The South African Communist Party (SACP) on Monday said it welcomes the Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) conference election results won by Panyaza Lesufi.
The SACP Gauteng Province said it “welcomes the outcomes of the 14th Provincial Conference of our principal political ally, the ANC in Gauteng”.
“In this regard, the SACP takes this opportunity to wish the newly elected leadership collective, led by cde Panyaza Lesufi, well in their term of office”.
Gauteng Education MEC Lesufi has been elected provincial chairperson of the ANC in the province.
Lesufi defeated Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile by a slender majority of just 32 votes after the elective conference experienced several delays over the weekend that included a court challenge.
Maile accepted the outcome and congratulated Lesufi on his victory.
Panyaza takes over the reins from Premier David Makhura.
However, the SACP said: “We have noted, with concern, organisational challenges that confronted the conference and that have culminated in its inability to conclude its work”.
The ANC alliance partner said it observed that factional disagreements between delegates took a long time to resolve and, as a result, some items on the conference agenda were not dealt with.
“We nevertheless welcome the decision to convene the Provincial General Council (PGC) aimed at concluding the outstanding agenda items of the conference,” said the SACP.
“It is in the interest of the newly elected leadership collective to combat the demon of factionalism as manifested through the slate market.”
The SACP said the strategic task of this leadership collective, building towards the 2024 provincial and national elections, “is to push back against the forces of counterrevolution dominating the metros in the cities of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni”.
The SACP warned these “forces” were forming coalitions of extreme right-wing political parties that promote hatred and prejudice of one kind or another.
“We remain of the view that the inability to weed out factionalism and the slate market has practical implications and dangers for our revolution,” said the SACP.
“This problem has been left unattended for a very long time and has begun to plunge the revolution into a crisis.”
