Johannesburg – The leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) should start dealing with factionalism by dismantling the so called "premier league", South African Communist Party (SACP) deputy secretary Solly Mapaila said on Friday.
No member within the tri-partite alliance wanted to be in alliance with a faction, he said.
Mapaila: SACP does not want to be in alliance with a faction of the ANC but with the movement as a whole. #JoeSlovo
— SACP (@SACP1921) January 6, 2017
"The SACP wants principled unity, not unity with factions...no matter how strong a faction can be...we can never enter into an alliance with it. That is why we call on the alliance to deal with factions and, for instance, dismantle the faction called the premier league," said Mapaila.
"At least that faction is known, and they have never denied it. So why is the leadership unable to confront this faction and dismantle it?"
Mapaila: the movement can't be held hostage by one person or a few people, the #ANC must deal with the so called premier league #JoeSlovo
— SACP (@SACP1921) January 6, 2017
The "premier league" is a group led by the premiers of the Free State, North West and Mpumalanga, who are also staunch supporters of President Jacob Zuma.
Mapaila said people within the alliance and controlled the factions, do not want anyone to differ with them. Dissent was crushed and people threatened with removal from their positions.
Mapaila: thee movement must not vilify those that criticise the movement and say they are calling for regime change #JoeSlovo
— SACP (@SACP1921) January 6, 2017
"Provinces are turned into spaza shops, that is not how our movement works. Some suggest that particular comrades be fired because they do not have confidence in the president [Zuma], that should never arise."