Benson Ngqentsu, secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape, has been removed from the Western Cape Provincial Legislature by the African National Congress (ANC), a development the SACP leader said did not come as a surprise.
Alliance split plays out in provincial seats
Ngqentsu occupied a seat in the provincial legislature as part of the historic alliance between the ANC and the SACP. His removal coincides with escalating tensions between the two organisations after the SACP announced it would contest the 4 November local government elections independently, breaking with the customary electoral arrangement within the tripartite alliance that also includes Cosatu.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Ngqentsu said he and other SACP members had already been removed from positions in parts of the Western Cape, notably in the Garden Route. He characterised the dismissals in political terms and framed them as tests of principle rather than mere personnel decisions.
“If deployment in these levers of power is part of the patronage scheme, we have no problem with that. But if it’s based on our loyalty and commitment to the ideas, then we must be judged based on our service and commitment to the people,”
Ngqentsu added that if removals were due to the SACP’s dedication to what he called the class struggle, they would be regarded as “a badge of honour”.
What the SACP says about its election strategy
The SACP has indicated its preparations for the municipal polls are proceeding according to plan. The party’s leadership framed its entry into the local contests as more than an attempt to secure votes; it described the campaign as an organising project aimed at building a broader left formation.
At the weekend, SACP secretary-general Solly Mapaila told party members the local campaign would be used to mobilise workers and poor communities, fight corruption and crime, strengthen democratic participation, and lay organisational foundations for a larger socialist movement. Mapaila said the effort was “not an electoral exercise for its own sake”.
Local impact in the Western Cape
The Western Cape has long been contested territory for the ANC-led alliance. The SACP’s decision to stand alone at municipal level risks fragmenting opposition votes in some municipalities while testing the ANC’s discipline in others. Party removals such as Ngqentsu’s may have immediate implications for local governance, candidate lists and coalition arithmetic after the polls.
In the Garden Route and other parts of the province where SACP members have reportedly been removed from political positions, communities and voters will be watching for staff turnover, shifts in service delivery and realignment of ward and proportional-representation lists ahead of November.
- Key date: 4 November — local government elections.
- Parties involved: SACP, ANC, Cosatu (tripartite alliance).
- Regions affected: Western Cape, with specific reports from the Garden Route and Knysna area.
Political context and consequences
For the ANC, removing SACP representatives who occupy alliance-allocated seats will be politically delicate. The move could be portrayed by the ANC as a necessary reconfiguration of its caucus, while the SACP will likely present removals as the cost of political independence. Either framing risks alienating voters who remain loyal to the tripartite project.
Analysts say the SACP’s strategy of contesting local elections independently aims to convert community organising into electoral strength. Whether that strategy translates into council seats and bargaining power in hung municipalities remains unclear, but the decision has already altered the political landscape in the province.
What to watch next
Expect further reshuffles in provincial and municipal structures as the ANC and SACP adjust to their new posture. Key developments to monitor include:
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Additional removals | Could signal a broader purge or tactical realignment across the province |
| Candidate lists | Will determine how votes translate into seats in November |
| Local alliances post-election | Coalition arithmetic may determine control of key metros and municipalities |
The unfolding dispute underlines how national strategic choices — in this case the SACP’s independent electoral campaign — have immediate and concrete effects at provincial and municipal level. In the Western Cape, where politics are already highly competitive, those effects will be felt in council chambers and on the doorstep alike.
As parties reconfigure ahead of the election, voters in the province will face a changed landscape: familiar alliances are being tested and new local equations are taking shape. For residents seeking clarity on how these shifts affect service delivery and local representation, careful scrutiny of party lists and municipal staffing changes in the coming weeks will be essential.
— Riaan Bester, Western Cape Correspondent (Cape Town)
