The Free State branch of the South African Communist Party went off on national chairperson Blade Nzimande after he dropped a discussion paper calling for a special congress to revisit the decision about running independently from the ANC in the upcoming municipal elections. Provincial leaders slammed the document as divisive garbage meant to undermine party resolutions and accused him of trying to reverse the choice made back in December to break away from contesting under the ANC banner. They said his move threatened unity and ordered their reps to push back against what they called a rebellious tendency.
The drama points to deeper splits inside the party between Nzimande and current general secretary Solly Mapaila, who has been pushing the independent election strategy. KwaZulu-Natal actually backed the document while fighting their own battle after the central committee disbanded their provincial executive, but Free State is having none of it and wants everyone to fall in line with existing decisions instead of relitigating everything.
The drama points to deeper splits inside the party between Nzimande and current general secretary Solly Mapaila, who has been pushing the independent election strategy. KwaZulu-Natal actually backed the document while fighting their own battle after the central committee disbanded their provincial executive, but Free State is having none of it and wants everyone to fall in line with existing decisions instead of relitigating everything.
