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SACP denies foreign funding from Russia or China amid poverty claims
via The Citizen14 min read
Solly Mapaila, General Secretary of the South African Communist Party SACP, has refuted allegations that the party is receiving foreign funding from Russia or China. Mapaila described such claims as "insulting" and emphasized the SACP's financial struggles, citing the postponement of their People鈥檚 Red Caravan in the Free State due to lack of funds. He stated that the SACP operates "from hand to mouth," relying on donations primarily from its members and the trade union movement, which he noted are not substantial. Mapaila also addressed the SACP's decision to contest elections independently of the ANC, clarifying that this was a tactical decision made by the congress in 2022, not a personal one. He mentioned that despite this, the SACP campaigned for the ANC in 2024 to allow space for alliance reconfiguration discussions. Regarding the ANC's directive for dual members to declare their allegiance, Mapaila advised SACP members not to leave the ANC, viewing it as an instrument for South Africa's oppressed people, and affirmed the SACP's commitment to maintaining dual membership under the country's conditions while preserving its independence. He added that the SACP would not respond hostilely to the ANC's ultimatum but would instead intensify local campaigning efforts.
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