Amid chants of ‘we do not want the GNU’, the relationship between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) found itself under the microscope on Monday during the South African Communist Party's (SACP) commemoration of Joe Slovo’s legacy at the Avalon Cemetery in Soweto.
Those attending said it was a poignant reminder of the political divisions that continue to shape the country's discourse.
Speaking at the event, President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila and Cosatu leader Duncan Luvuno, paid tribute to Slovo's vital contribution as an anti-apartheid activist and one of the architects of South Africa’s democracy.
Slovo was a founding member and later Chief of Staff of Umkhonto we Sizwe.
Ramaphosa reflected on Slovo's strategic brilliance and flexibility.
"One of Slovo's exceptional attributes was his ability to appreciate changing conditions during the struggle and to anticipate the need for new approaches."
Mapaila did not shy away from criticising the DA, labelling them as ‘hyenas gunning to finish off the ANC’.
He voiced concerns over the Government of National Unity (GNU), warning Ramaphosa of the potential threat the coalition poses to his party's stability.
"We are aware of the reversals that are taking place at the strategic level," he said, expressing that the struggle against poverty is a significant challenge for the ANC.
Mapaila asserted that the SACP remains committed to contesting the 2026 local elections independently from the ANC, emphasising that this decision is aimed not at weakening the alliance but at strengthening it.
"We want working-class representation, that’s why we are contesting the 2026 elections," Mapaila declared emphatically, reinforcing the importance of interdependence within the alliance without compromising the SACP's autonomy.
Ramaphosa echoed these sentiments, saying: "The ANC has been a pillar of strength to the SACP. The SACP has been the strength behind the ANC."
He underscored the necessity of collaboration between the two entities in order to advance the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) in South Africa.
Despite the evident strain within the coalition, both leaders recognised the lasting impact of Slovo's activism.
Ramaphosa highlighted the ongoing transformation of South Africa, acknowledging that the legacy of apartheid still looms large over the nation. "More than three decades since Comrade Joe Slovo’s passing, our country has been transformed in many ways. The legacy of apartheid is still with us and still casts a shadow," he remarked.
The event, marking 30 years since Slovo's death on January 6, 1995, not only celebrated his achievements but also brought forth critical reflections on the current political landscape.
Ramaphosa noted the importance of listening to diverse voices, reminding attendees that “our democracy, which Comrade Joe Slovo was one of its prime architects, is robust and allows us to hear all voices.”
The SACP also paid tribute to Slovo in a statement, saying his leadership was vital in the armed resistance against apartheid.
“His strategic brilliance and theoretical contributions shaped our revolutionary path.
“In his seminal work, “The South African Working Class and the National Democratic Revolution”, he highlighted the inseparable bond between national liberation and class struggle. Slovo argued that the defeat of apartheid was only the first step towards a socialist transformation of society.“
The party said Slovo’s commitment to gender equality was revolutionary.
“He recognised that true liberation required the dismantling of patriarchal systems alongside the overthrow of capitalism.
“His analysis placed women’s emancipation at the heart of the broader struggle for social justice,” the statement reads.
The SACP said as Slovo’s life was being commemorated, the pressing challenges affecting the working class in South Africa today must be confronted.
“The majority of our people live in dire poverty and in degrading conditions caused primarily and historically by monopoly capital, though not exclusively.
“Despite the recent decrease in the official unemployment rate to 32.1 per cent in the third quarter of 2024, unemployment remains alarmingly high, with the expanded definition, which includes discouraged work seekers, at 41.9 per cent.”
It said youth unemployment is particularly severe, with a rate of 45.5 per cent among individuals aged 15-34 years.
“Poverty continues to plague our nation. As of 2024, approximately 13.2 million South Africans are living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 per day, equivalent to R18.78 recently.
“Furthermore, nearly 63 per cent of the population lives below the upper-middle-income poverty line, indicating widespread economic hardship.”
It described this as a national crisis that ‘cannot be resolved by repeating the same failed neo-liberal policies, no matter what costumes you dress them with’.