POLITICS
NATASHA MARRIAN: ANC alliance at risk if Ramaphosa loses
‘The stance taken by the SACP and Cosatu is factional and based on whether their preferred candidate succeeds’
ANC allies the South African Communist Party (SACP) and Cosatu are hedging their bets. Should the ANC’s December conference not go their way, there is a strong chance of the SACP cementing its decision to contest elections — and of taking the union federation along with it. At its meeting in August, Cosatu’s central executive committee discussed the possibility of leaving with the party, a decision it will take at its next congress. While Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali vehemently denied that a Plan B was in place if ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa failed to take over, it emerged this week that the federation had discussed "divorcing" the ANC if this happened. Cosatu also took a decision to push the SACP to contest the 2019 election. At its national congress in July, the SACP decided it would contest future elections, but did not specify when it would begin doing so.December then is a watershed moment for the alliance. Whatever happens will have a profound effect ...
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