S. Africa communist party calls for transition in ANC's leadership

The South African Communist Party (SACP) on Sunday called for a transition in the leadership of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

The August 3 municipal election results should be a wake-up call for the ANC-led alliance and that failure to take action will result in a further decrease of support, the SACP said after its central committee meeting over the weekend.

The ANC lost control over Pretoria, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay metros in the elections, the biggest setback for the party since it took power in 1994 when apartheid was brought to an end. Nationwide, support for the ANC also declined considerably.

If the ANC doesn't take quick action to fix internal issues, public support is likely to decline at an accelerated pace, said the SACP, a coalition partner of the ANC.

Pressure is mounting on the ANC to elect new leaders following the elections. In addition to the SACP, the South African National Civic Organisation and the ANC Youth League have made a similar appeal.

The ANC should hold a consultative conference to reflect on past mistakes, listen to criticism and discuss leadership transition, SACP Secretary General Blade Nzimande told reporters in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

"The SACP believes there is great merit in considering the possibility of a national ANC consultative conference, or in terms of the ANC's constitution, a special conference prior to the ANC's national conference next year," Nzimande said.

The aim of the consultative conference should be to unify the ANC and the broader alliance on a principled programmatic basis, said Nzimande. Endit