SACP to unveil candidate councillors for local government elections in Western Cape

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape is set to unveil its candidate councillors for the upcoming November local government elections.

This was revealed by SACP provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu yesterday as political parties and independent candidates have 11 days to submit their candidate lists and nomination documents to the Independent Electoral Commission.

“We are going to unveil the cadres of candidate councillors who will run for the elections on Sunday. I will at the event launch the provincial local government elections manifesto and outline the six pillars of the manifesto,” said Ngqentsi about the event to be held in Khayelitsha within the Brian Bunting District, Cape Town.

He made the statement following the national launch of the SACP’s manifesto in Soshanguve, Gauteng, on Sunday, which was held the same day the party marked its 105th anniversary.

Speaking at the manifesto launch, secretary-general Solly Mapaila said they were contesting the local government elections independently because the working class is not represented in government.

“We are contesting because we believe we can fix the collapsing municipalities and rebuild them for their purpose. The working class has been patient long enough for unfulfilled promises,” he said.

According to Ngqentsu, they would be contesting all wards in the 30 municipalities across the Western Cape province, including the City of Cape Town.

He also said their candidates were drawn from within SACP ranks and other formations such as trade union movements and civil society groups.

However, Ngqentsu stated they would not bar ANC members who want to contest under the SACP banner.

The party was absent when the ANC in the Western Cape finalised its candidate list process at the weekend.

“It took a decision to contest the elections on its own. So they were not present. Cosatu is here and SANCO is also here,” ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtswen said on Sunday.

The decision of the SACP to contest elections is expected to contribute to further decline in the dwindling ANC performance in the elections.

Ngqentsu said the SACP would not be responsible for the further decline in the ANC’s electoral performance in the upcoming elections if there was any.

“Objectively, we attribute the ANC's decline to ANC's policy choices in government, that of neoliberal austerity, which is responsible for the higher rate of unemployment, poverty, inequality, and the rise of precarity across sectors of the economy.