ANC requires dual members to declare campaign allegiance by Thursday deadline

Members holding both ANC and SACP membership face 10-day deadline to choose which party they will support in 2026 local elections.

The African National Congress will require members who also belong to the South African Communist Party to declare by Thursday which organisation they will campaign for ahead of the 2026 local government elections¹². Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said letters would be issued to all communists on Thursday, giving them 10 days to respond².

The directive is grounded in Rule 25.17.14 of the ANC constitution, which prohibits members from campaigning for another political party¹. The move comes as the ANC begins internal processes to select mayoral candidates for what is expected to be a closely contested municipal poll¹.

Mbalula said dual membership of the SACP would remain, but stated there would be no dual contesting of elections¹. He indicated there would be consequences for those who failed to respond within the deadline².

The decision places several senior figures under scrutiny, including mineral and petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe, higher education minister Buti Manamela, and deputy finance minister David Masondo, all of whom hold dual membership in both organisations¹.

The development follows a special National Executive Committee meeting held two weeks ago to discuss the SACP's decision to contest elections independently². The ANC and SACP are longstanding allies within the tripartite alliance alongside Cosatu, though tensions have surfaced periodically over electoral strategy, particularly at the local level¹.

The ANC has instructed all regional and branch executive committees to convene special meetings across the country this weekend to brief members on the NEC decision³. Mbalula said the party would also brief the Veterans League, Women's League, and Youth League about the decision³.