the ANC.

“No one is above the discipline of the organisation, and we must ensure that our provincial configurations do not undermine the national strategic objective of the GNU,” Mbalula concluded.