SACP Confirms Gwede Mantashe's Removal from Central Committee.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) has officially confirmed that Gwede Mantashe, the national chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC), is no longer a member of its Central Committee after failing to attend multiple meetings without providing apologies. However, the SACP clarified that Mantashe remains a member of the party itself.
During a media briefing in Johannesburg on Sunday, SACP First Deputy General Secretary Madala Masuku addressed the situation, stating, “Yes, it’s true that comrade Gwede Mantashe is not part of the Central Committee anymore. But he is still a member of the party.”
Masuku explained that the SACP’s constitution stipulates that Central Committee members who miss more than three consecutive meetings without valid reasons or formal apologies are disqualified from their roles. “Comrade Mantashe consistently missed meetings. When spoken to, he explained he was dealing with a complex situation within the ANC. We understood that. But the issue was that he was not sending any apologies,” Masuku elaborated.
Despite the challenges Mantashe faced within the ANC, the SACP attempted to engage him and encourage his continued involvement. “Even after several attempts to persuade him, there was no change. As a party, we are taught to respect the collective. Because he did not honour that principle, the Central Committee had no choice but to release him so that he could focus on his responsibilities in the broader liberation movement,” Masuku said.
The SACP acknowledged that Mantashe’s roles as ANC national chairperson and Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources within the Government of National Unity (GNU) undoubtedly left him with limited time. “He has a lot of challenges in the liberation movement and in government. Let’s give him that space…but this was not a political purge. We don’t operate like that,” Masuku stressed.
The decision to remove Mantashe from the Central Committee comes amidst rising tensions between the SACP and its long-standing ally, the ANC. As both parties navigate their relationship, this development raises questions about the future dynamics within South Africa’s political landscape.
While Mantashe’s removal from the Central Committee may have been prompted by attendance issues, the implications of this decision could resonate beyond the party structures. The SACP’s commitment to maintaining its constitutional standards while supporting its members reflects a balance between accountability and solidarity within the broader liberation movement.
As the political climate evolves, observers will be keen to see how this situation affects both Mantashe's role within the ANC and the ongoing relationship between the SACP and ANC. As Masuku concluded, the focus remains on the collective goals of the liberation movement, and Mantashe’s next steps will be closely monitored by party members and political analysts alike.
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